My guide to Algonquin Park, Canada
Being the largest provincial park in Canada with a size comparable to 1/4 of Belgium, Algonquin Park is a must-visit for a taste of the Canadian wilderness. You can explore it by camping, hiking, canoeing and walking, and you’ll get to see a lot of what Canada is really about.
How to get there
Like most places in North America, Algonquin Park is easiest to reach by car. It takes about four hours from Toronto, so you’ll have to get up early if you want to turn this into a day trip. If you don’t have the opportunity to go by car, there are tour companies that arrange trips to the park by bus.
I went with ISX Canada on their Algonquin Park day trip (linked here). ISX arranges tours from the Greater Toronto Area to destinations such as Niagara Falls, Boston, NYC, French Canada and many other places. I’ve had some great experiences with ISX Canada, and I would highly recommend it.
During my trip to Algonquin Park, we made a quick breakfast stop in Huntsville, Ontario. This is a beautiful lakeside town in the heart of Muskoka. For those who don’t know, Muskoka is an area around 2,5 hours north of Toronto where many Torontonians go to relax, unwind and enjoy the beautiful nature that Ontario has to offer.
Activities in Algonquin Park
Once you have arrived to the park, there are plenty of activities for you to choose from. You may go camping, explore the museum, go for hikes etc. There are also more adventurous activities available, such as dog sledding, snowmobiling, wildlife watching and hunting. For the full list of recreational activities, take a look here.
During my visit in September, I went for a 30-minute canoeing trip in Canoe Lake. I have canoed before, but it was a long time ago, and as a beginner, 30 minutes was perfect for this activity. There are full day trips centered around canoeing, and you may even go canoe camping if you’d like. The views were beautiful, and the instructors took good care of us during the event. I can highly recommend going canoeing in Algonquin Park.
The Visitor’s Centre
The Visitor’s Centre and surrounding area may be considered as the central area of the park. Here you’ll find a restaurant (which served pretty mediocre food) and a museum exhibit about the animals of Algonquin Park. The park is home to bears, moose, wolves and many other wild animals. You will also be able to see some scenic views of the park from here, and look at art inspired by the park made by famous Canadian artists. The most famous one is the legendary Tom Thomson who drowned under mysterious circumstances in Canoe Lake.
The Hikes
There are plenty of hiking trails in Algonquin Park, and some are easier to explore than others. For a thorough guide of some of the best hikes, take a look here.
The most popular hike is The Lookout. It is very walkable, and not too long, around 2km, and it will give you a stunning view of the park.
Above is the view from the Hardwood Lookout, which is also really beautiful. This one is fairly easy, and about 1km in length.
As you can imagine, there are plenty of trails to choose from, and you can easily spend a week at the park hiking and doing other recreational activities.
Heading back to the city
If you get up early, what I mentioned above is about as much as you can squeeze into a day trip to Algonquin Park. You’ll definitely be tired on the way back to the city, and you’ll need to make a stop along the way. For this purpose, I am happy to recommend Weber’s restaurant, which is located along the highway. They serve up great burgers, and the dining area itself is inside a stranded train, which is kind of a unique experience.
Prices and how to get the most out of your trip
The price of a visit to Algonquin Park depends highly on how you plan to spend your time there. The minimum is about 17 Canadian dollars per day, which is what a daily vehicle permit costs, regardless of how many people there are in your car. My day trip set me back about 90 dollars but did include canoeing, transportation from Toronto and back, as well as an arranged tour with a guide. I believe that a day trip with a rented car will add up to the same, if not more when including gas expenses etc.
The park is huge, and it is easy to underestimate that. I would love to go back to see more of it, and in that case I would opt for ana overnight stay at a nearby hotel, so I could get two days there.
Another good question is at what time of the year you should visit the park. I visited in September, which was great. It was still warm, and there was some slight fall foliage going on. I do, however believe that the summer is most ideal. The fall colours are gorgeous, so October may be a good idea as well if you don’t mind the cold weather. I wouldn’t recommend November-March unless you enjoy cold weather and are an experienced hiker. The winters are rough in Canada, so expect a challenge if you decide to go during winter.
Summary
Overall, I was very happy with my visit to Algonquin Park, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who visits Toronto or other nearby cities in Canada. If i’d go again, I’d rent a car and stay overnight at a hotel to get more out of the experience. I do, however think that a day trip is worth it despite the 4 hour one way drive, since you’ll still be able to get a good sense of the park.
Have you visited Algonquin Park or any of the other national parks in Canada? Which one was your favourite? Do you have any Canadian national parks on your bucket list? My ultimate bucket list park in Canada is Banff National Park in Alberta, and I hope to be able to visit it soon.
