We stopped to grab a few photos on our way to the top of the Lookout Trail in Algonquin Park. © BCP 2010
Indian summer? It sure felt like it this past week in Algonquin Park, where we were blessed with perfect conditions for some fall hikes on the trails along the Highway 60 corridor.
We did several trails in the park over a few days, starting with the Spruce Bog Trail, which we hadn’t done for years. It was easy and flat — the trail guide went so far as to call it wheelchair accessible, something of a rarity in Algonquin Park where the Canadian Shield usually makes the terrain rocky and often steep. The Spruce Bog Boardwalk trail, at Km 42.5 on Highway 60, is an easy 1.5 km loop that took us aroud the Sunday Creek Bog, and the nearly perfectly round Kettle Bog. The trail guide helped with a thorough explanation of spruce bog ecology.
A glacial erratic along the Lookout Trail. Seriously huge, seriously impressive. © BCP 2010
The Spruce Bog Boardwalk just whetted our appetite, and as the afternoon was absolutely perfect — sunny, clear and just the right temperature for a hike — we decided to do another trail. Soon we were on our way to the Lookout Trail, at km 39.7
We had never been on this particular trail before, and found it to be steep and rugged, just as billed.
Along the well-marked trail, a 2.1 km loop that climbs through a young forest to the top of a high cliff, there were many points of interest, including massive glacial erratics, giant “pebbles” left behind when the vast glaciers that covered the area retreated about 11,000 years ago. The guide discusses the predominant trees — white pine and sugar maple — seen along the trail.
A view from the top looking across to one of the highest elevations in Algonquin. © BCP 2010
Once we arrived at the top of the hill, there was a spectacular payoff, with a view that seemed to go for miles and miles. In the photo to the left, you can see what the guide calls the cliff brow far in the distance. Its elevation is 1,850 ft. above sea level, making it one of the highest point in Algonquin Park.
The trail continues along the top of the cliff for about 100 metres, offering other panoramic views. Did I mention that it was a very steep cliff? The guide says the following: “Children and pets should be kept under control at all times. Proceed with caution!” (If only it were that easy.)
You can get an idea of the cliff’s steepness in the photo below.
All in all, the Lookout Trail was the perfect choice for a perfect autumn day in Algonquin.
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