Ishpatina Ridge is located in Lady Evelyn Smoothwater Provincial Park, ninety kilometres north of Sudbury. It is Ontario’s highest point of land rising 693 metres or 2,274 feet above sea level. You can access the ridge by foot but the timeliest way is to canoe to Scarecrow Lake and then climb the clearly marked trail to the top. The rock dome rises roughly 300 metres above the surrounding terrain and the view is magnificent.

Sleeping Giant is a long peninsula that juts out into Lake Superior, one hour southeast of Thunder Bay. Stunning park scenery includes cliffs reaching heights of 240 metres. Panoramic views of Lake Superior are unforgettable. A fall photo workshop is planned in the park for September 17-19. Cabin accommodation is available in the park in the fall, in addition to camping.

Mississagi scores top marks with hikers. Among the park’s fifty kilometres of trails is the seven kilometre Helenbar Lookout Trail. The 130 metre high point on the trail has great views of Helenbar Lake. Bring binoculars to spot the ospreys below you!

Ouimet Canyon is just off the Trans-Canada Highway between Thunder Bay and Sleeping Giant. A short one kilometre trail leads to two platforms overlooking the canyon which is so deep and cold that three species of Arctic plants flourish in it.

Barron Canyon is one of a series of gorges that run along a geological fault line in the eastern part of Algonquin Provincial Park. The canyon is accessed from the Sand Lake Gate entrance. A trail runs along the north rim of the spectacular 100 metre deep Barron Canyon. Six stops on the trail explain the formation and history of the canyon.

Restoule is about sixty-five kilometres southeast of North Bay. Besides terrific paddling opportunities, this park has an extensive hiking trail network that crests several scenic lookouts. Fire Tower Trail takes you one hundred metres above Stormy Lake and offers spectacular views westward towards the French River.

Killbear is one of Ontario’s busiest provincial parks, but come fall its sandy beaches and granite rocks are less crowded making this park a fabulous choice for a fall camping trip. The 3.5 kilometre Lookout Point Trail has a breathtaking view of Georgian Bay. A trail guide explains the ecology of the area.

Wasaga Beach protects the largest undisturbed tract of parabolic dunes on the Great Lakes with over 50 kms of trails. The Pine trail is 6 kms and winds through many of the unique areas that make this place so valuable. Rare pine-oak woodlands, wet cedar sloughs, rich beech-maple forests and scattered prairie remnants are just some of the highlights.

Awenda is located north of Midland, and includes the Nipissing Bluffs (almost 200 m). They are the remains of an ancient shoreline, and provide an excellent perch to see fall colours. The park has over 30 km of trails, but the best one for fall colour viewing can also be cycled. The 13km Awenda Bluff Trail is not too strenuous. It’s a great fall outing – with spectacular views of Georgian Bay including Giant’s Tomb.

Charleston Lake Provincial Park is northeast of Kingston. A great fall hiking destination, this park was first inhabited by native peoples. It became a destination for wealthy cottagers in the early 1900s. The new Blue Mountain Trail can be up to ten kilometres long depending on your route. It takes you to the highest point of land in eastern Ontario.

Samuel de Champlain is easy to access from the Trans-Canada Highway east of North Bay. Day use hiking trails in this park include the Red Pine Trail, which has two lookouts with sweeping views of the Mattawa River Valley’s fall colours.

Killarney Provincial Park’s La Cloche Silhouette Trail is a long distance backpacking trail demanding good physical condition and a high degree of hiking ability. A highlight is the ascent to Silver Peak. At 539 metres above sea level, it is the highest point in the La Cloche Range. On a clear day, the view encompasses the entire park, the City of Sudbury forty-five kilometres to the north east and Georgian Bay to the southwest.

The 48.5 kilometre Coastal Trail at Lake Superior Provincial Park follows the rocky shoreline of Lake Superior. There are spectacular views of the great lake from several vantage points. A large number of designated campsites are on the trail as well as several access points if you can’t do the whole trail at once.

Now in its 5th year, Harvestin’ the County Supper is expected to attract 700 food lovers to the beach at Sandbanks Provincial Park on Thursday, September 9.

It is the first time that the annual harvest supper will be served at the popular provincial park and tickets are selling like hotcakes.
Those who know Prince Edward County know that the County is a food lovers’ haven. This year’s harvest supper is 100% County fare. To whet your appetite, here’s what the organizers are planning to serve:

• Dinner Rolls from The Pastry House, butter from Reid’s Dairy
•Vicki’s Veggies Heirloom tomato salad with sweet onions from Honey Wagon Farms
•Mixed greens from Cherryvale Farms and Blake and Sandi Vader with a herb vinaigrette
•Corn on the cob from Terry Laundry and L.B. Hagermans Farms
•Roast Beef from Sunset Farms and Carson Bay Farms
•Pig on a spit from Blaine Way
•Apple Crumble made from Maw’s Lakeview Side Orchard
•Bottle water from Pure County Water Company

Seatings are at 4, 5:30 and 7pm. Tickets are $20 per person which includes entry into Sandbanks Provincial Park.
Purchase tickets online at www.countytix.ca or call 613-471-1991.

There are many events planned in the park for this special day.

Here’s what is going on:

10 am – 2pm: Check out the Interpretive Centre and ask the naturalists any questions you have about the wildlife or history of the park.

1 pm: Join us at the picnic shelter for cake!

1:30 – 2:30 pm: Sandcastle building contest on the beach.

2:30 pm: Judging of sandcastles takes place.

8:30 pm: Travel back in time and meet some of the people who first lived on Blue Lake and learn how Blue Lake was formed.

So get your party hats on and come celebrate 50 fantastic years!

For more information on Blue Lake visit www.OntarioParks.com

If you browse the OntarioParks.com event listings you will be amazed by the breadth and the quality of learning vacations that are available. Below is just a small sampling but it will give you an idea of what Ontario Parks have coming up.

ARROWHEAD has a Soapstone Carving and Paddle Making session with artist, Lloyd Stonehouse at the park’s picnic shelter from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily from August 19-22, 2010. A fee is required.

SLEEPING GIANT is offering a Digital Photography “Fall Colours” Weekend Workshop- – September 17-19, 2010. The workshop open Friday, with a 4:00 p.m. registration and barbeque and runs until Sunday at 4:00 p.m. The workshop is suitable for beginner to intermediate photographers with DSLR’s and point and shoot cameras. It’s led by professional photographer, Barry Wojciechowski. Learn how to capture the fall colours at Sleeping Giant. Tripod use, creating dynamic range landscapes, following your histogram and the best light opportunities are covered over the three days. Besides instruction, this learning vacation includes two nights shared cabin accommodation, park admission and welcome barbeque reception. For full workshop details, online registration and cancellation policy visit www.superiorvisits.com. The workshop fee is $399.00 + HST and advance registration is required. Class size is limited to ensure feedback for participants so register early. Email info@superiorvisits.com or call Lois at 807-344-9208.

FRONTENAC hosts learning vacations throughout the year. On September 25, it will host a Navigating/GPS course led by Christine Showler of Frontenac Outfitters Canoe and Kayak Centre from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. The course objective is to provide participants with a competent working knowledge of maps, compass and GPS technology. Emphasis will be on UTM (Universal Transverse Mercator) map reading, GPS waypoint plotting and route information. A good knowledge of maps & compasses is recommended. NOTE: GPS units are provided on loan. Cost: $65.00 person plus tax and park fee.

BONNECHERE has a Wolf Howl planned for August 21 from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Author, educator and naturalist Mike Runtz leads this moonlight excursion to nearby Basin Depot in Algonquin Park in search of the elusive sounds of howling wolf packs. Meet at the Davenport Centre for a slide show presentation on wolf biology and social behaviour. The group will then head into Basin Depot and hopefully get a wolf pack to howl. The drive into Algonquin Park is 20 kilometres so you will need transportation. Please leave dogs at home since their barking can discourage wolves from howling.

DARLINGTON is hosting a Monarchs & Raptors Migration weekend, September 4 and 5, 2010. Butterfly tagging and a Hawkwatch will be held at Darlington’s Lake Ontario Lookout. The weekend begins at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday. You can send a monarch on its way to Mexico and see hawks hugging the shoreline from the top of a drumlin, the highest point in the park. Children’s programs and evening programsare offered through the weekend.

MACGREGOR POINT will host a Four Seasons RV workshop on October 23, 2010. The workshop will give tips on how to enjoy camping year-round. Additional fee applies.

KILLARNEY launched its brand new observatory and powerful telescope in July so check Killarney event listings for fall stargazing. There is also a dynamite Christmas event for budding birdwatchers. The annual Killarney Christmas Bird Count is one of the longest running Citizen Science surveys in the world. People new to birding will be teamed with experienced birders to inventory the winter birds of Killarney. The workshop will be held December 15, 2010, and by the way Killarney has yurt accommodation.

Algonquin Provincial Park is world famous for its wolves and wolf research, which began in the 1950’s, and continues to this day. One important discovery that was found, is that wolves will answer recorded wolf howls or human imitations. With this howling technique, researchers were able to locate wolves, and their dens, which provided valuable insight on the behaviour and habitat of Algonquin wolves.

Because interest peaked with campers on the research being done in the park, park staff decided to hold an evening of wolf “listening” back on August 17th, 1963. No one expected the turnout of 164 vehicles and 650 people who were eagerly waiting to hear the spine tingling howl of wolves. Now, every Tuesday and Wednesday evening in August, park staff set out to locate wolf packs. If a pack is located, the park will announce a public wolf howl on Thursdays, with information being displayed on park bulletin boards and at the Visitor Centre. You can also call the Visitor Centre at (613)637-2828 to find out if a wolf howl is scheduled for that day. Please remember, even though a pack was heard the night before, wolves are wild animals and move within their territories, so there are times when these public wolf howls are not successful. However, the experience of being there, does make this a worthwhile, memorable event!

If you are visiting Algonquin Provincial Park during the month of August, be sure to check out this AMAZING event.

Anniversary celebrations include:

10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. History of Killbear exhibit- Visitor Centre
10:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Trail challenge, bicycle scavenger hunt, visitor centre quiz
11:00 a.m. 2:00 & 4:00p.m. Guided hikes to maple syrup bush- Blind Bay cottage road
1:00 p.m. -1:45 p.m. Welcome ceremonies- Visitor Centre
2:00 p.m.- 5:00 p.m. Stories from the past- Visitor Centre
2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Kayak demonstrations by White Squall- Day Use Beach
4:00 p.m. – 4:45 p.m. Min We We First Nations Drumming- Visitors Centre
8:30 p.m. History of Killbear Spirit Night- Amphitheatre

Don’t miss the festivities. Happy Birthday Killbear!