Six Sites To Extend Camping Season; Zipcar Facility With Free Day-Use Pass For Visitors
TORONTO: Ontario Parks has announced that six parks will extend their camping season this year. Visitors to Bass Lake Provincial Park, Mikisew Provincial Park, and Rushing River Provincial Park will be able to visit until October 15. Those looking to stay at Presqu’ile Provincial Park,Balsam Lake Provincial Park, and Sandbanks Provincial Park will be able to do so until October 21.
They join several other parks that are open late into October – or beyond. The fall season is a special time at Ontario Parks. The colours emerge, the cooler weather sets in, and the bugs disappear. A full list of 2019 operating dates can be found here.
To help visitors find the best times to view the fall colours across Ontario, Ontario Parks will publish regular fall colour updates for all parks. Visitors should keep an eye on this page as the leaves begin to change, starting in the north and moving southwards, for the most up-to-date autumn intel.
Traditionally, the fall colours are on display from mid-September until mid-October, but the timing differs year to year.
Celebrating Indigenous astronomy with Stars Over Killarney 2019
Killarney Provincial Park will soon offer visitors a chance to lean about the Indigenous connection to the land and the night sky. Beginning on Friday, September 27, the park will host Stars Over Killarney 2019: a weekend of Indigenous astronomy and cultural learning.
Alongside Ontario Parks’ Wiikwemkoong partners at Point Grondine Park, Killarney will amaze visitors with the incredible views of Jupiter and Saturn through its research-grade telescope. The event will feature a raffle and a warm-up tent with complimentary warm beverages and astronomy-related merchandise.
On Saturday, September 28, Science North will run an astronomy bus tour. This will include admission to Science North and Killarney Provincial Park, transportation between the two, a tour of Polaris Boulevard, and a Planetarium show. The bus tour cost is $60.
Day-use passes to Ontario Parks with Zipcar
Need wheels to access the great outdoors? Our friends at Zipcar have the answer. This year, specially-marked Zipcars include a free day-use pass to Ontario Parks.
Zipcar rentals include gas, insurance, and 200 km/day. Simply request a car with a park pass when you book.
Joining Zipcar also triggers a donation to Ontario Parks. Each new member in August will result in a $2 donation to Ontario Parks. Donations are used to maintain, manage, and protect the parks we all love.
Did you know?
Ontario Parks visitors have recorded over 100,000 wildlife observations using iNaturalist.iNaturalist is a free app that allows users to take and share photos of the flora and fauna they find in nature. Users have identified almost 6,000 different species at Ontario Parks.
One visitor to Algonquin Provincial Park managed to snap a photo of a Canada Lynx and submit the photo to iNaturalist. It turned out to be one of the first confirmed records of a Canada Lynx inAlgonquin in recent history.
Guest are encouraged to help track and protect Ontario’s biodiversity by using the app. They can also follow the Ontario Parks iNaturalist project for up-to-date wildlife sightings.