Armchair Traveller: Exploring Algonquin Park: Our Adventure Back to Nature in "Large Marge"
- Lynn Abbey
- Jun 8, 2024
- 2 min read
Originally written by Lynn for the Trinity Times Newsletter - July 2021
Hopefully, we are all not too far away from leaving our armchairs and doing some real travelling! Dave and I (both grateful to be fully vaccinated!) have been out and about in our motor home, affectionately nicknamed “Large Marge”! This week my Trinity Simcoe “Service at Home” was in Algonquin Park, one of the most famous natural areas in Ontario, if not Canada! Algonquin was Ontario’s first Provincial Park, created in 1893. Algonquin is comprised of 7 635 square kilometres of land including forests,bogs, lakes, and rivers. This protected area is home to many species of plants and animals that are representative of Ontario’s north. While riding our bikes, cute little chipmunks routinely cross our paths, making me hold my breath and pray for their safety! Probably more impressive though are the mother moose cow along with her twin calves, we saw grazing in a marsh just outside the gate of our campsite! Algonquin is also a key destination for hikers and walkers, paddling enthusiasts, and cyclists. Over our stay, Dave and I have cycled the Old Railway Bike Trail its entire length - 17 km - passing through five different campgrounds on the route as well. The trail is a lovely ride along the Madawaska River, Cache Lake, Mew Lake, Lake of Two Rivers, Pog Lake, Rock Lake, and Coon Lake. As we crossed many little bridges, we admired the beautiful landscape, paddlers of all sorts on the waters, and plentiful waterlillies!
The trail features interpretive signage, educating riders about an abandoned logging camp, the trains that used the railway that has become the trail, and how to stay safe in bear country! Pro tip: if a bear wants the blueberries in the old airstrip meadow, let it have them. I really do believe that Algonquin Park offers something for everyone. Once we reach Step 3, the excellent museum and interpretive centre will reopen along with the Algonquin Arts Centre. Visitors are already enjoying outdoor displays at the Logging Museum, shopping at the Friends of Algonquin bookshop or one of many outfitters selling canoeing and camping gear along with souvenirs. There is a snack bar and ice cream shop (Kawartha Dairy!) at Lake of Two Rivers, and several fancy lodges complete with amenities, activities, and fine dining.While the drive to Algonquin is long from Simcoe, it is a wonderful place to come out of the COVID cocoon! We have truly enjoyed getting back to nature here and look forward to future camping trips, hiking, cycling, and paddling in this gem of a park! Who knows, maybe I will even get a chance to give a bear some blueberries!
Safe Travels
Lynn
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