Length of stay: 4 days
Visited: November 2024
We typically plan a backcountry canoe trip through a different part of Algonquin Provincial Park every summer. This year we were unable (or rather unwilling) to because of baby M. Instead we booked a rustic cabin in the Mew Lake Campground and planned to explore a few of the trails along the popular Highway 60 Corridor.
Day 1: Booth’s Rock
We arrived at the western entrance of the Highway 60 Corridor of Algonquin around noon and checked in at the park office. Check-in time for roofed accommodations typically starts at 4pm, but no worries, we were still free to explore the trails.
We planned to hike Booth’s Rock Trail which is located just east of the Mew Lake Campground. But our bellies were rumbling and baby M was eager to get out of her car seat so we decided to pull into the campground and check out our site anyway. Worst case scenario our cabin wasn’t ready and we could just eat at the picnic table outside. It had already been cleaned though so we ate some lunch and started to make ourselves at home before heading out to go for a hike.
The trailhead is located just past the Rock Lake Campground, which closed on October 20. The park typically closes the gate to the campground shortly afterwards. While you can still technically hike Booth’s Rock Trail, it adds another couple of kilometres when you park outside the gate. Perhaps because the weather has been so warm this fall, the road through the campground was still open when we visited in the beginning of November. And with all the leaves gone, so were the crowds.
Booth’s Rock Trail (5.1km loop, rated moderate) is one of the most popular trails in the park. So much so that it typically requires an additional permit to hike. Except if you’re visiting during the off-season. It features a series of overlooks and is reputed to provide stunning views of the surrounding area.
The trail starts at the parking lot at the end of the road across from Rock Lake. It weaves through the forest and is marked with eleven signed posts and blue circles. It’s a gradual incline at first, but there were several wet and muddy sections. They weren’t too bad to navigate around, but it meant progress was slow. There were a couple of viewpoints of the water early on at signpost #3 (Rosepond Lake) and #5 (Gordon Lake), which requires following the portage sign for a couple hundred metres.
Then the uphills begin and the trail gets rockier and muddier. But it’s all worth it as once we reached the top of the ridge there’s a series of viewpoints overlooking Rock Lake. We followed along the exposed rocks and the views just kept getting better and better. And there was nothing but clear skies.
The way down was much easier as there are several wooden staircases. This also meant no mud.
At signpost #10 there’s a short detour to visit the ruins and remnants of the Barclay Estate along the shore of Rock Lake. There isn’t much left, but you can still see the foundations and ruins of some of the buildings.
We circled back to the main path, which follows an abandoned railway to return to the parking lot. This was once part of the historic Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway which ran from Georgian Bay through the southern portion of Algonquin to Ottawa. It was built by John Rudolphus Booth, a prominent Canadian lumber and railway baron who owned timber rights in Algonquin. It was operational from 1896 to 1959 and was once the busiest railroad line in all of Canada.
By the time we returned to the campground, the sun had almost finished setting. It was then time to get started on dinner and to finish unpacking. We’ve stayed in a yurt a few times in Algonquin, so it was nice to see what one of the cabins was like. It’s a bit smaller and only sleeps up to five people (as opposed to six in one of the yurts), but we found it much brighter inside. Plus the cabins come equipped with a kitchenette, which includes a fridge, microwave, kettle and more space to store and prep your food. There’s also an enclosed porch where we could stash our dirty boots, which came in handy the next few days when the weather took a turn for the worst. The only downside to our particular cabin was that the fireplace wasn’t working. No worries, as there was a space heater we could use instead.
Day 2: Bat Lake
We woke up to gray skies and cooler weather. The temperature was hovering just above freezing and the forecast was calling for rain later in the evening and overnight. So after eating breakfast, we went to hike Bat Lake Trail (5.6km loop, rated moderate) which is located right around the corner from the Mew Lake Campground.
The path is well signed with blue circles and thirteen numbered posts that correspond to some fun facts in a trail guide you can purchase from the visitor centre. The first stretch winds through a dense, mossy forest and is relatively flat. Then the uphill begins near signpost #3, often assisted with wooden steps.
Along the way we passed (and crossed) a stream, mossy cliffs, and a giant erratic before coming to an overlook with a bench. The views were a bit underwhelming as they were mostly obstructed by the trees.
What comes up must come down. We made our way back, passing through a marsh along a short boardwalk. Once we were in the forest again there’s two more viewpoints of Bat Lake. Except the lake had started to reclaim the boardwalks and they were mostly submerged under water. We could still catch a glimpse of the lake on the main trail through the trees.
Once we completed the loop, we headed back to our cabin for a late lunch of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches. We were also expecting some visitors. Around this time last year I booked a yurt and visited Algonquin for a couple days with my mom, uncle and sister. So this year we figured we’d share the experience with K’s parents. We booked them a cabin of their own right around the corner from ours.
After they got settled in, we went for a short hike along the Spruce Bog Boardwalk (1.5km loop, rated easy). The path is wide and consists of a mix of gravel and boardwalk. We’ve hiked this trail pretty much every time we’ve camped at Mew Lake Campground. So to shake things up we hiked it backwards, going counterclockwise for a different perspective of the landscape.
Even though the leaves had all fallen, there was still some color in the landscape.
Baby M was long overdue for a nap. So once we finished our hike we went for a drive toward East Gate before circling back for dinner. The sun had set and it was lightly misting by the time we got back to our cabin.
Day 3: Track and Tower
It rained overnight and the forecast was calling for more rain later in the day. But at least it was a bit warmer outside (10°C). After eating breakfast we got right to it. We settled on Track and Tower (7.7km loop, rated moderate). It’s one of the longer trails along the Highway 60 Corridor, but we figured this would be our only hike of the day so we might as well make it count.
We pulled up to the trailhead shortly before 10am and there were no other cars in the parking lot. It was lightly misting outside and we were debating whether we should just hike a shorter trail instead. But we decided to stick to the original plan.
The trail passes by the location of an old fire tower and features a panoramic view overlooking Cache Lake. It’s signed with thirteen numbered posts and a series of blue circles on the trees. The ground was damp and littered with dead leaves and there were also several muddy sections to navigate up, over and around, which slowed us down. But the forest was quiet and peaceful, and we were all in good spirits. For now.
Water seemed to be a common theme on the trail. We followed and crossed a couple of streams, we passed a few marshy areas, Cache lake, and a dam, and there was also a turnoff for a portage.
At signpost #6, the trail splits off to form a smaller loop. We’re all about the steps so we continued onward and upward to the series of wooden staircases that lead to the former location of the old fire tower. Nothing remains from the tower itself, but there’s two scenic viewpoints of Cache Lake at signposts #7 and #8.
The trail circles back to the wooden staircases. From the junction we continued to signpost #9 where the trail passes the remnants and ruins of an old railway trestle. The trail then follows a small section of the Old Railway Bike Trail, which was part of the historic Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway. The path was wide and flat, which gave us a reprieve from the mud.
But then the trail branches off from the nicely maintained old railway bed and weaves deeper through the dense forest. We trudged on. Conditions seemed to be getting worse with more flooded and muddy sections. And then it started to rain. Hard. We were testing out our new backpack baby carrier, which thankfully had a rain cover so at least baby M stayed dry.
There was a benefit of going slow from all the mud though. We spotted a lot of mushrooms along the trail. They came in many different shapes, colours and sizes.
Eventually we made it back to the parking lot. Four hours later. We were all ready to take a break and get out of the rain. We headed back to our cabin to change out of our damp clothes and have a hot bowl of soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch. It continued to rain for the rest of the afternoon. We didn’t mind so much as we had gotten our exercise in for the day.
Day 4: Spruce Bog
The temperature dropped below freezing overnight and we woke up to a light dusting of snow on the ground. We were reluctant to leave our warm cabin, especially since it was blustery outside. But check-out time wasn’t until 10am so we took our time making breakfast and packing up.
We weren’t sure what the conditions would be like on the trail. And let’s be real, we were a bit sore and still a little traumatized from our hike yesterday. So we decided to take things nice and easy and hike the Spruce Bog Boardwalk. Even though we hiked this trail a couple of days ago, it just never gets old. This time we hiked the proper way around the loop, going clockwise. The landscape looked totally different with a light layer of snow on the ground.
We planned to hike a couple of short and easy trails on the drive out of the park, but baby M fell asleep in the car. And so we headed home.
L
Stunning landscapes!
Oh I know! There’s a good reason we keep coming back to Algonquin. Even though we’ve hiked some of these trails before, the scenery never gets old.
Baby M has been on more hikes than many adults😊. Looks lovely in the fall. Good thing you had such nice weather for the start of your trip, and it didn’t rain the entire time. The cabins are cute, and much cleaner than I had imagined. I’m thinking back to the cabins we used to rent in Clear Lake, MB in the 70s though. Maggie
Ha! Baby M is now walking so I’m looking forward to her being able to hike on her own rather than having to carry her around! It’s too bad the weather wasn’t the greatest, but we managed to make the most of it and still get quite a bit of hiking in. The cabins are really nice. They are relatively new and I actually prefer them over the yurts. They retain heat a lot better and the floor isn’t nearly as cold during the offseason.
The weather on your first day was gorgeous! Too bad it deteriorated so quickly. Algonquin is such a beautiful park and I haven’t visited in a long time now. Thanks for taking me there again with your descriptions and beautiful pictures. I agree with Maggie, Baby M has done more hiking than many adults!
I’m so glad we arrived in Algonquin earlier in the day and were able to make the most of the beautiful weather while it lasted. It’s becoming tough to book roofed accommodations within the park since it’s so popular, but I find November is typically pretty quiet. And yes, baby M sure has done a lot of hiking and exploring! We might as well get her used to it!
PS For some reason WP keeps marking your comments as pending, which might explain why you received an error message when you initially tried to post. I’ve been meaning to look into it to see if there’s a way to fix it. I’m not the best at dealing with these WP gremlins.
I’m not the best at dealing with WP gremlins either. I’ve since heard of the same issue on other blogs though, so it does seem to be something WP is doing; it’s not specific to your blog.
Amazing, but no baby photos???
Haha, she really is the star of the show. I’ll make sure to include some baby photos in our next post!!
Oh, wait until baby M can walk and run. She will probably be running around while you hike. I like your photos of the lake and the reflected trees.
Thanks for your kind words. Baby M is actually walking now, which is great. It’s only a matter of time until she can start hiking with us! And yes, I imagine she’ll be running circles around us in no time. Oh to be young again and have an endless amount of energy!!
The more I hike, the more appreciative I am of a well maintained trail! The views look lovely too.
Me too! I’m also terrible at navigation and never enjoy guessing where the trail continues. Even though the trails were muddy, at least the views were beautiful.
Wow, so rich in nature’s bounty!!! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for reading and leaving a comment. Algonquin is one of our favourite parks to enjoy nature. The weather can be hit or miss later in the fall, but it’s nice to experience a quieter side of the park without the crowds (or bugs).
Gorgeous hiking spots, and Cache Lake looks beautiful!
Oh I know. There’s no shortage of scenic hiking trails in Algonquin. Booth’s Rock Trail is one of our favourites.
I am with you on the joy of going on hikes later on in the autumn. The weather is not always perfect, butt he crowds are small and the bugs are gone. You had a beautiful first day for hiking. The scenery was gorgeous. The cabin looks pretty good for a short stay and was likely an easier place to stay with baby M. Thanks for sharing. Happy Tuesday Linda. Allan
It’s a risk we’re willing to take with the weather. And it’s much easier to book one of the cabins or yurts in November compared to earlier in the fall when the leaves are changing colour. And yes, the cabins are definitely great for shorter stays during the offseason. And it sure beats having to drive an hour to get into or out of the park from the nearest town. Have a wonderful weekend. Linda
Wow, Algonquin is sooo beautiful! How nice that family joined the adventure too, Linda. It’s so amazing how beautiful nature is when humans just leave it alone. Thanks for sharing the beauty! ❤️😊🇨🇦
It was nice to visit Algonquin with my husband’s parents and that we each had our own separate cabins. It’s so peaceful during the low-season. And agreed, nature is pretty beautiful, especially when it’s protected and left alone. Us humans have a way of ruining things.
I’m glad you guys had that great experience! My sister and I were talking last night about how humans are so wasteful. Bummer.
It’s such a shame to see how much of a negative impact we’ve had on this world. We are definitely pretty wasteful.
Humans also have our rubbish on Mars and the moon too. How about the plethora of garbage in Earths orbit? 👎🏻
It’s pretty awful that our trash extends into space. There’s also a bunch of dead satellites up there too.
Really? How can humans get the trash out of orbit! 😡
Exactly. They don’t.
How beautiful! It’s a shame the weather turned during your trip, but the weather on your first day looked glorious – the views from the top of the ridge, in particular, are spectacular 🙂
We had a bit of everything in terms of the weather: some blue skies and sunshine, rain, wind and even a bit of snow. Either way, we still enjoyed the trails. The hike to Booth’s Rock was my favourite and I’m so glad we did that one when the weather was nice so we could more fully appreciate the views.
The Booth Rock Trail viewpoint overlooking Rock Lake was definitely worth the walk and mud. ☀️ I love all the boardwalks and stairs.
Oh absolutely! It was so worth it for those views. The wooden staircases on the way back down were a real treat, especially in comparison to the muddy mess on the way up. I also enjoyed exploring the ruins of the old estate.
What a wonderful weekend you had in beautiful Algonquin, even the muddy and rainy hike will make a great story to retell to M when she’s older.
The cabins look amazing. I really have to try one out, it’s been years since we’ve visited Algonquin.
Booth’s Rock is my favourite trail at the park and I’m glad you and M got to experience it together!
The weather can be hit or miss in November. But we don’t seem to mind too much since we keep returning for this time of the year. It’s also much easier to book one of the yurts or cabins then. They’re quite nice and are a great way to extend the camping season into the offseason.
This was our first time hiking the Booth’s Rock Trail. And I can’t believe it’s taken us this long to hike it. I can totally see why it’s your favourite. The views are stunning, especially on a clear day. And yes, I’m glad we got to share the experience with baby M!
Such a wonderful place with full of beauty of eternal earth 🌏 good roads and two sides of tall trees looks like estate , remembered my estate life , graciously presented with lots of photos and inspiring explanations, the view of grace nature and lovely lakes , falling water, beautiful stay home , safe travels with baby 👶 love and blessings to you dear friend and your loving family God Bless 🌷🙏💞🖖🌷
Thank you very much for your lovely comment. There isn’t much left remaining from the former estate, but the beautiful views of the lake are still there. I’m so glad we hiked that trail on our first day when the weather was nice so we could more fully appreciate the views.
Wow absolutely beautiful, how fun!!!
Thanks! Algonquin is one of our favourite parks. While the weather later in the fall can be unpredictable, it’s a wonderful time to visit as the crowds are long gone.
These pictures are absolutely beautiful! It really looks like such a wonderful trip full of adventure and discovery. Despite the rain and muddy conditions, it seems like the journey was worth every step, and those scenic viewpoints and mushrooms must have been a delightful surprise! What a memorable experience, and the cozy cabin and hot soup sound like the perfect way to end the day.
Thanks so much! The weather and muddy conditions on the trails weren’t ideal, but we made the most of it. It helped knowing we had a warm cabin to return to afterwards. And that hot bowl of soup sure hit the spot!
It’s nice that you had at least one sunny day during your stay — and what a gorgeous day it looks! I really love looking at the stillness of the water surface, reflecting the landscape as if it was a mirror. How sublime! Too bad the weather only got worse. But good to know that baby M managed to stay dry.
Oh I know! We definitely took advantage of the beautiful weather on our first day by hiking one of the most scenic trails in the park. I’m so glad we had a rain cover for the baby carrier otherwise I’m not too sure baby M would want to come hiking with us again!
Wonderful photos and place, must be a great expereience.
Thank’s for share Linda, have an amazing day!
Thanks for your kind words. It was nice to get a change of scenery and spend a few days in a cabin at one of our favourite parks. Enjoy the rest of your day as well. Cheers. Linda
I admire your tenacity to get out and hike even in the rain. We have had a few experiences of traveling and encountering rainy weather. One can’t just sit back and do nothing however so you just make the best of it. I’m sure having the baby makes it more difficult, but as she gets older it will be more fun, maybe.
I’m typically not a fan of hiking in the rain. And the older I get, the more reluctant I am to braving the harsh elements. The rain came much earlier than predicted and if I had known that, I probably wouldn’t have wanted to do as long of a trail. But it made for a funny story afterwards! And it helped knowing that our cabin was nearby so we could quickly change into dry clothes. Hiking with a baby definitely adds an extra element of difficulty, but it’s all worth it to share the experience with her. And to get her used to being outside!
Provincial Park looks like the ideal location for hiking with so many nice trails to choose from. Stunning photos too!
You bet! Even though we’ve been to Algonquin so many times, there’s still a few trails we have yet to hike. But heck, even if we hike all the same old trails, the scenery is still beautiful and wouldn’t get old.
Your photos are so beautiful and so is the magnificent natural paradise of Algonquin Provincial Park, Linda! It looks like the Park offers many exciting outdoor experiences – I love the moody fall vibes, wonderful trails and that gorgeous blue sky! Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
Thanks for your kind words, Aiva. There’s a good reason we keep returning to Algonquin every year. It seems like we got to experience a bit of everything in terms of the weather – blue skies, rain, and even a bit of snow. Even though the weather can be hit or miss later in the fall, there are less crowds and no bugs. So I’ll take it! Hope you had a wonderful weekend. Linda
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Beautiful park to visit with you today. I’m glad that you had mostly good weather and not rain the entire time. Although your cabin looks like it would be a lovely place to stay indoors and play games while its raining.
I’m glad we got to enjoy some blue skies, even if it was only on our first day. The rain and muddy conditions on the trails weren’t ideal. But at least we had the cabin to retreat to afterwards!
Definitely some beautiful views. 😊
You bet! Algonquin is a fabulous place to enjoy nature. The only thing missing was seeing some wildlife.
I understand! Wildlife have a way of just doing their own thing and ignoring the shutter. Go figure. 😉
Oh I know. And it seems the more I want to see some wildlife, the less likely I am to spot anything!
Thank you for the gorgeous nature shares! As you do. I spent a little extra time by the water. So beautiful. Hope your week is going well. 🦋
Thank you very much, Michele. It’s always good to take advantage of the nice weather and spend time outdoors. Our little one seemed to enjoy it as well. Enjoy the rest of your week as well. Linda
Oh, so good for the little ones and memories to cherish. Thank you, Linda. 😊
You bet! We might as well get her used to spending time outdoors as early as we can!
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Oh so beautiful, I love all the views down to Rock Lake – the day looks so crisp and the lake looks peaceful and calming. A bit of rain is always annoying whilst walking, but at least the cabin is cosy 🙂
That’s very true. I don’t enjoy hiking in the rain, but it helped knowing we had a warm cabin to return to afterwards. And we were planning on having soup and grilled cheese sandwiches for lunch! Mmm.
I can understand why Booth’s Rock Trail is so popular — it offers beautiful views. Even though it was cold (very cold by my standards), you seem to have made the most of your time in the park. Love the mushrooms on the trail, but not the rain and mud! In such weather, we’ll probably stay inside the cabin with a book, but well done to you guys for going out and enjoying nature.
Despite visiting Algonquin so often, this was our first time hiking Booth’s Rock Trail. And wow were the views fantastic. I’m not a fan of hiking when it’s damp and the trails are muddy, but it was good to get some fresh air and exercise. And I’m so glad we had a warm heated cabin to return to afterwards!
Such a gorgeous spot. How nice that your in-laws came as well.
Thanks! It was nice to visit Algonquin with my husband’s parents. The weather wasn’t the greatest so it helped to have great company (and food)!
You demonstrate a spirit of adventure as wonderful as in those adventurer stories celebrated around the world in different places and times. Real adventures with challenges can be anywhere, like this place, as we know. What a fortunate baby to share in your adventures! 😍
Thank you very much for your lovely comment. Our little one has been such a good little traveller and seems to share our love of the outdoors. Rain or shine, I’ll take a day out on the trail compared to one cooped up indoors. And hey, sometimes it’s the challenges that make for a great story.
I admire your persistence and determination, hiking in the mist and cooler weather and finding wonderful things to share along the way. I’ve learned so much about the Canadian wilderness through your blog!
Thanks for your lovely comment. The weather can be a bit of a wildcard later in the fall. It seems like we experienced a bit of everything – sun, rain and even a bit of snow. Either way, it was nice to spend time in nature.
Love these autumnal colours. Great photos 😁. Looks like a great place to relax and enjoy nature.
Thanks! Even though the leaves had all fallen, there were still some colour in the landscape. Even though the weather wasn’t the greatest, it was still nice to get away and spend time in nature.
November is beginning to be risky for hiking, but you’ve bravely faced up to the cold and rain.
I know, the weather can be hit or miss in November. And it doesn’t help that the days are shorter too. But the park is quiet and it’s also much easier to book a roofed accommodation.
I’m always amazed at how well kept the boardwalks and trails are in your parks. I saw your comment that Baby M is walking now… Looking forward to how much hiking she can do!
Ontario Parks does such a fantastic job at maintaining their trails. And I very much appreciated the stairs on the Booth’s Rock Trail which made walking down the ridge much easier (and less muddier) in comparison to the other side. That’s right, M is now busy walking. Soon enough she’ll be able to hike these trails on her own!
Your cabin looks nice and cozy, and after a day of hiking in the rain, grilled cheese and soup sounds perfect. I smiled when I read your last sentence about Baby M falling asleep in the car. Great pictures and narrative, as always, Linda 🙂
Thanks for your lovely comment. I’m not a fan of hiking in the rain, but I will tolerate it if I know I have somewhere warm to return to afterwards. And the soup and grilled cheese sandwiches helped too!
That underwater bridge/trail didn’t look too inviting!
It wasn’t. Between the mud and the rain, we had had enough!
Even though seeing ruins is sad, it’s nice to see that remnants of them are still there. I love seeing stuff like that. The water also looks really clear! Would be nice to swim in
For sure. There wasn’t much left from the old estate, but the remnants help keep the history of the place alive. I couldn’t believe how fabulous the weather was on our first day in the park. I’m so glad we made the most of it considering what the rest of the weekend was like!