Tag Archives: Hiking

Six Great Day Hikes in Ontario

October 1, 2012 Red Hunt 4 Comments

The start of October also marks the start of Ontario Hiking Week, so it seems the perfect time to put together a few photos from some of my favourite day hiking trails from the Ontario Provincial Parks that I have visited.

I’ve hiked all around Ontario, from the shores of Lake Superior to the Niagara Escarpment to the southern tip of Point Pelee. It’s not easy choosing just six hikes that stand out, but these ones are some of the most enjoyable short hikes I’ve come across.

#6 – Kabeyun Trail, Sleeping Giant Provincial Park (40km)

Sea Lion Rock in Sleeping Giant Provincial Park — Sea Lion Rock, a highlight on a side trail of the Kabeyun Trail

As with many parks further north in Ontario, hiking opportunities are plentiful, with many more options than you see at parks in Central or Southern Ontario. In total, Sleeping Giant boasts 17 different hiking trails, ranging from easy strolls to tough multi-day treks. The Kabeyun is known as a challenging hike with excellent wildlife viewing opportunities and plenty of great scenic lookouts.

You don’t have to do the entire hike to appreciate it, this photo is of ‘Sea Lion Rock’ (the head of the sea lion broke off years ago), which is only a hike of a few kilometres from the trailhead parking lot.

#5 – Mizzy Lake Trail, Algonquin Provincial Park (11km)

Mizzy Lake Trail - Moose — A juvenile Moose in the forest on Mizzy Lake Trail

More famous for canoeing routes, Algonquin Park also offers great hiking options, with 13 hikes along the popular Highway 60 corridor and numerous hikes accessible via other entry points.

Of all the hikes along the corridor, Mizzy Lake stands out for a few reasons. First, it is an ideal day-hike length of 11km, taking you anywhere from 3.5-6 hours depending on how often you stop and what your hiking speed is.

The Mizzy Lake Trail also passes through a great variety of landscapes, from open forest, to dense pines and shores of lakes. Wildlife viewing here is the best of any trail, with patient hikers being able to catch glimpses of everything from chipmunks to moose. This is also the only trail along the corridor that does not allow dogs on the trail, so as not to disturb the wildlife. (Note, however that you may encounter hiking groups along the flat and easy ‘old railway’ portion of the trail that have dogs.)

#4 – Mayflower Lake Trail, Arrowhead Provincial Park (1km)

Mayflower Lake Trail - Beaver Lodge — Green scenery and a Beaver Lodge along Mayflower Lake Trail

Arrowhead Provincial Park is a fun park to visit on a weekend, as the handful of trails on offer total only 13km, making it easy to hike all of the trails and enjoy the rest of the park over 2-3 days. The Beaver Meadow Trail is the only one of substantial length, at 7km, but I found the short Mayflower Lake Trail to be the most impressive, and conducive to photography.

If you are like me and like to take photos of nature, then the Mayflower Trail hike provides some nice green scenery and points of interest. Beaver lodges, rocky shorelines, changing trail conditions and a variety of plants make it a fun, short hike.

#3 – Agawa Rock Indian Pictographs Trail, Lake Superior Provincial Park (0.4km)

The shortest trail on this list, it is also one of the most interesting. Few places in Ontario let you get so close to a piece of history as this trail does.

Some of the most impressive and most accessible pictographs are found along the rocky shoreline on this trail. It has a steep and sometimes slippery descent to view the pictographs up close, but on a clear day it’s well worth a glimpse of centuries old Indian rock paintings.

#2 – Chikanishing Trail, Killarney Provincial Park (3km)

Chikanishing Trail in Killarney — Windswept trees and coastal Georgian Bay views of the Chikanishing Trail

For such a large park, Killarney has surprisingly few hiking trails if you skip doing any section of the 100km long La Cloche Silhouette Trail. Yet, the few trails it offers are all superb, with different landscapes and environments. The Chikanishing Trail is my personal favourite on a nice day, as it offers a pleasant hike along ridges and shorelines of Georgian Bay.

A great hike for staring out across the water and watching kayakers go by, or for stopping along the rocky ridge line for a picnic.

#1 – Etienne Trail, Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park (2.5-9km)

Etienne Trail - Nature Loop — Relaxing along the Nature Loop of Etienne Trail in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park

Nestled above the immense Algonquin Park, getting to Samuel de Champlain park is a bit of a chore for people from Southern Ontario. It is well worth the effort though.

There are no simple ‘boardwalk’ hikes here. Each of the hikes at Samuel de Champlain has a bit of a challenge to it, and the Etienne Trail is the best of the bunch. This trail is actually comprised of three loops, so you can pick and choose the length of your hike based on your interests. I suggest doing all three loops for 9km, but in the least, don’t skip the Nature Loop part of the Etienne Trail.

Around the beautiful Long Lake, the Nature Loop offers a fun trail with plenty of rewarding lookouts, as well as potential animal encounters. This is the kind of trail that can be enjoyed by virtually any park visitor – from hikers and wildlife enthusiasts to photographers.

Enjoy Ontario Hiking Week! Hope you have time to get out and explore a nearby park.

Wildlife and Nature

Easter Island – Te Ara O Te Ao Trail

February 7, 2012 Red Hunt 5 Comments

An impressive hike on Easter Island, the Te Ara O Te Ao Trail from Hanga Road town up to Rano Kau crater, via the Manavai Garden is a moderate to challenging day trek depending on weather.

Most people hire a car or simply hop in a taxi for the ride up the hill to the edge of the crater and nearby Orongo ruins. But doing that you miss out on some great seaside scenery, a botanical garden, ocean-side caves and an enjoyable uphill hike through grassy fields and tree patches that offer a beautiful panoramic view of the island.

Easter Island Trail Marker - Pie del Rano Kau — Pie del Rano Kau Tuki Marker on Easter Island

I started my hike at Camping Mihinoa, where I was staying. It is a bit on the edge of town, so I was already between hike marker (or ‘TUKI’) 10 and 11 when I got on the road. From there, you follow the road towards the mountain that looms in the distance. The full trail, one-way is slightly more than 3.5km long and takes roughly 2 hours at a decent pace, but stopping to enjoy the highlights.

Highlight 1: Fishing Harbour

On the outskirts of town is the lively fishing harbour. This is where so many Easter Islanders make their living, heading out to sea each day to catch some fish. No tourist facilities here, this is all business.

Fishing Boats on Easter Island — Easter Island - Fishing Boats on the Outskirts of Hanga Roa

Highlight 2: Flowers and Trees

Flowering hibiscus are among the more colourful sights you’ll see on a hike up to Rano Kau.

Hibiscus Flower — There are plenty of trees and flowers along the Te Ara O Te Ao trail

Highlight 3: Ahu Riata

A fairly simple Ahu. You can find Ahu Riata across the road from the harbour and just before the airport. As you can see in the photo here, airplanes fly in pretty close!

Ahu Riata, Easter Island — Ahu Riata on Easter Island, with Moa Statues and Airplane in the Background

Highlight 4: Manavai Exhibition Garden

Dozens of different plants are on exhibit in this botanical garden. They’re mostly protected with circular rock structures surrounding them, to keep them safe from rodents. Easter Island was once nearly all forest, before the early inhabitants wiped it clear. Today, efforts are under way to re-forest the island with endemic plant species.

Manavai Exhibition Garden - Mandioca — Mandioca, a native plant, at the Manavai Exhibition Garden

Highlight 5: Observacion Geologica

A great view of the island and Hanga Roa town. You can stop for a break, have a picnic on a bench or just enjoy the view here.

Te Ara O Te Ao Trail - View of Hanga Roa — View of Hanga Roa from the Observacion Geologica

Highlight 6: Cooling off in a Rainstorm

I had a big rainstorm blow in halfway between the Observacion Geologica and Rano Kau. Considering I was dumb and had run out of water in the 35C heat it was a welcome relief. Did I mention I only ran across two other people on the entire hike? A local father and his daughter who were hiking down the mountain. They seemed surprise to see me, a visitor, bothering to enjoy some nature on Easter Island.

Storm Clouds Clearing on Easter Island — Storms Roll in Quick on Easter Island, but Give Welcome Relief to the Heat

Highlight 7: Mirador Rano Kau

This is the reward at the top of the hill and edge of the ocean. One of the most amazing views I’ve ever enjoyed! Hiking inside the crater is technically not allowed and can be quite dangerous, but some people venture further.

Rano Kau Crater on Easter Island — Crater of Rano Kau Lookout on Easter Island

Highlight 8: Taking the Easy Road back to Town

On the way down I took the easier route and hiked down the main road. It goes more inland and is actually a longer route that allows you to pass by a few farms and through some forest and rural parts of the island before swinging back to the coast, around the airport.

Road from Rano Kau and Orongo to Hanga Roa — Road to Hanga Roa from Rano Kau Crater

It was not nearly as scenic a hike as the way up was, but if you feel like taking it easy, it still gives you a better appreciation of the island than driving does. Just be wary of the local farm animals, I had a stare down with a rather intimidating cow on this remote road!

Wildlife and Nature

Kakabeka Falls – The Niagara of the North

September 29, 2011 Red Hunt Leave a comment

On a whim I booked a trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario. It is only a 1.5 hour flight north from Toronto, but takes 18 hours to drive there as you have to take a circular route around the Great Lakes. I usually love road trips, but with cheap flights and car rentals, I actually saved money (and a lot of time!) by flying on this quick trip.

Kakabeka Falls, the Niagara Falls of the North — View of Kakabeka Falls from the Visitor Centre Viewing Platform

One of the natural attractions that lured me here was Kakabeka Falls. The self-proclaimed ‘Niagara of the North’, Kakabeka Falls is located just off the Trans-Canada Highway about 100km from downtown Thunder Bay.

Boardwalk to view Kakabeka Falls — Accessible Boardwalk at Kakabeka Falls Visitor centre

It is a Provincial Park in Ontario, so visitor payments go towards protecting and operating the park as well as it’s hiking trails and campgrounds. You can pay $5 for a two hour permit or choose from longer options if you want to make a full day trip out of it. I didn’t camp here, but many of the sites looked to be large and well-treed for privacy.

The falls themselves are a nice split waterfall. The height is impressive as they drop down into a deep gorge. The park provide accessible boardwalks on either side of the falls so that you can get some great photos from close to the edge of the gorge. Annoyingly though, the park and highway bridges are placed beyond the height of the falls meaning that they’re a bit of an eyesore for any full landscape photos. Nonetheless, you can get some great waterfall shots here.

Kakabeka Falls - Landscape View — Kakabeka Falls and the Park Bridge

As for the ‘Niagara of the North’ title, Kakabeka Falls doesn’t quite live up to the expectation. Think of it more as a mini-Niagara. What it does offer is a great natural environment with plenty of hiking trails (almost 20km) in the park and an opportunity to appreciate nature without the crowds. When I visited in September I only saw 10-15 other people in the entire park.

Close-up of Kakabeka Falls from the eastern Viewing Platform

For a quick hiking trail that offers some different perspectives of the falls and the Kaministiquia River, take the short and easy Mountain Portage trail. The trail has a few lookouts and also provides a glimpse of the nearby power generating station, which was first built more than 100 years ago. Bald eagles are also commonly seen in the trees along the edge of the gorge here, so keep an eye for them – I saw one, but it was too far away to get a great photo.

The visitor centre here also has plenty of picnic tables and open space to sit and enjoy the sound of the falls, making it a great spot for a family picnic. A worthwhile, relaxing place to stop if you find yourself in Thunder Bay, or plan to head out on a Cross-Canada road trip.

Red Hunt Travel