Destination: MacGregor Point Provincial Park, May 25-25 & May 31-June 3, 2012.
The Huron Fringe Birding Festival in MacGregor Point Provincial Park has long been one of Canada’s premier birding festivals. MacGregor Point Provincial Park, at the base of the Bruce Peninsula, is part of a natural migration corridor. Guided hikes, tours, workshops and evening presentations fill quickly.

Destination: Murphys Point Provincial Park (July, August, & September dates)
The new Heritage Mica Festival at Murphys Point Provincial Park will run on summer dates from June to September. Murphys Point will also host overnight Learn to Camp sessions in July and August. Murphys Point is near Perth, Ontario, on the Rideau Heritage Canal, an hour southwest of Ottawa.

Destination: Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park, July 28, 2012.
For over three decades, canoeists have paddled the historic waterways of the Mattawa River with the hope that they will become a champion paddler in the annual Mattawa River Canoe Race. Paddlers come from across North America to compete in this one-day race which traces 64 kilometres of lakes, portages and challenging rapids and ends where the Mattawa and Ottawa Rivers meet. The fastest time on record was set in 1995- 5 hours, 27 minutes and 53 seconds.
Competitive, recreational and voyageur canoe categories allow for all types of canoeing enthusiasts to participate. The family and junior category races begin at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park and are 13 km in length.

Destination: Arts in the Wild at Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Provincial Park has long been associated with artists, notably the Group of Seven. An Artist in Residence program in the park gives visitors an opportunity to connect with nature and to capture the beauty of its unique landscape. Personal instruction in fine arts is provided by established artists. If you are an artist and interested in participating in the program, contact the Friends of Killarney Provincial Park.

To reserve a campsite at any of these parks, click here.

In Northern Ontario…
- Pancake Bay Provincial Park’s new lookout overlooks the location of where the Edmund Fitzgerald sank on Lake Superior.
- The River of Experiences exhibit at the Mattawa River Visitor Centre in Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park celebrates the canoe and tells the story of Canada’s earliest paddlers.
- Thanks to park volunteers, a new barrier-free trail has been added to Mashkinonje Provincial Park, a favourite wetland paradise of Sudbury and North Bay field naturalists.
- The new 3.5 kilometre Lake of the Woods Trail at Killarney Provincial Park will lead you over rock and through old growth forest and it has a great view of Silver Peak, the highest point of land in the park.
- Check out this new Fish Bench at Neys Provincial Park. It’s the perfect spot to catch summer rays and enjoy a 180 degree view of Lake Superior.

In Eastern Ontario…
- Charleston Lake and Bon Echo Provincial Parks have new yurts! Check out this complete list of Ontario Parks with roofed accommodation.
- Footprints in Time (FIT) is a new trail at Bonnechere Provincial Park. Guided hikes along the trail give visitors a unique outdoor, hands-on learning experience based on traditional Algonquin First Nation teachings.
-Sandbanks Provincial Park’s new Dunes Interpretive Trail winds through this park’s massive freshwater dunes, the largest in the world.
- Friends of Presqu’ile Provincial Park volunteers are responsible for creating a spectacular new boardwalk trail to replace the old one at the park, noted for its birdwatching, especially during spring and fall migration. What a great place for a day visit!

In Central Ontario…
-The Wasaga Beach Welcome Centre officially opens at Wasaga Beach Provincial Park. The new visitor centre is part of the War of 1812 Bicentennial events planned this summer.
- Six Mile Lake Provincial Park will host overnight Learn to Camp sessions in 2012.

In Southwestern Ontario…
-Be sure to check out The Pinery visitor centre’s new look. A new interactive exhibit highlights the park’s fragile ecosystem.
-The Pinery Provincial Park volunteers are adding rolling boardwalks to all dune pathways to protect the dunes from human impact during the busy spring and summer seasons.

Please leave firewood at home to prevent the spread of these pests. A better alternative is to buy firewood where it will be burned or purchase firewood locally around the park. Remember to check for pest infestation and avoid buying ash firewood.

To help slow the spread of Emerald Ash Borer, Ontario Parks will continue to seize firewood transported from all areas regulated by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA). You could face penalties of up to $50,000 and/or prosecution if you move firewood out of a regulated area without prior approval from CFIA.

For more information and the latest updates about regulated areas, please visit (link to www.inspection.gc.ca.

The fourth reason I love hiking in the rain is the wildlife. Many animals are just as active in the rain as they are in the sun –some even more so. One group of animals that is particularly active in the rain are frogs and salamanders. With thin skin that dries easily, a rainy day means many amphibians are liberated from the risk of dehydration. Young frogs and toads will set out across the rain soaked landscape to colonize new areas. Salamanders will wriggle from log to log looking for waterlogged worms and insects to feed on. Other wildlife, like tiny shrews, become even more active as well – taking advantage of the food bonanza.

Frogs, toads and salamanders are fairly easy to identify – great identification tools can be found the internet. Keep a list of what you’ve seen and let researchers know by reporting online. Amphibians worldwide are threatened with extinction – by reporting what you see you can help researchers evaluate the health of Ontario’s populations.

Be smart when walking in the rain – dress for the weather and remember that trails can be slippery. And use common sense – if it looks like a thunderstorm – wait it out!

To identify amphibians click here.

Click here to report sightings.

Click here for exciting Ontario nature viewing adventures.

Brad Steinberg – Management Biologist, Algonquin Park

Presqu’ile’s 16 kilometres of trails allows you to explore all of this and more! The park trails are going to be featured in a new book coming out this summer, ‘Hikes & Outings of South-Central Ontario’! Here are descriptions of three favourite trails in the park.

The Marsh Boardwalk
The newly rebuilt Marsh Boardwalk is a 1.2 km loop, which puts you into the middle of marsh habitat! As you search through the cattails and lily pads you will hear the calls of bullfrogs bellowing ‘Ruuum Ruuum Jug-o-Ruuum’. Bullfrogs are the largest frog in North America and they are perfectly coloured to be camouflaged in with the green and brown surroundings of the marsh. A great activity while walking the Marsh Boardwalk is to count the many different species you see – you will be surprised how much lives in the beautiful marsh!

Jobes Woods Trail
Jobes Woods is home to a one of the park’s favourite little critters…salamanders! Salamanders are a perfect fit for Jobes Woods because of the vernal pools; pools of water only present in the spring and early summer. The water gradually dries up as the weather warms. Salamanders have a life cycle similar to frogs. They start their lives as larva with gills that breathe underwater. The difference is that salamanders do not loose their tails which makes these vernal pools essential for salamanders to fulfill their life cycle.

Pioneer Trail
The Pioneer Trail allows you to get a glimpse of Presqu’ile’s past! The trail takes you through old fields, which were once cleared by the settlers for farming. Now these fields are home to beautiful wildflowers and butterflies. Imagine you are one of the first settlers to Presqu’ile and the Brighton Area like Obadiah Simpson and his 12 year old son John. Together Obadiah and John built a small log house and a shelter for their cattle. At 12 years old John was given the task to stay at Presqu’ile and care for the house and cattle, while his father journeyed to Kingston to bring back the rest of the family.

Beginning May 1, 2012 at 7:00 a.m., reservations can be made online at www.ontarioparks.com or by phone at 1-888-668-7275. For trip planning advice, canoe route maps and general inquiries you can contact the park office at 613-332-3940 ext.261.