Algonquin Park

We spent the May long weekend in Ontario's Algonquin Park (of Group of Seven fame), because the Forest Rangers in the Adirondack High Peaks asked hikers to stay below 3,000 feet until the ground was dryer. As we are preparing for our 3-week jaunt to the Yukon this July, we wanted to test our brand new, super light Big Agnes tent (1.6 kg total down from about 4!); give our gear a good test run and do some long hiking with (reasonably) heavy backpacks.

We had hoped to do the full Highland loop, alas all back country sites were already booked (hard to get last minute bookings in Algonquin), so we settled in at the Lakes of Two River campground. Then we day hiked the larger 19 km loop around Provoking Lake. (Check out Jeff's awesome map of the Park!).

The next day we did a series of the short hikes all along highway 60 as we slowly headed toward Ottawa.

All in all, a successful weekend.

Jan overlooking one of many lakes.

Algonquin is gorgeous, even as it is much flatter than the High Peaks
it does present some fine challenges back country.

This warning is for tourists, the kind that wear flip flops
and bring no water or food along.  

In May signs of spring were just starting to come through.

Exuberant first flowers.

Great day hiking - in total we took about 6.5 hours for the 19 k

See the woodpecker pecking? 

We did stop in Eganville's Schnitzel Haus
on the way back to Ottawa for this fine meal.