Blessed with abundant natural beauty, Provincial Parks in Huntsville is ranked in first place by the Toronto Star as a destination to take a summer trip to!
Huntsville is a town located in the hilly terrain of Muskoka, Ontario. Huntsville is surrounded by three large lakes, namely, Mary Lake, Fairy Lake, and Vernon Lake. The Muskoka River flows and winds its way throughout Huntsville’s downtown.
5 Things to Do in Provincial Parks in Huntsville
1. Enjoy Camping at Provincial Parks
Located north of Huntsville, Arrowhead Provincial Park is a part of the Ontario Park Systems. Moreover, the shoreline of Glacial Lake Algonquin is visible from the park. Outdoor activities such as camping, mountain biking, skating, boating, swimming, private campsites, and also hiking are quite famous at this year-round park.
Arrowhead Provincial Park offers three campgrounds. First- Roe camping, second East River camping, and lastly- Lumby camping. Roe Campground is the last and most private campground of Arrowhead Provincial Park.
In addition, it offers private campsites at Muskoka Three sand beaches and other camping-related facilities too. Hence, the sand beaches connected to this campground are also less crowded and are great for fishing as well as swimming.
East River Campground is great for RVs. Road 10 is for tent camping, and it is the closest campground to Stubbs Falls. However, in comparison to Roe Campground, East River Campground and the sand beaches connected to it are relatively busier.
Finally, the Lumby Campground is divided into two sections: North and South. Lumby is the most beautiful campground out of all the three campgrounds. It is nestled around a coniferous and deciduous forest campground. This campground is designated for tent trailers. Hence, they attract a huge crowd, especially during the summer season.
2. Go Hiking at Provincial Parks
Arrowhead also offers a great hiking experience with well-groomed trails. There are, in total, 5 hiking trails available for hiking at Arrowhead Provincial Park. These same hike trails are also accessible for biking. You can also rent out mountain bikes at Provincial Parks in Huntsville.
The easiest and the shortest of all the hiking trails available in Provincial Parks in Huntsville is the Big Bend Lookout Trail. The trail leads us to a panoramic view of the Big East Rivers along with the surrounding Muskoka’s three sandy beaches. This lookout trail is merely a few steps away from the parking lot.
Stubb’s Falls Trail is a must-visit trail in the early spring and summer seasons. The trail winds its way through the Muskoka Three sand beaches. The 2.6 km long hiking trail gives us an incredible view of the Little East River and Stubb’s Falls.
The Beaver Meadow Trail winds up, leading us through the maple forests and the beaver ponds. The Arrowhead Lake Trail again leads us to a pretty view of Arrowhead Lake. The trail forms one big loop around Arrowhead Lake.
The Mayflower Lakes Trail is an easy and quick trail that is great for nature walk during the summer months. In the winter season, this Mayflower Lake Trail turns into a beautiful winter ski and skate trail too.
3. Winter Activities to Do at Provincial Parks
During the winter season, i.e., from November to February, winter activities like snowshoeing, snow tubing, ice skating, cross-country skiing, winter camping trip, skating, etc., are a huge attraction here.
Arrowhead has a 1.3 km long ice skating trail. Ice skating through the forests of Arrowhead Provincial Park, Huntsville, is definitely a bucket list activity every tourist must try. However, the skate trail remains closed daily from 11:30 in the morning to 1 noon. So, make sure to adhere to these timings and plan your trip accordingly.
As for cross-country skiing, there are 28 km of classic ski hiking trails and 16 km of skate ski trails. Furthermore, there are marked snowshoe trails and off-trail snowshoeing available through the mature hardwood forest during winter. The availability of winter activities, like skiing, snowshoeing, etc., is weather dependent, mostly in mid-December and early January.
Finally, Rental facilities are also available at Arrowhead Provincial Park, Huntsville, on a first-come, first-serve basis. Snowshoes, Cross country skis, and Ice skate rentals are at a reasonable cost.
4. Algonquin Provincial Parks in Huntsville
Established in 1893, Algonquin Provincial Park, Huntsville, is a provincial park in Ontario, Canada. This park is open from mid-April to the month of November.
Activities like mountain biking, swimming, and day hiking are available. Also, winter activities like ice skating, canoeing, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, etc., are famous at this park. In 1992, Algonquin Provincial Park was a National Historic Site of Canada. This park is quite popular for offering year-long outdoor activities.
There are more than 1,200 private campsites available in Algonquin Provincial Park. The campground has 2 shelter areas; Shelter A and Shelter B. Both the shelters have electricity and paved flooring available, along with other necessary equipment like picnic tables, grills, etc.
Shelter A is near the playground, and Shelter B is near the entrance of Powder Mill Road. We recommend making prior reservations during the peak months.
5. Ragged Falls Provincial Parks in Huntsville
Ragged Falls Provincial Park, Huntsville, is just outside the southwestern edge of Algonquin Provincial Park, Huntsville. This is one of the best places to hike in Muskoka.
Ragged Falls Provincial Park is accessible from both the eastern and western ends via Highway 60. Ragged Falls is an 80-foot-high waterfall on the Oxtongue River. It is a major attraction point of the Ragged Falls Provincial Park, Huntsville.
The park also offers short hiking trails. These trails will give you a number of scenic viewpoints of the Ragged Falls from different angles. You will catch a number of glimpses of the Ragged Falls as well as of the Oxtongue River through the trees.
Conclusion
To sum up, Huntsville has a number of Provincial Parks. Out of all the Provincial Parks in Huntsville, Arrowhead Provincial Park has a major role in the tourism market. Huntsville should definitely have a place on your bucket list if you are anywhere near Ontario, Canada.
