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 […]

French River Area Outdoor Summer Events

French River area outdoor summer events include the Dokis First Nation Powwow, where this wood-carved eagle was seen.

With all the tempting French River area outdoor summer events going on all the time, it can be tough deciding what to do on a summer weekend, especially if you’re like me and want to do it all. How to choose between the plethora of activities and events happening in the area and our usual backcountry trip? Well, […]

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 […]

Visiting Mashkinonje Provincial Park: A Guide [with Photos]

A view of the Lapin Beach bay while visiting Mashkinonje Provincial Park.

[Mass-kin-onj] People who spend time within the boundaries of Mashkinonje are very lucky to have beautiful, natural, well-maintained trails to hike. And unlike regular operating parks, visiting Mashkinonje Provincial Park is free. With about 35 kmkilometres of hiking and snowshoeing trails in various loops, a canoe route, barrier-free access, two beaches, and an observation tower, visiting Mashkinonje Provincial […]

Discovering Canadian Wilderness Through Group of Seven Art

Thompson Rapids, Magnetawan River (Reproduction of the painting by Pierre AJ Sabourin).

I wrote this article for Pierre AJ Sabourin, and although it’s about art history more than anything else, it’s also a good travel and outdoor adventure piece. It truly is a great guide to discovering Canadian wilderness through Group of Seven art. Writing it inspired me to try some art-oriented hikes this summer, so keep an eye out […]

Ontario Closing Provincial Parks, Reducing Ranger Program

Scenic view of Wakami Lake from a lookout point on the Height of Land Trail.

Hitting home hard to a former Ontario Ranger (Esker Lakes Provincial Park, 1996) and current hiking enthusiast, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources recently announced that ten provincial parks will revert to non-operating status while it will also be transforming the overnight Ontario Ranger program to a day-based one. Formerly the Junior Ranger program, the overnight teen work/camp […]

Wakami Provincial Park Backcountry Trip

Every Wakami Provincial Park backcountry trip has to include some hiking to lookouts with great views such as this one.

Victoria Day weekend, we left Halfway Lake park, rejected by park wardens fearful of forest fires and evacuation notices nearby (the situation being fairly dire this dry season). Undeterred, we drove another few hours north and found a park that would let us into the backcountry. It wasn’t initially supposed to be a Wakami Provincial Park backcountry trip, […]

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