Offline
am new to this website. i would appreciate to hear if anyone here has been at spots that can be reached from highway 60 and could tell their experience. i have been 3 times at algonquin at highway 60 and have visited several spots that are at reach from it, like for instance whiskey rapids. i think that there are others, but would be of great help to hear from you guys. please tell your experience.
of course i could explore all that i find when driving through the 60, but would save me lots of time-and walking, that is no longer so easy for me.
thanks in advance..
Last edited by easyrider (1/01/2020 4:28 pm)
Offline
If you are looking to go for easy hikes, then when you get your day permit at one of the entrances get the park newspaper/guide. It has a map of all the hikes with access from hwy 60 and the difficulty and length of the hikes.
Offline
i have the flyer that they handle but what i need is to hear from someone who has been to certain places (like the whiskey rapids that i mentioned) and can give his experience there. how is the scenery, if there are some features like lakes, rivers, mountains or slopes, whatever, that have nice views...
i have been taking photographs that i use for doing paintings with oil, and having as many as possible i can make compositions...or if some are to my liking i just paint it as is.
that is the idea.
the chart shows some possible exits, but with somebody being at those, hearing their experience i can try some and not others. that will save me lots of walking and time. and even may be some that are worth trying that are not shown.
Thread StarterOffline
Very helpful that you mention you’re looking for features to paint!
I love to photograph scenery and hiked several of the trails along hwy60. I found the booth rock trail ( loop trail), the first half to the top, very scenic. It has a great lookout on the top of a ridge which looks down over Rock lake, the hike up to it passes a small typical Algonquin lake ( rose pond lake) which I found scenic as well. This trail has a climb to the top of the ridge and from the top it descents using lots of stairs. Trail is rocky here and there and quite busy. The trail from the top down and back to vehicle did not inspire me. That part is an old railway bed and after rain some sections can be quite muddy.
The spruce bog trail goes around a wetland, I found it scenic. It is easy, short and level, and busy. Starts with a nice boardwalk crossing a small piece of the wetland, and about halfway another boardwalk. I keep thinking the area of the trail would be prime spot for moose, ( that would make a heck of a pic for me)but have never seen one there.
I did some of the centennial ridges trail, has a climb at the beginning that I found quite steep, but I did not find the first part all that scenic. Unfortunately I twisted an ankle and had to limp back and did not finish the trail.
If you like old implements,buildings etc from the logging days for painting then the loggingmuseum trail is real neat. This is an outdoor museum and the old tugboat moored in a small pond might be interesting. Trail is very easy and short.
The drive to opeongo lake is interesting as well, it has some nice scenic areas.
I’m over 60 and have to use a hiking pole, for that reason not all trails along hwy 60 were doable for me.
All the trails took me longer then stated in the flyer, due to a slower pace and taking pictures.
Having been to Algonquin at the top of the colour change in the trees several times, all of hwy 60 was stunningly beautiful and lots of otherwise less scenic areas became showstoppingly beautiful too.
Hope all this helps a bit!
Last edited by tentsterforever (1/02/2020 8:39 pm)
Offline
It sounds a bit touristy but the lookoff at the visitors centres is nice at certain times of the year but I find its getting a bit grown up around there.
Offline
Kind of a tough one to answer as pretty much anywhere you stop and look around off 60 there is amazing scenery. If you're looking for sweeping vistas Booth and Centennial and Lookout Trail all have them. As does Track and Tower and I'm sure a few others. Track and Tower has some nice river spots and some old bridge structure. If you want some history, try the Logging Trail on the east side. If you were able to narrow the subject matter that might help with suggestions. Also the Trail Guides should really help you out both in terms of what you might see and whether or not you want to tackle the trail in question. You should be able to get them all ($0.50 each so pretty cheap) from the Friends: You can also get them at the Visitor Centre and at the gates.
Offline
i want to thank you all for your comments. tentster got very much what i need. at this my 1st attempt to learn what highway 60 has, i need to learn which of all the exits have something to admire. the examples he cited are what i need. show precisely the name of the place and your impressions: what you find that is beautiful to you. how much you have to walk (or drive); how easy. as an example i mentioned the whiskey rapids as an exit near the west entrance where i have been and that i liked very much for its forest and rapids. if you have been there you know what i mean and like. just bring all the exits at the 60 that you have been there and like. i am able to be somewhere around for 1 day; perhaps stretch to 2. thats all i can afford. hence my request. maybe after getting all the info on this subject i will extend my endeavors further.
muskoka is immense...so much to watch! someone said that:
"you dont have to die to go to heaven: just go to algonquin"
and for all that i have seen, i agree.
Thread Starter
Online!
You mentioned walking is no longer easy for you so here are a couple of the shorter trails without too much climbing. They are rather popular but are not so crowded if you can venture up on a weekday.
The two rivers trail is short and and not too rugged!! It offers some nice views and particularly rugged trees
Peck lake is also relatively short with some really nice views of the lake.
If you are OK with spending a few hours on a trail Mizzy lake has some awesome marsh and bog scenery and wildlife and though it's really long there are plenty of places to rest and the terrain is fairly flat
Check out this helpful link;
Offline
I have one more for you. This one photographed like a dream, is very picturesque and a must do in my book. Very paintable!
It’s on your way to the west gate just off highway 60, but not yet in the park.
It’s called Ragged Falls provincial park. The falls are quite high, and normally run nicely. The trail to it is short I read, but I had approached with a canoe, instead of the trail. The trail does go to the top of the falls.
Once you go past The town of Dwight, look for signs Ragged Falls park road ( right across from Harris rd) take the left turn onto ragged falls to the parking lot. Hopefully you have a map to see exactly the distance between Dwight and Ragged Falls Park rd. If I remember correctly the sign for Ragged Falls is quite small.
Sun in the afternoon is on the opposite side of the trail and in fall this was stunning.
If you’re up to it you can clamber down over several steep trails. Which I did, but upwards.
Offline
oldboyscout wrote:
You mentioned walking is no longer easy for you so here are a couple of the shorter trails without too much climbing. They are rather popular but are not so crowded if you can venture up on a weekday.
The two rivers trail is short and and not too rugged!! It offers some nice views and particularly rugged trees
Peck lake is also relatively short with some really nice views of the lake.
If you are OK with spending a few hours on a trail Mizzy lake has some awesome marsh and bog scenery and wildlife and though it's really long there are plenty of places to rest and the terrain is fairly flat
Check out this helpful link;
wonderful. great links. thank you very much. and the link too.
Thread StarterOffline
I have one more for you. This one photographed like a dream, is very picturesque and a must do in my book. Very paintable!
It’s on your way to the west gate just off highway 60, but not yet in the park.
It’s called Ragged Falls provincial park. The falls are quite high, and normally run nicely. The trail to it is short I read, but I had approached with a canoe, instead of the trail. The trail does go to the top of the falls.
Once you go past The town of Dwight, look for signs Ragged Falls park road ( right across from Harris rd) take the left turn onto ragged falls to the parking lot. Hopefully you have a map to see exactly the distance between Dwight and Ragged Falls Park rd. If I remember correctly the sign for Ragged Falls is quite small.
Sun in the afternoon is on the opposite side of the trail and in fall this was stunning.
If you’re up to it you can clamber down over several steep trails. Which I did, but upwards.
excellent. thank you very much. is a must.
Thread StarterOnline!
I'll add a little to tentsforever's post. If you pay for a day pass at Ragged Falls it will allow you day access to Algonquin also!! Not only that but it's a couple of bucks cheaper than paying at the west gate.
Offline
oldboyscout just brought me to another idea. Here’s a tip For traveling on a budget. give wolfden nature retreat (wolfdennatureretreat.com) a thought. This is a hostel, right close to Ragged Falls pp, right on hwy 60andI stayed there 2 years ago and loved it. Bunkhouse bed ( $30.00 per night). Or a room, or a cabin. Community kitchen to use. Very clean and friendly owner. Make reservations in advance.
Offline
thank you guys. great advice!
Thread Starter
1 of 1