Ontario
Algonquin Provincial Park
Adventure 8/10 · Scenery 9/10 · Family 8/10 · Access 6/10
The place
Ontario's canoe-tripping heartland — 7,600 square kilometres of maple hills, spruce bog and interconnected lakes. Paddle backcountry routes, listen for wolves on an August howl night, and catch the fiercest fall colour in the country.
Algonquin is the spiritual home of the Canadian canoe trip: a vast mosaic of lakes and rivers linked by portage trails, where you can paddle for days without seeing a road. Even without a multi-day trip, the Highway 60 Corridor packs in accessible day hikes, interpretive trails and some of the best moose-spotting in the province.
Autumn is the headline act — the sugar maples turn the hills scarlet and gold, usually peaking in late September. Book campsites and canoe permits ahead in summer and fall, and remember there's no public transport in: you'll need your own vehicle.
What you can do
- Canoe tripping
- Day hiking
- Wildlife watching
- Fall-colour drives
