Awenda Provincial Park, Ontario

Situated near Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay, Awenda Provincial Park is one of the most popular parks in Ontario. The great thing about Awenda is that it’s only a 2 hour drive from Toronto therefore making it an easy day trip if one wants to escape the city briefly. The park offers magnificent views of Georgian Bay and has several clean beaches making it ideal for swimming. There are over 30 kms of trails for hiking and biking that provide nice views of Georgian Bay. The 4 km return Beach Trail skirts the shoreline and allows visitors to walk along the park’s four beaches. The Beach Trail also provides a great view of Giant’s Tomb Island in the distance which is also part of Awenda Provincial Park.

The longest of the trails, the Bluff Trail (hike and bike) which is a 13km circular trail offers wonderful views of Georgian Bay from a 60 meter high bluff especially in the fall when the leaves have fallen from the trees.The Wendat Trail is a 5 km loop trail that circles Kettle Lake. There are plenty of opportunities on this trail to view red-winged blackbirds and blue herons in the swamps surrounding the lake. The Nippising Trail provides nice views of the forest canopy as you descend or climb the 155 step staircase of the Nipissing Bluff.

I’ve been to Awenda many times but never during autumn. Awenda is one of the nicest parks to view the autumn colours which usually peak during the second week in October. A favourite hike of mine which showcases Awenda’s brilliant foliage is to start at the parking lot at First Beach and take the Nippising Trail to the Bluff Trail. Follow the Bluff Trail to Kettle Lake and then do a loop around the lake and return to the parking lot the same way you came. The total distance of the hike is around 12 kms. After working up a sweat it’s really nice to spend the rest of the day enjoying the beach and if possible do stay around for the spectacular Georgian Bay sunsets.