The Achilles Lake Trail at Fushimi Lake is more of an easy path to a scenic lake view than any sort of adventurous hiking trail.
Achilles Trail at Fushimi Lake
Almost completely flat from start to finish, at only 500m in length (1km round trip) you’ll find many families and campers enjoying this trail at any time of day, because it starts and ends quite close to the campground in the park – only about a 5-minute walk away.
This is the kind of little trail that is perfect for an early morning walk while enjoying your first cup of coffee for the day, or for going on a evening stroll at sunset to see if there is any wildlife hanging out along the shores of Achilles Lake.
Achilles Trail Map
Spruce trees, and small shrubs line the path, which opens up to some rocky clearings along the shore of the lake. There are well-located benches nearby that are perfect for either fishing or just soaking up the views.
If you want a more leisurely fishing experience than heading out on a boat on Fushimi Lake, this is the spot to head to. Spend a bit of time casting a line from the shore and you’ll likely come away with enough fish for dinner, all just a short little walk from your campsite. Doesn’t get much easier than that! Walleye and Northern Pike both being plentiful.
Red Squirrel along the Achilles Trail at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park
Moose and other wildlife such as fox are frequent visitors to Achilles Lake. The easy access makes it perfect for launching a canoe into the lake to do some wildlife spotting. Alternatively, the rocky shoreline also provides some places to explore as well.
A good contrast to the longer, more challenging Fire Tower Trail, the Achilles Lake Trail can be your go-to morning and evening walk in the park. Spend a weekend, or week, camping in Fushimi Lake and chances are pretty great that you’ll come across some moose or loons if you take daily excursions out to Achilles Lake.
Achilles Lake – Bench View
View across Achilles Lake
For people who want to launch their canoe at the lake, there is a small parking area closer to the trailhead so that you don’t have to carry your canoe all the way from the campground. It’s a much quieter, calmer lake than Fushimi (much smaller as well), so definitely a better option for a casual paddle.
If you’re not familiar with the great nature and wilderness of our northern Ontario Parks, Fushimi Lake Provincial Park is just northwest of Hearst, which is about 6 hours north of Sault St. Marie, 7 hours north of Sudbury or 11 hours north of Toronto.
Canoe Rentals are available
Many interesting flowers and mushrooms are found along the trail to Achilles Lake
One of the more remote provincial parks in Ontario that you can drive to, Fushimi Lake Provincial Park is home to a couple of impressive hiking trails.
While fishing attracts most people to this park in Northern Ontario, hiking and camping are equally rewarding with potential wildlife sightings, including iconic Canadian creatures like moose and loons.
Fire Tower Trail – Windswept Trees
Hiking the Fire Tower Trail at Fushimi Lake
This is the more challenging of two main hiking trails at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park.
For the most part, it is an easy trail, which skirts along the shore of Lake Fushimi for a good portion of the trail. There are plenty of places to stop and look for wildlife or admire the views at the lake, or even go for a swim near the start and end of this trail.
Some marsh areas are found along the portions of the trail as well, where you may hear, or spot smaller animals such as frogs, squirrels and turtles. Depending on the time of year you’re hiking, be sure to be prepared for plenty of mosquitos and annoying horse flies.
Starting the Fushimi Lake Fire Tower Trail
Red Squirrel – Hiking at Fushimi Lake
Fire Tower Trail – Do you know what kind of Butterfly this is?
The park says to allow yourself 4 hours for hiking his trail. As with most Ontario Parks, this is a generous time allotment, as even with a handful of stops along the way, you can hike this trail in a bit over 3 hours. If you do decide to take a lengthy break for a picnic lunch up at the Fire Tower, or to go for a swim, then sure it could be a 4 hour adventure.
One thing that stood out while hiking this trail was the sheer number, and variety, of mushrooms along the trail. Fungus, fungus everywhere! They added a bit of colour to the landscape, along with the red squirrels that were extra chatty along this trail.
Expect lots of mushrooms and fungus along the Fire Tower Trail
Lots of Black Spruce and Balsam Fir trees make up the majority of trees and vegetation you’ll be walking through on this trail, from start to finish.
The Old Cabin
One of the ‘highlights’ on the trail is the old cabin that was used in the past when the Fire Tower was operational. Both were built in the 1930s. Not knowing what to expect before arriving at this part of the trail, I was expecting a nice, restored cabin that could serve as an emergency refuge even today. But, as you can see from the photos it’s barely a real highlight anymore.
The ruined old cabin, won’t sleep here tonight…
At first, I wasn’t even sure if this was the cabin mentioned in the park brochure and hiking trail map, because it was in such terrible ruins, barely recognizable. But sure enough, this was it. With some imagination, you could picture it in better days. The official trail brochure helps bring the history to life a little more, but for the average hiker, it’s a bit of a disappointment.
Would I call this a highlight of the trail? Not really. It was more of a let down than anything. But, still interesting as it does bring to life some of the history of the area.
Some parts of the Fire Tower Trail at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park can get a bit rough
Good Spot for a Lunch / Snack Break
From the cabin area, you have a choice. The trail here has begun to wind inland, and beyond the cabin you’re going to start climbing up to the Fire Tower. Alternatively, you can take a break and head down a side trail to a beach and picnic area.
The picnic / beach area was somewhat overgrown when I visited and wasn’t the most appealing spot for a swim, but was a decent spot to stop for a picnic lunch or short break to fuel up before heading to the top.
Lake view, plenty of decent picnic spots along this trail
Heart-Pumping Incline
Up until the Cabin, the trail is easy and mostly flat. But as you go past the cabin and the trail turns inland, it also begins to climb. Part of the trail beyond the cabin has a decent incline to it, which can get the heart pumping if you’re hiking at any type of speed.
Typical scenery along the Fire Tower Trail
As you’d expect from a trail with a Fire Tower, the tower needs to be located somewhere with a great 360 degree vantage point of the surrounding forest. That means it is atop the hill that you’re now climbing.
If you’re climbing with kids, there will probably be a few “are we there yet” type of moments, but after some sweating it out, you’ll catch a glimpse of the tower in the distance.
At first sighting, it is a bit deceptive, as you still have a fair distance to cover before actually reaching the tower. Still, nothing motivates you better than seeing the end of the trail, or in this case, the highlight of the trail.
The Fire Tower at Fushimi Lake Provincial Park!
Reaching the Fire Tower
There are very few old Fire Towers still standing in Ontario. Once a critical, widespread network across a large portion of the province, todays modern world doesn’t really have a need for having people stand watch in these towers, peering out across the trees in search of forest fires.
While this fire tower is abandoned and not in use anymore, it is maintained enough to be a real highlight for the hike. Just know that it you are not allowed to climb the tower. There are warning signs reminding you that it is dangerous, as well as illegal.
Fire Tower – Looking Up
It is tempting to want to see the view from “up there”, but gazing up at the tower from the clearing below is as high as you’re allowed to go. There are mossy rock outcrops and plenty of areas to stop and rest while you catch your breath after the hill climb.
The Fire Tower makes for a nice backdrop for some photos as well, before you continue on your hiking trail and begin the return path back to the start.
The return hike is easier (downhill) and a bit uninspiring as it follows the same path you took to get here. It would be nice for this trail to be a loop, instead of a single track, linear path, but even so it is worth spending a morning of afternoon to explore.
Rays of Sunshine atop the hill on the Fire Tower Trail
Overall roundtrip distance of the trail is about 7km (3.5km each way). Allow yourself 3 hours to enjoy the trail and surrounding nature. The suggested 4 hour hiking time is a bit much, unless you stop at the beach for a swim or lunch.
While this is the most challenging and longest trail in the park, If you’re more keen to spot wildlife or relax on the shores of a lake, I found the short Achilles Lake trail to be more enjoyable.
Expect lots of birds to be around while hiking this trail in Fushimi Lake PP
More vegetation from the Fire Tower Trail at Fushimi Lake
I’ve visited this park a couple of times and with more than 125 miles of traisl to explore, it has no shortage of adventure options for hikers and bikers. Actually, biking is my favourite way to explore the park.
An Eagle Nest in Cuyahoga valley National Park
As the park is somewhat long and skinny, it’s a bit of a challenge to get around different parts of the park on foot, so the smooth and easy Ohio & Erie Canal Towpath trail is the way to go. This trail is easy and accessible to all, but don’t let it’s popularity and accessibility make you think you won’t see any wildlife.
I saw deer along here in the early morning, before having my camera ready, but I managed to see plenty of other creatures as well. By biking along the Towpath Trail, it gets you around the vast majority of the park, allowing you to lock up and hike on for further / more remote trails. Because the Towpath Trail snakes it’s way along the old canal system, it passes right beside a number of creeks, rivers and wetlands. The Cuyahoga River itself is the main attraction, luring in many birds, such as a good number of Great Blue Herons.
Great Blue Heron – perched above the Cuyahoga River in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
Be sure to keep an eye on the water surface as you hike or bike along as well. Slow down and look carefully, as turtles seem to pop up everywhere here! It is easy to miss them if you don’t pay attention, but just check any logs that are partially submerged and you’ll start to spot a lot of them.
Fish and frogs – food for those herons – are found along the river system as well. A couple of the more elusive animals that are here (which I wasn’t lucky to spot) are beavers and coyotes.
River scenery in the Cuyahoga Valley
Since the park runs down Ohio, it goes through a number of small towns such as Peninsula. This makes it easy to stop in for a bite to eat or relax in between your hiking and biking adventures. Another bonus, if you do take the biking route, is that the Scenic Railway that goes through the park allows you to bring your bike aboard, so you can bike and hike through the park one way, then take a easy train ride back to where you started. Super convenient.
Tinkers Creek Gorge, Brandywine Falls and the Hale Farm & Village are all worthwhile stops along the way as you explore the trails in the park.
Turtle in Cuyahoga Valley National Park
While you can see a lot in a full day of hiking and biking, the best suggestion is the book an overnight Stanford House, near Brandywine Falls. It is at about the 1/2 way mark of the park and offers both camping and rooms. There are many other nearby places to stay, but that would be tops in my books.
With that said, the park is so close to Akron and Cleveland that if you don’t book an overnight in the park, you can always make it an easy return trip for multiple days of exploring.
Food markets are funny places to me. On one hand I think they are great spots, where you can buy direct from the farmers, butchers and families who are selling their products. On the other hand, they often have poor hours and prices are higher than your local supermarket.
In the end, you’re paying for freshness and getting to know the people who are behind the products you want to sell, so whether it is West Side Market in Cleveland or the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, they’re worth frequenting and supporting.
West Side Market – Sausages
When I was in Cleveland I visited West Side Market after a big brunch meal at the West Side Market Cafe. Probably a smart thing as I wasn’t as tempted to stock up on sweets, treats and meats as I normally otherwise would be.
The market itself did remind me quite a bit of the St. Lawrence Market in Toronto, but it had a little more structure to it. As a historic building, it is more than 100 years old and has served as an important food hub to the city of Cleveland for a long time. It has grown over the decades, and now has an outdoor area extension where the produce providers are located.
West Side Market – Cheese Shop
The Pork Chop Shop had some great chorizo, and I found the produce guys outside were all competitive and eager to let you sample their stuff, in hopes of a sale. The Cheese Shop and many other stalls indoors, in particular the sausages guys at Frank’s were also generous with offering up free samples to get you hooked.
If I lived in Cleveland and was having guests over for dinner, I’d likely stop by and grab some meats, cheeses or other tasty treats from the market. One thing I noticed was that there did not seem to be a lot of high quality shops serving up prepared foods. Sure, there were some sandwich and crepe options, but overall there wasn’t as much of the ready-to-eat options as I expected to find.
West Side Market – Meat
The area around the market was really nice to walk around too. Nearby restaurants and breweries make it an easy place to stop in for a few hours and spend half a day. One spot that did get me curious and wish that I had more time in Cleveland to do some cooking was the gnocchi place…I never knew there could be so many types of gnocchi, the pumpkin sage gnocchi sounded best to me.
Looking for wildlife in Western New York isn’t as challenging as it may seem. Between Buffalo, Rochester and Niagara there are a number of parks and natural attractions that bring birds and wildlife to the area.
I gained an appreciation for the wildlife of this area while doing some winter hiking around the Tifft Nature Preserve in Buffalo.
Wildlife at Tifft Nature Preserve, Buffalo
Within sight-line of Buffalo, in winter, the forest at Tifft Nature Preserve opens up, allowing you to easily spot birds and follow tracks of the local wildlife, including deer. I saw a number of deer here, although they were much more skittish than the birds! In winter, rent some snowshoes to get around – tons of fun!
Hello Deer! Spotted at Tifft Nature Preserve
Birding at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge, Amherst
The biggest protected area on this list. Iroquois is home to one of America’s greatest icons – the Bald Eagle! While spotting the eagles here isn’t easy, try looking for them from Cayuga overlook. Other wildlife including frogs, Canadian geese and muskrats are common. Depending on the time of year, everything from woodpeckers to egrets have been seen at Iroquois National Refuge.
Urban Wildlife at Delaware Park, Buffalo
Dubbed the “Central Park” of Buffalo, Delaware Park draws in outdoor lovers any time of year. While it is a fairly developed land area, with more than just hiking and biking trails, it still lures in some wildlife. Look for creatures like squirrels, rabbits and perhaps raccoons. You’ll also find geese, ducks and other birds around the waterfront and trails at Delaware Park.
Squirrels are some of the more common creatures you’ll spot in parks in Western New York
Animal Spotting at Amherst State Park, Amherst
Beautiful gardens and plenty of trails make this state park a good spot for watching, or tracking wildlife. In winter, this is another great spot to go looking for tracks of some of the more elusive creatures of Western New York, such as bobcats, coyotes, minks and foxes. For bird lovers, great blue herons and cardinals are among the resident highlights, while many migratory birds also make their way to the Ellicott Creek area. Amherst State Park is also a great place to spot deer.
Birding around Buffalo and WNY is great any time of year
Exploring Beaver Meadow Audubon Center, North Java
With wetlands, woodlands and plenty of trails, Beaver Meadow is a year round destination for people looking to get outside in search of animals. Obviously dedicated to birders, the park also attracts its fair share of other wildlife thanks to a great diversity of habitats. From owls to warblers to muskrats, Beaver Meadow is well worth exploring.
Do you have any other favourite spots to look for wildlife around Western New York?
Bat Shelters – a great way to help our wild friends
