Don't get left out in the cold at Ontario Parks this winter; stay in a yurt or heated cabin

   One-Tank Trip for Nov. 10/12

 

   (c) By Jim Fox

   Consider booking a yurt or heated cabin getaway now or face being left out in the cold this winter at Ontario Parks.

   For those hearty souls looking for a winter escape that doesn’t involve hibernating or migrating, the parks’ roofed accommodation could be the answer.

Wintertime camping is cozy in a heated yurt at Ontario Parks. (Ontario Parks photo)

    “We're seeing more young families who camp in summer at Ontario Parks book winter yurt or cabin adventures especially at parks that have skating, snow tubing and tobogganing,” said Lori Waldbrook, senior marketing specialist.

   This makes it easy for families, couples and groups of friends to visit Ontario’s signature landscapes this winter, she added.

   Get your yurt on

   Traditional yurts originating in the 13th century were portable, bent wood-framed dwellings used by nomads in Central Asia.

   The tent-like structures have been adapted in Canada and the U.S. at ski resorts and campgrounds and are semi-permanent, canvas-covered structures mounted on a wooden deck above ground.

Winter tent-like camping means staying warm and dry inside a heated yurt. (Ontario Parks photo)

   At Ontario Parks, they are ideal in the winter as they have electric or propane heating and lighting, bunk beds, tables, chairs and plywood floors.

   All winter yurts and cabin rentals have heat and electricity and most are accessible by cars.

   Yurts sleep six while cabins accommodate five or more to provide warm, dry winter digs.

   Let the snow fly

   Ontario Parks provides details about three of the seven “dramatically different” provincial parks with winter activities and roofed accommodation.

   First of all is the Pinery Provincial Park on Lake Huron that has a new camp cabin and deluxe yurt this season.

   These are the latest accommodations to be added at the park west of London, Waldbrook said.

   The park has 12 furnished campsites, each of which has an eight-sided yurt, at the Riverside campground located beside the picturesque Ausable River.

   The yurts are attached to a wheelchair-accessible platform and have bunks for sleeping, table and chairs, electric lighting and a heater. As well, a gas barbecue and picnic shelter is supplied with each facility.

   Pinery’s visitor centre is open most days and guided nature hikes on trails are held on select dates throughout the winter.

   There are 38 kilometres of cross-country ski trails that form a series of loops and in the centre of the park is a heated chalet and toboggan hill.

   Expect to see flocks of black-capped chickadees, red and white breasted nuthatches and the tufted titmouse at Picnic Area 9. Owls also breed in the park in the winter.

   On Family Day Weekend in February, an Owl Prowl is planned while snowshoes and cross-country skis are available for rent and the tobogganing hill is lighted at night.  www.ontarioparks.com/english/pine.html; or www.pinerypark.on.ca

Among the winter activities offered at Ontario Parks is tubing on snow-covered hills. (Ontario Parks photo)

    It’s a howl at Killarney

   Hear the wolves howl at Killarney Provincial Park on the north shore of Georgian Bay.

   “Don’t be surprised if you hear one of the park wolf packs howl at night,” said park superintendent Chuck Miller.

   The forested park in Killarney offers a “ski-in yurt adventure” with sleds available to carry gear to the accommodation located about a half-kilometre from the park gate in the George Lake Campground.

   There are 30 kilometres of groomed classic ski trails in a backcountry wilderness setting and summer portage routes become winter snowshoe trails.

   Some winter activities include the Christmas Bird Count and Activity Day on the Family Day Weekend. www.parkreports.com/parksblog/?p=3065


   Spot a Canada lynx


   A perfect place to spot and photograph the elusive Canadian lynx in the wild is Quetico Provincial Park, west of Thunder Bay.

   That’s because the park’s Dawson Trail Campground is close to an area in the park populated by snowshoe hare, a winter food source for lynx.

   Accommodation is available in one of the campground’s heated yurts easily accessed from Highway 11.

   Skiing and snowshoeing are available on 25 kilometres of groomed trails from the cozy yurt. www.ontarioparks.com/english/quet.html

   Here’s where to order

   Reservations for winter roofed accommodations are now being accepted for stays at seven provincial parks at www.ontarioparks.com/english/reservations.html

   In addition to Pinery, Killarney and Quetico, the parks are Algonquin, MacGregor Point, Silent Lake and Windy Lake.

   Details on the parks with winter activities and fees for yurts ($91.50 a night plus the reservation fee of $9.50 online or $11.25, call centre) and cabins are at www.OntarioParks.com

   There is also a parks locator at www.ontarioparks.com/english/locator.html

   The Ontario Parks’ ski report will be updated as soon as the snow flies at www.parkreports.com/skireport

 

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Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com

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