The air is fresh and clean. Evergreen trees are covered in snow. If you’re lucky and observant, you might spot a cardinal, finch, waxwing, or blue jay as you glide across the ice.
And when the sun goes down, you can curl up around a big bonfire with a cup of hot chocolate and warm up before putting your skates back on and skating under the stars again.
It’s simply magical.
This winter, plan a skating trip to these four provincial parks:
Kids warm up by the campfire before heading back to the MacGregor Point skating rink
Get on the ice!
Algonquin (Mew Lake) and Pinery Provincial Parks offer large outdoor courts where you can skate (or play shinny) from morning until dusk.
Algonquin Provincial Park
And turning summer camp circuits into charming ones desert skating trails Illuminated at night, MacGregor Point and Arrowhead Provincial Parks offer a stunning “skate through the woods” experience you’ll never forget.
The MacGregor Point Ice Trail
Ontario Parks slopes and trails are generally open from mid-December to February, although of course Outdoor ice rinks and trails are weather dependent.
Check in advance for opening hours and available services.
Some of the parks rent skates. and push bars for toddlers. Arrowhead has heated cabins for overnight stays (especially on weekdays!), while at MacGregor, Pinery, and Algonquin, you can camp in a heated yurt.
Guarantee entry to Algonquin, Arrowhead, and Pinery by obtaining a daily vehicle permit up to five days before your trip, beginning at 7:00 a.m.
Make your reservation:
Don’t hibernate this winter!
Leave that to the bears. Pack up the kids, head to a park and spend the day on the ice.