The Maukinak Trail: paddling from Dryden to Quetico

Today’s post comes from Lise Sorensen, Quetico’s Atikokan Entry Station Gate Attendant and off-season Trails Officer with the Path of the Paddle. If you’re planning to paddle the Maukinak Trail, this info will be indispensable.

Follow the path. It will lead you through boreal rivers and crystal-clear lakes, and past silent, watchful cliffs. Your guides will be eagles and your destination endless.

An integral segment of The Great Trail (Trans Canada Trail), the Path of the Paddle is a ribbon of water that stretches from Thunder Bay to the Manitoba border.

The Maukinak segment of the Path of the Paddle transects vast tracts of uninhabited crown land and connects the small communities of Atikokan and Dryden.

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Spring fishing in the Thirty Thousand Islands

A breathtaking 13,000 ha of the Thirty Thousand Islands and eastern Georgian Bay Coast is protected by The Massasauga Provincial Park, between Moon River and Parry Sound.

The Thirty Thousand Islands are the world’s largest freshwater archipelago, a 200 km chain of pink rocky islands from Port Severn to the French River.

Anyone who has visited the area will tell you it’s simply gorgeous.

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Why kayaks are an awesome way to fish Ontario Parks

In today’s post, Scott Gardner, Associate Editor of  Outdoor Canada, shares his love for and experience with kayak fishing. All photos below are copyright to Scott Gardner.

On a cloudless summer afternoon, I paddled around a point on Six Mile Lake, eased my boat through a jumble of boulders, and slipped into a long shallow bay. No more than 18 inches deep and blanketed in lily pads, it was perfect Largemouth Bass habitat.

Even better, the propeller-killing rock barrier made it unlikely that any serious fishing boats ever tried this spot. As my kayak ghosted silently to the edge of the weeds, I cast my lure deep into the lily field. I twitched it twice across the surface, and with a heart-stopping splash, it was ambushed by a football-sized Largemouth Bass.

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5 conversations to have with your child before your next camping trip

Racing around the campground with brand new friends. Building sandcastles on the beach. Roasting marshmallows over the campfire.

Some of our best childhood memories are made in parks.

Before you pack your little ones into the car for your next family vacation, here are five conversations to make sure your trip is as safe as it is fun!

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Pinery goes to battle for bats

Today’s post comes from Natural Heritage Education Supervisor Alistair MacKenzie and Bat Stewardship Technician Heather Sanders.

Did you know Pinery Provincial Park has been a bat research hot spot for more than four decades? We’ve collaborated with research groups at York University, Western University and the University of Waterloo.

Much of what we know about Ontario bats — including their migration, diet, and behaviour — is all thanks to work done at Pinery.

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5 ways to empower children to be explorers

Today’s post comes from Camille Koon, a Learning and Education Leader with Ontario Parks. 

“The best teachers are those who show you where to look, but don’t tell you what to see.” – Alexandra K. Trenfor, educator

Every child who visits a park should see it as an exciting adventure waiting to unfold. With lakes, rivers, beaches, forests, fields, and more, the opportunities for discovery are endless.

By observing the diversity of plants and animals found in the outdoors, children discover the wonders of nature and develop a deeper appreciation for it.

Here are five ways we can empower all children to become explorers of the world around them.

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