Planning a cross-province adventure? Check out the Ontario Parks Driving Routes.
Travel across a diverse landscape to experience windswept pines, pink granite rock outcrops of the Canadian Shield, and the lush mixed forest of the Great Lakes – St. Lawrence lowlands.
This route is renowned for its scenic beauty, Indigenous history, and Ontario’s rich canoe culture.
Parks you’ll want to explore en route:
Awenda Provincial Park
Explore over 2,900 ha of forested land along the picturesque shores of Georgian Bay. The park’s trails, lakes, shorelines, fens, bogs and campgrounds offer a mix of habitat for a variety of wildlife viewing opportunities.
Arrowhead Provincial Park
Nestled in the heart of Muskoka, this gem is known for scenic fall photo spots. Don’t miss the big bend lookout. Walk down to a pretty waterfall or rent a mountain bike and try one of Arrowhead’s designated trails.
Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls Provincial Park
The perfect spot for a picnic! A short hiking trail leads to the waterfall.
Algonquin Provincial Park
The essence of Algonquin is in its vast interior of maple hills, rocky ridges, and thousands of lakes. Hike, bike or paddle through its distinctive wilderness. For visitors, the Highway 60 Corridor of Algonquin Provincial Park offers a Visitor Centre, Logging Museum, Art Centre, developed campgrounds, paddling access points, interpretive walking trails, park lodges and outfitters, and childrens camps.
Come fall, Algonquin’s East Gate gets extremely busy. Find solitude at the northern or western edges of the park, or stop in on a weekday.
Bonnechere Provincial Park
Explore the quiet Bonnechere River, a great spot for introducing friends and family to paddling. The park rents kayaks, canoes, and stand-up paddleboards, which visitors can pick-up at the boat launch.
Fitzroy Provincial Park
Fitzroy offers excellent family camping, hiking, and swimming along the Carp River and Ottawa River. The park is a great base for exploring the Ottawa Valley, and the nation’s capital.
Murphys Point Provincial Park
Located on Big Rideau Lake (part of the Rideau Canal UNESCO World Heritage Site), the natural beauty of the park makes it the perfect place to hike, or use as a base camp when exploring the historic town of Perth. The park also offers regularly scheduled tours into the Silver Queen Mine – an early 20th-century mica mine.
Bon Echo Provincial Park
Visitors love the 100-metre-high Mazinaw Rock, which features over 260 Indigenous pictographs. The park’s great hiking trails range from 1-17 km in length. Take an Interpretive Boat Tour across Mazinaw Lake, or join a Natural Heritage Program.
Silent Lake Provincial Park
Silent Lake is a great stop for hiking and mountain biking, and offers outstanding swimming at its two sandy beaches. Make the most of your stay with a quiet, relaxing paddle. No motor boats or electric motors are permitted on Silent Lake.
Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Canada’s largest concentration of Indigenous rock carvings (“glyphs”) is protected in this park. Visit the Learning Place Visitor Centre to discover the traditions of the Ojibway (Nishnaabe) people through the teachings of the medicine wheel. Petroglyphs is a day-use only park; there are no overnight camping facilities.
Balsam Lake Provincial Park
It’s easy to get out on the water at Balsam Lake! The park offers canoe, kayak, and paddleboat rentals, and boasts good fishing for Walleye, Muskellunge, and Bass. Balsam Lake has a range of campsites with and without electricity for tents and RVs.