Photo via @arrowheadprovpark on Instagram
Spring adventures are here, and if you’re ready to get a head start before anyone else, we know just the spots to explore. Ontario Parks put together a list of what it calls part of its “collection of breathtakingly beautiful forests.”
From the most popular spots to the longer road trips, these five Ontario parks have forests worth exploring this spring.
Pack up your car and head up north. This park is a three-hour drive from Toronto to the Muskoka region, just north of Huntsville. It’s located in the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region.
And the best way to enjoy its grounds is along one of its many hiking trails, including a trail leading to Stubb’s Falls. Its trails total 15 km, so there’s a lot of ground to cover.
According to Ontario Parks, from mid-to-late May, the forest floor is beautifully blanketed with White Trilliums. And these can be enjoyed along the Stubb’s Falls Trail.
“Watch the forest spring to life from Big Bend Lookout, where you’ll be treated to a view of the surrounding forest and landscape, including the gorgeous Big East River Delta,” suggests Ontario Parks.
“Big Bend Lookout is a short walk from the parking lot on Roe Campground Road.”
Add this trip to your spring bucket list.
When: Open year-round
Time: Dusk ’til dawn
Where: 451 Arrowhead Park Rd., Huntsville, Ont.
Did you know that Rondeau Provincial Park is Ontario’s second-oldest park?
This escape from reality can only be found along Lake Erie, surrounded by rare, centuries-old trees within its Carolinian forest, that are simply begging to be explored.
Ontario Parks suggests taking the Tulip Tree Trail this spring. It’s a 1.2 km long, barrier-free loop that features a boardwalk and the opportunity to see gorgeous tulip trees, Sassafras and even Shagbark Hickory.
You can see these around late May to early June.
When: Open year-round
Time: Dusk ’til dawn
Where: 18050 Rondeau Park Rd., Morpeth, Ont.
Now this is a trip! Caliper Lake Provincial Park is in northwestern Ontario, located between Fort Frances and Kenora.
Here you can embrace a stunning red and white pine forest.
According to Ontario Parks, “Caliper Lake’s towering stands of Red Pine and White Pine are estimated to have originated over 180 years ago.”
Take a stroll along its Beaver Pond Trail. It can be accessed off the main entrance road between the Park Office and the beach.
With two loops, hikers have a choice between a 2 km and a 3 km hike.
When: Opens May 15, 2026
Where: ON-71, Nestor Falls, Ont.
Pancake Bay Provincial Park is located in the gorgeous Batchawana Bay area near Sault Ste. Marie is in Northern Ontario.
Coming from Toronto or the GTA? You can expect the journey to take you around eight hours by car.
According to Ontario Parks, the forests of Pancake Bay are mainly dominated by Sugar Maple and Yellow Birch.
For the best views of the forest, take the Lookout Trail. It’s about a 7 km hike to the lookout and back.
“During early-to-mid May, view the forest below, and observe the pinkish-red tones of Sugar Maple flowers in bloom,” state Ontario Parks.
When: Opens May 1, 2026
Where: 12729 Hwy. 17N, Batchawana Bay, Ont.
Located minutes north of Kingston, over three hours east of Toronto, is Frontenac Provincial Park.
This park is part of the UNESCO-listed Frontenac Arch Biosphere and sprawls across 5,355 hectares of land.
Frontenac is located in southeastern Ontario, north of Kingston. Whether you choose to explore by foot or boat, you can enjoy over 100 km of hiking trails and 22 lakes.
Ontario Parks suggests taking the Doe Lake Loop Trail for a great introduction to the park. It’s 3km long and passes through forests, wetlands, and lakes.
When: Open year-round
Time: Dusk ’til dawn
Where: 6700 Salmon Lake Rd., Sydenham, Ont.
Who’s ready for a spring adventure?
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