Fall is spectacular at Ontario Parks. Forests are bursting with colour. There are fewer bugs and temperatures are cooler, inspiring you to hike, paddle or bike for hours. Favourite campsites and roofed accommodation are easier to book (especially Sundays – Thursdays). Fishing and birdwatching are excellent and many parks plan fall events. Below are suggestions on what to see and do. 
 
Test your mettle with the Frontenac Challenge. From early September to late October, Frontenac Provincial Park, north of Kingston, invites visitors to challenge its 160 kilometre trail network. Choose the long distance ‘Frontenac Challenge’ or the shorter ‘Frontenac Trek’. There is also a ‘Junior Hiking Challenge’ for 12 years of age and under. Successful participants will be feted at a celebratory BBQ in November.  Here are three more challenging hikes to try.
 
Spend an overnight in Ontario Parks without having to bring much gear or sleep in a tent. Cozy yurts, cabins, cottages, and even a four-bedroom Victorian farmhouse are available for rent. The parks’ Roofed Accommodation site has details.
 
Pack a picnic. These are ten beautiful locations across Ontario: . This recent food post has new fall recipes.
 
Bring your binoculars. This Parks Blog post by Ontario Parks biologist and avid birdwatcher, Brad Steinberg, suggests where to go.
 
Fall events are listed on the Ontario Parks website. You’ll also find park news on Twitter and on Facebook. Stay tuned. Ontario Parks’ Fall Colour Report will go live as soon as the leaves begin to change colour. More ideas are on the Parks Blog. 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist based in Toronto with a focus on tourism, lifestyle, entertainment and community issues. He has written several travel articles and has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors and other public personalities. He’s willing to take on any assignments of interest, attend parties with free booze, listen to rants, and travel the world in search of the great unknown. He’s eager to discover the new, remember the past, and look into the future.