Length of stay: 1 day
Visited: September 2023
Bon Echo Provincial Park is located in southeastern Ontario. It’s nestled within several lakes, the most famous of which is Mazinaw Lake, one of the deepest lakes in the province. It features one of the largest visible pictograph collections in Canada and contains a number of hiking trails and water-based recreational activities.
While spending the weekend at the cabin, we decided to take a day-trip to Bon Echo to catch a glimpse of some of the early fall colours. Bon Echo is located right around the corner from the cabin. So after eating breakfast, we got right to it.
We arrived at the entrance of the park in the mid-morning and headed to the Bon Echo Paddle Centre. Ontario Parks operates canoe and kayak rentals here with a number of different rates depending how long you want to spend on the water. We opted to rent a canoe for four hours, which came with paddles, life jackets and a safety kit. Our canoe was waiting for us in the water, we just had to hop in and unlatch it from the rope along the edge of the lagoon.
Once we paddled out of the lagoon, we headed across the lake towards Mazinaw Rock which rises 100 meters out of the water. The cliff was formed over a billion years ago along a fault. It was further sculpted and shaped when the glaciers retreated, which also created Mazinaw Lake.
Mazinaw Rock is how the park came to be known as Bon Echo, which is French for “good echo”. It’s reputed to create a loud echo, especially during thunderstorms. With its spectacular scenery, Mazinaw Rock provided inspiration for a few members of the Group of Seven.
Mazinaw Rock also has a rich history and is considered a sacred place for Indigenous peoples. It contains over 260 pictographs along the base of the cliff which are estimated to be from 300 to 1,000 years ago. The meaning of the pictographs have been lost over time, but the images are thought to be records of visions or dreams. Part of the reason they have lasted so long along the rock is that when rainwater runs over the cliff, it leaves behind small deposits of silica, which provides some protection from weathering.
There are no signs to indicate where the pictographs are. We just paddled along the edge and kept a lookout for red-ish images above the waterline. Some pictographs were in better shape than others, but we managed to spot quite a few of them.
We then headed to the trailhead for the Cliff Top Trail (1.5km round trip, rated moderate to difficulty) which is only accessible by water. There is a large dock along Mazinaw Rock to tie your canoe or kayak to on either side. It was quite busy when we got there, which made getting out of our canoe a bit tricky. But we managed.
From the dock there’s a staircase that leads up to the official trailhead where there’s a map and brief description of the trail. There’s even more staircases and sections along the rocks that climb up to the top of Mazinaw Rock.
The path is signed with nine numbered posts and contains several viewing platforms overlooking Mazinaw Lake along the way. Some of the overlooks were obstructed by the trees, but we were still able to get some decent views of the surrounding area from a few of them.
Once we reached the last viewing platform, we started to make our way back down to the dock. By the time we wrapped up there were even more canoes and kayaks here, which made it even more challenging to get back into our canoe. But with some strategic maneuvering, we managed to get out.
We paddled back to the lagoon to return our canoe and paddling gear. After eating a quick snack, we headed to the Visitor Centre where there’s a few exhibits about the history of the area, the pictographs and the types of animals commonly found in the park.
We then headed to the High Pines Trail (1.7km loop, rated moderate). The trail weaves through a stand of tall pines and groves of hemlock. It’s signed with thirteen numbered posts and an odd assortment of markers, including blue circles and yellow triangles. The trail itself was rather uneventful, but the forest was peaceful and we could start to see some of the leaves changing colour.
At this point we were getting hungry so we made our way back to the cabin to eat a late lunch and enjoy the rest of the afternoon.
L
I’ve heard many speak of Bon Echo. I hope to visit one day.
Bon Echo is a fantastic park. There’s a bit of something for everyone whether you’re into water-based sports, hiking or just enjoying nature. There’s also a nice range of overnight options from cabins, front country camping, and backcountry camping. Hope you’re able to explore someday.
Such a beautiful lake and forest! I want to hear the echos in a thunderstorm. ❤️👍🏻🇨🇦
It’s classic Ontario scenery. Not sure I’d want to camp here during a thunderstorm! But they do have a few cabins that we’ve been meaning to book.
💙
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. We had a nice time exploring the park by canoe and on foot.
Our last visit to Bon Echo had us paddling for our lives when our inflatable kayak started losing air, but I love this park. It looks like you had great weather and visibility from the top of the trail.
Oh gosh! What a story! Hope you made it back to the shoreline before your kayak completely deflated! Bon Echo is one of our favourites too. So it’s super convenient how close it is to the cabin. While we were a bit too early in the season to enjoy the full display of fall colours, the views from some of the overlooks were still impressive. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
We did make it back 🙂 I hope you are getting enough sleep!
Glad to hear! There never seems to be enough hours in the day to get a proper sleep.
Awww
Wow! Looks so beautiful and very relaxing place for recharge energy.
Thank’s for share Linda. Have a wonderful and lovely week!
Keep welll.
Spending time in nature is always so refreshing and rewarding. Thanks for reading. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Agree with you, thanks for share Linda. You as well a wonderful weekend. Elvira
Thanks, you too! The weekend always goes by way too quickly.
You are so kind, Linda tank’s.
It´s true weekend goes too quickly.
Take care. Elvira.
Wow – your photos of this park are gorgeous and what a fantastic area for a day trip. I would love to hear the echoes but not be out in the storm!
Thanks! I hear yah on the echos and how that would be neat to hear. Being in or on the water during a thunderstorm is never fun though.
I love Bon Echo! We were there last year, for fall, and it was so lovely with the colours. And one of our favourite camping experience so far!
I know I say this about a lot of our Ontario parks, but Bon Echo is one of our favourite parks. The backcountry sites on Joeperry Lake are great. We were a bit too early to see the full display of fall colours, but it was still super scenic.
I’ve never heard of it, but it looks so peaceful and unspoiled.
We’ve been to Bon Echo a few times over the years since its located near the cabin. It’s one of my favourite areas in Ontario. It can get busy during the summer though (as with most parks), which is why we tend to visit during the off season.
Wonderful!
It was a fun day trip and a nice mix between exploring the landscape by canoe and on foot. Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Linda
Bon Echo is one of my favourite parks. We’ve camped there three times, once with T, and it’s wonderful and scenic. Love canoeing along Mazinaw Lake. Those cliffs and petroglyphs are so scenic and the water is so refreshing. We also did the same hike that you did, with T on our back when he was still young. Not doing that anymore! 😆
It’ll be fun to take Margaret there one day (when she’s not in your belly like this hike!).
Bon Echo is about a 15 minute drive from the cabin, so we’ve been here quite a few times over the years. We’ve only camped here once though when we managed to book one of the backcountry sites on Joeperry Lake. There’s a great range of activities on water and on land. Plus there’s a lot of history here with all the pictographs. I’m impressed you managed to carry T up all those steps on the Cliff Top Trail! We got a Baby Bjorn carrier for Christmas that I’ve been using around the house. But I’m looking forward to taking Margaret out on a trail in it. I’m sure the novelty will wear off as she gets bigger though!
Enjoy the lightweight years. There’ll be a period of time, you’re still years away, when they wanna be carried still and it becomes a liability on your back. 😆
Ha! I’m already starting to feel some soreness in my back and shoulders from carrying her around and from nursing! She’s nearly 11lbs now.
What a beautiful and tranquil place, unless you’re there during a thunderstorm, which must be quite intense but thrilling too. Beautiful photos!
It would be cool to see (or rather hear) whether Bon Echo does actually have a good echo during a thunderstorm. But at the same time I don’t really enjoy being outdoors when it rains let alone storms. I’ll just have to take their word for it!
You and me both!
Beautiful place!
For sure. There’s a bit something here for everyone whether you enjoy the beach, being on the water or hitting the trails.
oh dear, a reminder I should visit again.. its been awhile.
I know what you mean. Bon Echo is so close to our cabin that we could (and should) visit more often than we do. There just never seems to be enough time! Hope you get out there soon, ideally after the spring when the bugs aren’t as bad. We’ve made that mistake before!
What a wonderful day trip! Taking out the canoe in that beautiful scenery looks like the perfect way to spend the morning.
It sure was. Even though we have a canoe at the cabin, it was nice to explore somewhere different. Plus it was neat to paddle along the cliff to try to find as many of the pictographs as we could.
Ontario lakes are so beautiful, compared to the Alberta lakes outside the mountains. This rocky outcrop complete with pictographs makes the perfect destination. The views from up top are worth the climb. Thanks for sharing Linda. Allan
We sure have a lot of lakes in Ontario, which makes for some excellent canoeing (or any water based recreational activity) and photography. It was neat to paddle along Mazinaw Rock and try to find as many pictographs as we could. It’s too bad the meaning of many of them has been lost, but it’s quite remarkable how long they’ve lasted on the rocks. Thanks for reading. Enjoy the rest of your week. Linda
Such beautiful pictures!
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. Fall was just getting started and it was nice to get an early glimpse of the fall colours.
I love your photos of Mazinaw Rock! I can see why it served as a source of information. That’s so cool that you can canoe to the pictographs and to the trailhead. Sounds like a fun morning!
Thanks! It was definitely a unique paddling experience where we got to combine a bit of history along with some hiking.
What a beautiful paddle, and pictographs too!!
I’m glad the lake was calm and we could take our time finding the various pictographs along the cliff. Many of them are fading, but it’s incredible to think just how old they are.
Thanks so much for sharing your adventure. Beautiful photos. Love the pictographs you discovered. 😍
Thanks for reading and for your lovely comment. It was a neat experience to paddle along the base of the cliff to find the pictographs. Plus the scenery itself was beautiful.
How lovely Linda. I’d have enjoyed hiring a canoe there too and of paddling up alongside some of those Indigenous peoples pictographs which are stunning. Hope things are going well for you all.
It was a fun excursion. It’s too bad that the meaning of the pictographs are unknown, but we’ll just have to use our imagination.
Really great post!
Thanks! It was a fun outing and great way to enjoy the early days of fall.
More gorgeous scenery in a lovely setting – and a session in a canoe just to make it complete!
You bet. It was a fun canoe ride filled with beautiful scenery, going on a scavenger hunt to find pictographs and accessing a trail. What more could you want!?
What interesting history with the pictographs. And what a gorgeous overlook! Love these beautiful sunshiny photos in the middle of our winter gloom.
It’s impressive to hear just how many pictographs there are. We only saw a small fraction of them by canoeing around the base of the cliff. And agreed, it’s nice to be reminded of what’s to come now that we’re in the thick of winter.
How incredible that the pictographs have survived so long right there along the water. It would be so interesting to get an idea of what they mean and what they would tell us about the people who drew them. Looks like a beautiful park in every direction 🙂
Oh I know. There has been some vandalism to the pictographs and along the cliff, which is rather unfortunate. It’s rather tough to protect them given their location. It did make for a unique viewing experience though as we had to canoe across the lake to get there. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Linda
Beautiful area. Thank you for sharing!
It’s one of my favourite parks and areas in Ontario. And it’s right around the corner for our cabin, which is very convenient. Thanks for reading. Linda
I viewed earth 🌏 wonders in my life 😍👌💐 such a beautiful lake and all photos full of nature beauties excellent 👍🏻🏞
Thank you so much dear friend for sharing 👏👌lovely 😊 wishes and happy weekend 🌹🙏💕🌹
Thanks for your kind words and for leaving a comment. Agreed, nature is beautiful. I always feel so much more relaxed and happy when spending time outdoors. Enjoy the rest of the week. Linda
Bon Echo looks very idyllic and those petroglyphs make this provincial park even more appealing to me. It’s great that the weather was nice when you went there. Camping there might be the right thing to do, but I wonder if it’s actually possible to go there on a day trip from Toronto.
It’s pretty neat how the only way to view the pictographs is by boat or canoe. I’m glad the lake was calm otherwise it wouldn’t have been a very fun paddle. It’s a bit far for a day trip from Toronto (it’s about a 3 hour drive one way), so camping would definitely be the way to go.
It looks so beautiful, such a great place for a paddle 🙂
For sure. The scenery is lovely and there are so many pictographs to explore along the base of the cliff. It’s a popular spot for boating though, so we have to be mindful of that when we’re in a canoe.
What a beautiful place to spend the day 🙂 The pictorials on Mazinaw Rock are fascinating, it’s amazing they’ve survived for so long.
Oh I know. It’s too bad that the meaning of the pictographs has been lost, but we’ll just have to use our imagination.
Wow, what a lovely setting to go paddling with a kayak! A wonderful opportunity to see the stunning Mazinaw Rock up close. And a beautiful stroll through high trees – a perfect day in nature.
For sure. It was fun to explore the cliff by water and then hike to the top of it for sweeping views of the surrounding area. A day spent in nature is always a great use of time.
Those are some great views. Amazing that the pictographs have survived. 😊
It was fun to go on a scavenger hunt and try to find as many of the pictographs as we could. Agreed, it’s pretty remarkable to hear just how old they are estimated to be.
Maggie, your exploration of Bon Echo and its ancient pictographs is beautifully captured in your post. It’s inspiring to read about your connection with such a historically rich and scenic location.
Thanks for your kind words. It’s pretty cool how the only way to view the pictographs is from the water. We couldn’t help but try to imagine what the rock paintings symbolized. It’s incredible how they’ve lasted this long.
Wow! What a lovely spot. I love the pictographs especially. It is amazing they have stood the test of time.
For sure. It was a nice mix of history and scenery (and exercise)! It was fun to paddle along the base of the cliff and to try to find as many of the pictographs as we could.
That is really cool that you saw the pictographs! I love how nature protects these historical artifacts!!!
For sure. While the meaning of the pictographs has been lost, at least they are still displayed on the rocks. Good thing the water levels in the lake haven’t changed too much either, which made it easier to spot them by canoe.
What a nice journey you took down history lane when you saw the pictographs. Though rated difficult, I would have loved to try out Cliff Top Trail to enjoy the canoe ride.
We’ve seen a few pictographs across North America, but the ones at Bon Echo are pretty special as the only way to view them is from the water. It was fun to paddle across the lake to see them up close. We also got to hike to the top of the cliff afterwards and enjoy sweeping views of the surrounding area.
Oh wow! Absolutely stunning! Would mind looking this place up on my travels next time!
Bon Echo is one of my favourite provincial parks in Ontario. It has a lot to offer in terms of activities like swimming, canoeing, hiking and camping. Plus there’s a lot of history here with all the pictographs. It’s definitely a great one to add to your list! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment. Linda
Such a gorgeous and peaceful place. I’d love to do some exploring from a canoe, it’s so cool that you can paddle around looking for surviving pictographs. The fact that their location is not indicated makes the whole process more exciting in my opinion. Love the photo of Mazinaw Rock.
Thanks! We’ve seen a few pictographs across North America, but these are the only ones that we’ve been to that are accessible from the water. It was fun to paddle along the cliff and try to find as many as we could.
The plan seems to be to use the canoe or kayak to reach the most interesting part of the park.
You bet. They even have some backcountry campsites that are only accessible by canoe or kayak, which in my opinion, are better than the front country campsites. We stayed at one a few years ago and have been meaning to return.
Bon Echo Park rocks! The cliffs are spectacular by themselves. The pictographs are icing on the cake.
Ha! It certainly does! It was neat to paddle along the base of the cliffs to go on a scavenger hunt for the pictographs and then to hike to the top of them to get a panoramic view of the surrounding area.
The lake looks so serene, a perfect place to canoe. How wonderful to find the pictographs.
The conditions were perfect for canoeing – the sun was shining and the water was super calm. It was such an interesting way to see the pictographs.
Looks like a dreamy destination. Your photos are gorgeous! 🛶 Thank you for the wonderful virtual escape.
Ontario is so pretty in the fall when the leaves are changing colour. It was nice to visit this park and spend time on the water and on the trails. What more could you want!?
Can’t think of a single thing! 🍂
It makes me want to go back. Perhaps later in the fall when the leaves are at their prime for changing colour. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.
I lose my mind in a most beautiful way when I visit the changing leaves in Oregon. 💗 Thank you, you too!
I’ll have to keep that in mind that Oregon is beautiful in the fall. We travelled there last spring, but it would be neat to experience it in a different season (and when there’s no snow at Crater Lake National Park).