Distance hiked: 2.1km
Location: H.R. Frink Conservation Area, Ontario
Date: March 21, 2020

Travel options have been limited recently as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic so we decided to head up to the cabin for the weekend for a change of scenery. Located in the middle of the woods near Bon Echo Provincial Park, the cabin is the perfect place to escape from the city and self-isolate.

Along the drive, we made a detour at the H.R. Frink Conservation Area to stretch our legs and cross off another hike from our 52 Hike Challenge. The conservation area offers close to 13km of trails through a variety of habitats, including forest and wetlands.

We parked at the main parking lot (as it was the only one open in the winter), and hiked along the Boundary Trail (2.1km), which weaves through the forest and along a boardwalk. The first stretch of the path through the forest, is very well maintained and clearly marked with red blazes. After a few hundred metres, the path meets up with the boardwalk and loops through the wetlands.

The boardwalk leads back to the forest and red blazes. This is where the path starts to get a bit interesting.

The deeper into the forest we got, the sketchier the path became. First it was a matter of scrambling over roots and rocks, then slippin’ and slidin’ along a solid sheet of ice, followed by navigating through a swampy stretch.

The path eventually leads back up to dry ground. For a short hike, we sure encountered a variety of different habitats and conditions on the trail.

We finished our hike and drove the remainder of the way up to the cabin to spend the weekend in complete isolation from the world.

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My progress on the 52 Hike Challenge can be found here