Backcountry Gear Shopping in Toronto

Our new backcountry gear: two backpacks, dehydrated meals, organizer bags, microfiber towels, mosquito net, camp-sized salt and pepper shakers...

Every spring, we take inventory of our backcountry gear and stock up for the hiking and camping season. This year, we both needed new backpacks so we decided to take a road trip and do some backcountry gear shopping in Toronto. It’s important to try on a backpack for sizing and fit, and online descriptions are often incomplete […]

Hiking and Paddling Bucket List 2014

Bad River, French River Waterway Provincial Park

We put a lot of thought into our hiking and paddling bucket list this year. It’s been tough making decisions because we’ve been torn between seeing new trails and returning to parks we really love. So we decided to compromise. The 2014 hiking and paddling bucket list includes a lot of places we’ve been to before, though we’re […]

Hiking the La Cloche Silhouette Trail: Selection of Itineraries

Panoramic Killarney vista beneath an open sky.

I’ve been dreaming of the next time we’ll be hiking the La Cloche Silhouette Trail in Killarney. Another long weekend is coming up, the last of the season. We’re hoping to make something big of it, but that’ll all depend on the weather (I’m a wimp in the cold!). Still, we’re planning on ending up in Killarney Provincial […]

Backcountry Tripping in Mississagi Provincial Park

A spectacular view of the Brush Lakes from Bear Mountain in Mississagi Provincial Park.

Paddling Semiwite &and Helenbar Lakes, Hiking Over Bear Mountain, and & Fishing the Brush Lakes Two years ago, days before we were scheduled to leave, we cancelled our plans to go backcountry tripping in Mississagi Provincial Park, instead accepting a last-minute invitation to go camping and fishing with my cousins. Then last year, the Ontario government announced multiple […]

50+ Things To Do in French River and Lake Nipissing Areas

A small gushing waterfall with historical significance in French River Provincial Park

Whether you’ve been coming here for years or whether you’re visiting for the first time, chances are there’s something you didn’t know about. In no particular order, and by no means an exhaustive list, here are some ideas for your next French River and Lake Nipissing vacation. Take your pick from these 50+ ideas for things to do […]

Paddling Dreams: A Beginner’s Bucket List

View of the French River Gorge from the bridge at the Visitors Centre

It’s not like we haven’t paddled before, but we certainly aren’t paddlers. Still, we’d like to incorporate more paddling into our hiking routes. Some trips just can’t be done on foot alone, and others would be more enjoyable with a little less foot mileage. Here are some of the paddling dreams — er, potential trips — which are […]

Hiking Along the French River on Dokis First Nation’s Papase Trail

A silvery piece of deadwood juts out towards a small lake along Dokis First Nation's Papase Trail.

We did things a bit differently this past Canada Day long weekend. We usually take advantage of the extended break to hike a longer trail or go somewhere further away, but we always miss a lot of stuff going on around French River while we’re gone. So this year, with a couple of family gatherings going on that […]

Outdoor Recreation in the French River and Lake Nipissing Area

Rocky shoreline of winding waters at Grundy Lake Provincial Park.

There really is quite a lot to do around here, but it’s not always evident. Sure, there are the usual tourist attractions, like the lodges that offer boat rentals and access to fishing to their guests. But there are also inexpensive adventures for the independent explorer. By no means an exhaustive list, here are a few of my […]

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