Length of stay: 2 days
Visited: February 2025
The Thousand Islands are a group of 1,864 islands located in the St. Lawrence River between southeastern Ontario in Canada and northern New York in the United States. Thousand Islands National Park is located on the Canadian side and is spread across 21 of these islands and a few different areas on the mainland. While the islands are inaccessible in the winter, there are a few hiking trails on the mainland sections of the park that remain open year-round.
Day 1: Jones Creek
I had signed up for the NEXUS program last fall (before the US election), which if approved, would speed up border crossings when entering the United States and Canada. K has had a NEXUS card for several years, but I’ve been a bit slow to the game. I initially applied right before the pandemic, but then all the interviews were put on hold, and by the time I went to book one, my application had lapsed. We figured it might be helpful to finally get my NEXUS card to make traveling a bit easier with our little one. But as it turns out, she needs to get one too.
My initial application was approved and the next step was to schedule an interview at a land enrollment centre. There are two places to choose from in Ontario: Fort Erie or Landsdown. We opted for the latter as we figured we could make a weekend of it and do some winter hiking in Thousand Islands National Park.
We stayed in Brockville overnight. After completing my interviews in Canada and the United States, we headed back to our hotel for lunch. Afterwards we headed to the Jones Creek section of Thousand Islands to go for a hike and enjoy the nice weather. There are a series of four trails, which can be combined to form a longer loop. From the parking lot, which is located right off the 1000 Islands Parkway, there’s a short connector path that leads to a few of the trails.
There was quite a bit of snow, but the path looked like it was well travelled. At the junction we turned right to hike the Eel Loop (0.7km, yellow trail). The narrow path weaves through a white pine and red oak forest and follows the outer edge of a wetland. There’s also a vault toilet along the trail, which looked like it hadn’t been used in awhile as there were no footprints in the snow leading up to it.
The trail connects with the Turtle Loop (0.6km, orange trail). We were on this for a few hundred metres before turning off on the Heron Loop (1km, red trail). The trail continues to weave through the forest, providing more glimpses of the wetlands. It also contains a scenic overlook and a pair of the popular Parks Canada Red Chairs.
There’s also a short detour to a small boardwalk section. There weren’t many footprints in the snow here, but we decided to give it a whirl for a closer look at the wetlands. It looked like the boardwalk used to extend across Jones Creek at one point as we could see the other part of the boardwalk on the other side. There were a few footprints in the snow across the creek, but we had no interest in wandering onto the ice to test it out.
The trail connects with the Bear Trail (0.9km, blue trail), which involved a few modest ups and downs as we made our way through the forest and back towards the parking lot.
Once we wrapped up our hike we headed back to our hotel in Brockville so we could take baby M for a swim in the pool.
Day 2: Landon Bay
We took our time getting ready in the morning to let it warm-up a bit outside. It was currently -10°C, overcast, but calm. After eating breakfast, we packed up and hit the road. We planned to stop at Landon Bay where there is another network of trails that are part of Thousand Islands National Park.
The main parking lot off the 1000 Islands Parkway was closed for the season. There was a car parked in front of the gate so we figured we could park there too. We found the trailhead easy enough. There’s a series of trails here, many of which can be accessed from the Donevan Trail (4.5km loop, blue trail).
We hiked counterclockwise along the Donevan Trail. Even though the parking lot was closed, it looked like the trail was well travelled as the path through the snow was compact. We took a detour at the Lookout Trail (yellow trail), which consisted of climbing up a rocky ridge to a nice overlook of Landons Bay and the St. Lawrence River.
The path connects with the Donevan Trail again, but there weren’t many footprints in the snow after the overlook. We forged ahead anyway.
We continued north along the Donevan Trail, passing a few points of interest along the way. This includes Avalanche Pass where the path follows along a very small rocky ridge for a short stretch. Despite all the snow, there was no serious risk of an avalanche.
Another notable point of interest was the Wishing Tree. The sign on the tree said circa 1850. It looked in rough shape though with a few missing branches near the base of the tree.
We turned off at the junction to follow the Halstead Creek Trail. The path continues to weave through the snowy forest, passing a bridge and osprey nest.
The trail then follows a marshy shoreline before coming out to the road. We followed some snowmobile tracks back to where we parked the car as that seemed much safer than walking along the road. And just like that it was time to head back home.
L
I’ve always wanted to spend more time in this area. It looks like a great [place for winter hiking. I am certain it would be mobbed in summer. M is getting so big, you guys look like you are rigged for a tandem parachute jump. Watch your backs. I carried B in a Jerry on my back (even on cross country skis) until he was 28 pounds. One winter day while gliding down a hill, B threw himself backwards and me with him. They grow so fast. Happy weekend Linda. Allan
I was pleasantly surprised to see that many of the trails were well travelled in the winter and that we didn’t have to forge a path in the snow. It would be neat to return in the summer to see how different the landscape looks and to explore some of the islands that are part of the national park. They also have a few oTENTiks and you know I’m a sucker for trying those out at all the various parks.
You’re right, M is getting big (and bigger by the day)! We’ve upgraded to one of those backpack carriers which is much better on the back. But she loves looking around and wants to be right in the action so we still use the front facing carrier for shorter walks. We’re hoping to let her hike on her own this summer and have planned a few overnight trips where the trails are all wide and flat. And yes, they grow up so fast … too fast. Enjoy the rest of your weekend as well. Linda
M is getting big! I’m still surprised at how quickly they grow, but this is also one of the best stages, too. I haven’t been to that park yet but it would be great to visit. Happy weekend.
Oh I know! Everyone always tells us that they grow so quickly, but I’m still surprised at how much time has passed and how much she’s grown and changed. She’s already nearly a year and a half. And boy is she getting big. Too big for the front facing carrier now!!
Hiking in minus 10….hmmm. Baby M is gonna grow up being capable of anything! Terrific scenery again, as you so often show us on your delightful hikes. Loving the snowscapes.
I sure hope so!! And regardless of what she does, I hope she’ll always share our love of the outdoors, even in the winter with all that snow!
Baby M is sooo adorable! Beautiful photos, guys!! 🇨🇦🥰
Thanks for your lovely comment. She’s very charming when she wants to be! And she just loves being outdoors!
You’re welcome! ☺️
Another hiking adventure in the books for you guys! I can only imagine. We did only 1 hike in the snow before and it was fun!
I’m glad we were able to make a whole weekend of it. I’ve come to enjoy hiking in the winter. It’s more challenging with all the snow, but the trails are much more peaceful and quiet.
It looks very wintery. I love the pictures of a very happy Baby M.
We had a proper Canadian winter this year with a lot of snow!! That didn’t keep us away from the trails!
Thousand Islands National Park looks very pretty blanketed in snow and it was a good opportunity to get your Nexus card. Once you’ve got it is that forever or do you need to renew it every few years?
I’ll need to renew it every five years, but the renewal process isn’t as cumbersome and may not require having to return for another in-person interview in both Canada and the United States. I’m glad we made the most of the excursion and got to explore Thousand Islands for the weekend.
Having an avalanche pass sign is funny, I wonder why they came up with the name. Baby M looks happy to be out in the snow! Next winter she’ll be hiking too I guess. I noticed you made sure to mention the Nexus application began before the election. I can’t imagine every travelling to the US again, even after these 4 years are over. Maggie
I couldn’t help but laugh at the avalanche pass sign too. So ridiculous. We’re hoping to get baby M started on hiking this summer. She loves walking on her own now, but of course is very slow and gets easily distracted!
We have no plans to visit the US anytime soon either. I figured I might as well go for my Nexus interview since I already paid the application fee though. But it turns out I should have submitted an application for baby M as she’ll need to get her own. So I can’t even use my Nexus even if I wanted to.
Maybe it’s the snow suit, but Baby M is looking mighty big these days… 😉
She’s feeling mighty big these days too! We’ve upgraded to one of those backpack carriers, but even then she still feels heavy! I’m looking forward to when she can hike on her own, hopefully this summer.
Be Safe, Be Well, Be Blessed and Be a Blessing.
Thanks so much for your kind words and for leaving a comment. We definitely feel blessed to spend so much time together as a family. Enjoy the rest of the weekend.
Baby M is getting bigger with every post! You must get a workout carrying her through the snow. I have never heard of Thousand Islands, but I’m intrigued and need to look into visiting. It sounds wonderful, like the San Juan Islands in Washington State. Beautiful photos!
Oh I know! And she’s getting a bit heavier every time we go for a hike! It’s always more difficult to hike in the snow, but having a baby strapped to you definitely adds an extra challenge! And it felt like I was pregnant again with the extra weight in front and not being able to see my feet! Soon she’ll be able to hike on her own though.
The Thousand Islands are lovely. It would be neat to return in the summer to see how different the landscape looks and to explore some of the islands that are part of the national park.
Looks like a lovely hike even with the snow! Those red chairs look strategically placed for a great view! Lori
You bet. It’s always fun to stumble across a pair of the Red Chairs. You’re right, they were placed at such a lovely viewpoint. If it wasn’t so cold, it would have been an excellent spot to stop and take a break to admire the views.
Love the photos of your beautiful family. Baby M looks so happy. Thousand Islands National Park sounds like a lovely place where you lay in sunshine on sandy beaches. But your photos prove otherwise. 😊 That was a lot of snow. Did you make a wish on the Wishing Tree? Your NEXUS experience sounds a little bit like when I tried to renew my driver’s license. My driver’s license expired during Covid, so I couldn’t go into the offices. I had to renew it online.
Thanks! Baby M is in her element when she’s outside in nature. That means we’ll obviously have to return in the summer at some point to actually visit the islands that are part of the national park! And yes, I did make a wish at the Wishing Tree – for more family adventures together!
Trying to renew anything during COVID was a nightmare! And there was a huge backlog for everything, especially passports. Glad you were able to renew online. Thankfully now everything is back to normal!
Wonderful place, very nice photos, those red chairs are great and you have
a beautiful family. Thank’s for share Linda.
Nice weekend!
Thanks for your lovely comment. It was a nice surprise to come across the Red Chairs. They’re often located at a beautiful viewpoint. Hope you had a wonderful weekend as well. Cheers. Linda
I always love seeing baby M in that pink fleece/bodysuit. Shortly, before you even realize it, she’ll be joining you and K hiking to all these really cool places, on foot! Looking at the snow in your photos I couldn’t help but think of the nickname the Great White North, which was aptly given to your home country.
Ha! She does look very adorable all bundled up in her pink snowsuit. It’s too bad they don’t make them like that for adults! I’m looking forward to when she can start hiking on her own with us as she’s getting pretty heavy to carry!! We got a lot of snow this winter, which was great for all sorts of winter activities!
I have no doubt baby M would be a hiker soon. The trails look stunning in its whites. I enjoyed your adventures, Linda.
I sure hope so! My poor back is feeling a bit sore from having to carry her! She loves walking and being outside, so the next step is to get her on a trail. She gets easily distracted though, so we’ll see how that goes!
Yes, I’m excited for your next adventure outdoors! Hugs to baby M. Hoping your back will feel better sooner.
Thanks! We actually just came back from New Zealand a few weeks ago and will be posting about that shortly.
Oh, so exciting, Linda. How wonderful!
Aww lovely, looks like a wonderful hike 🙂
It’s always nice to get some fresh air and exercise while being surrounded by nature!
What a beautiful place to explore! I wouldn’t want to leave. Love her little pink snowsuit too!!!
The pink snowsuit is very adorable! I wish they made them in bigger sizes!
Right? I want a cute snow suit!
The Thousand Islands are a beautiful part of Ontario and we enjoyed visiting in the summer during the pandemic. When M is older, you should try their kayaking tour. So fun!
I’d love to visit it during the wintertime as it looks like the three of you had a vastly different but just as beautiful experience!
Congrats and good luck with your Nexus application. I’ve only heard good time about travel efficiency for those who have enrolled to the program. I didn’t realize the application process was so rigorous!
Good to know about the kayaking tour. They also have some oTENTiks available in the summer. So all the more reason for us to return.
I ended up getting my Nexus card. But it turns out that I can’t even use it because every person in our travel group needs one, including little M. So looks like we’ll need to put in an application for her, which means a return trip to Thousand Islands. We’re in no rush though since it’s not like we plan on visiting the US anytime soon.
Sounds like a summer visit to the Thousand Islands is in the cards for you!
And no kidding, no US travel for me either. I had to cancel a work engagement that I was looking so forward to because of my discomfort to travel there. Ditto our summer roadtrip to Maine. Just means more Canada to explore! 😊
Bummer. But as you said, it just means there are more opportunities to explore more of Canada. And at least you have your Northern Ontario road trip to look forward to!
Reminds me how nature – untouched – is such an intrinsically healing place to be in
Absolutely! It’s amazing how many positive benefits there are to spending time in nature. It’s good for the body, mind and spirit.
Very very Best winter ❄️ photography 📷parents and little Angel 👼 are stunning beauty to view 🌷🙏💞👍🏻so lovely explanations of hiking in winter , gorgeous nature all together breathtaking view ❄️👌✍️ surprise moments 😯
Thank you so much for sharing these mist photos ( rare to see ) many many greetings Blessings 🌷🙏🥰🌷
You are too kind. I’m glad we’ve been able to share our love of the outdoors, even in the winter, with our little one. Despite the cold, it was nice to get some fresh air and exercise.
Actually very correct (•‿•) thank you so much for likes my feedback and most welcome my lovely friend 🌹🙏❤️🌹
Anytime. Enjoy the rest of the week!
All this snow! And so white, it makes for beautiful photos. Ha, that Nexus card. I did my interviews in Erié. But I kept getting stopped at the land border, at least to enter the US. The only advantage was to speed up the arrival at Pearson at a time when the machines were only for Nexus cards.
Even though it was dark and dreary outside, the snow has a way of making the landscape look so bright and magical. Interesting about how you kept getting stopped at the land border even though you had a Nexus. I haven’t had a chance to use mine yet (and likely won’t for quite some time), but I’ll let you know how it goes.
With all of your traveling it’s smart and helpful to speed up the process. Your photos are beautiful, and they make me want to go snow skiing! 🌨️🎿☃️ Thank you for sharing!
Absolutely! Some airports have a special line for families with young children which also helps speed up the process. But it’ll be nice to have a Nexus card to make it even quicker. Now we just need to get one for our little one!
Best wishes with the process. Hopefully it will just be a matter of renewing once acquired.
Thanks! I hope so too. The process of having to reserve a time slot and go in for an interview is quite cumbersome. And it requires taking a day off work.
Quite an ordeal!
Yup! Hopefully it’ll be worth the hassle though!
Beautiful scenes – straight out of a winter fairy tale book. But still … it looks incredibly cold! But hey, Baby M looks quite happy and that’s all that matters!
She just loves being outside! I guess it runs in the family! Even though it was cold, at least it wasn’t windy, so it actually wasn’t too bad once we got moving.
Beautiful place to hike for a couple of days! How cool to see an osprey nest 🙂
It would have been better to see an osprey in the nest, but, I’ll take what I can get! It was neat to see just how high up the nest was.
I remember going to Thousand Islands when I was a kid with my parents, but not in winter. This looks like a great snowshoeing trail! M looks happy.
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the trails are still being used in the winter even though much of the park was closed. It would be nice to return in the summer as it sounds like there’s a lot to do in and around the water. It’s great that you visited as a kid and still have memories of it.
Oh, it’s so beautiful! I love the snowy scenes 🙂
It’s funny how the forest can look so different in the winter when everything is blanketed in snow. We had a fabulous time enjoying the snowy scenery.
I’m a sucker for red chairs, so I loved that photo and both Baby M ones. Sorry – Toddler M! For easy trails and city walks, try here on a strider bike. Gives them so much mobility and is so easy for them.
Hm..kayaking trip in the Thousand Islands – that sounds amazing!
The Red Chairs are typically placed at such lovely viewpoints too. So if I’m already taking a picture of the landscape, I might as well take another one of the chairs. And yes, baby M is now becoming toddler M. When did that happen!?! The strider bike is a great idea!
Lovely walk. I like the two red chairs in the snow.
Baby M looks very comfy. She will be happy to be able to walk this summer. Mine is running every where. Not in the right direction though 🤣 so it always takes double of the normal time to do a short walk.
HA! It’s funny because I couldn’t wait for my little one to walk on her own as she’s getting so heavy to put in the carrier. But now that she can and wants to walk, it definitely takes waaaaaay longer. It doesn’t help that she gets easily distracted by everything!
Yep I am in the same situation 🤣
At least it gives me the chance to actually slow down! Oh well, it’s amazing how much kids love the outdoors.
I love the snowsuit you have on M!! And that picture of her smiling is so precious . She’s a little explorer in the making ! Great photos. We experienced some terror crossing a frozen lake once. Our feet sunk in about half a feet throughout the walk. Luckily the lake had a thick under ice under the top layer. We decided to try it to avoid snowy areas , seeing ice fishers on the lake and got colder as our feet got soaked from the upper thin layer of ice.
Thanks! She does look very adorable all wrapped up in that snowsuit! It’s too bad they don’t make them in bigger sizes otherwise we could match. She is definitely a little explorer and loves being outside.
Your experience crossing that frozen lake sounds terrifying!! Thank goodness you didn’t fall in! Hopefully you were able to dry off and warm-up shortly afterwards. I’ve never gotten frost bite before, but I don’t imagine it’s very fun.
We were able to want up in my sister’s car quickly after thank God . That would be great to have a snowsuit like hers. When I was a baby, my dad had a photo of me in similar one. It’s hilarious to see myself all bundled up. I haven’t had frost bite either and I don’t want to lol 🤣
Glad to hear you were able to warm-up afterwards in the car. I normally always keep a blanket in the car. Here’s hoping we never get frost bite!
Cheers to that ! No frostbite !!! 🥶🥶
Gorgeous photos of a lovely national park. Baby M looks adorable, snug, and quite happy in the snowsuit.
Thanks for your lovely comment. Even though it was only a few months ago, it’s crazy to think that she’s now outgrown that pink cozy snowsuit. But her love of the outdoors has also grown too.
Wow, that’s fast! It’s great to see you’re introducing her to the outdoors at an early age. 🙂
You bet! And there’s so many benefits to being outdoors and surrounded by nature. We might as well get her used to it from an early age!!
Brrr….!! It’s winter here in Australia, but that much snow is almost never seen here! Thank goodness for the footprints and the little colored hiker signs… otherwise I could imagine it would be easy to get lost! Amazing, thank you for the armchair adventure! Linda xx
Thanks Linda. I’ll take your winter over our summer! It’s hot and humid now and I am missing all that snow. I’m not the best with navigation and always appreciate a well signed trail too! That and the footprints too. Thankfully most of the trail was well travelled and the snow was compact. Enjoy the rest of the weekend. Linda
Such a peaceful and beautiful adventure! The snowy trails and quiet views really reminded me of trekking in Nepal — especially places like Namche or the peaceful paths toward Everest. That same feeling of being deep in nature, surrounded by silence and beauty, truly connects both places in such a special way.
Despite the cold, the snowy scenery was beautiful. And at least it wasn’t windy. We’d love to hike in Nepal someday. There’s just something special about being in the mountains. Being in nature helps put a lot of things in life into perspective.
Your words truly resonated — being in the mountains has a way of putting everything into perspective. That snowy stillness, the silence of nature… there’s just something deeply grounding about it.
If you ever make it to Nepal, the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek is one of the best ways to experience that magic. Lush forests, peaceful Gurung villages, and a sunrise from Poon Hill that stays in your heart forever. You can take a look at all the details here:
https://www.himalayaheart.com/trip/10-days-ghorepani-poon-hill-trek
We’d be so honored to welcome you in the upcoming season — Himalaya Heart Treks is here with open arms!
The mountains and spending time in nature really does put things into perspective. And there’s something special about the mountains that keeps calling me back. Good to know about the Ghorepani Poon Hill Trek and Himalaya Heart Treks. I just looked at some of the pictures of your site and all I can say is wow. The snowcapped mountains look majestic. You’re giving me ideas for a future trip!
Whenever you’re ready, the mountains of Nepal will be here waiting — and we’d truly be honored to guide you when that time comes. If you’re looking for something a bit more relaxed but still rich in culture and nature, our Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Chitwan tour is also a beautiful experience. You can check out all the activities here: https://www.himalayaheart.com/trip/kathmandu-pokhara-chitwan-tour
Beautifully captured! Most people only think of the Thousand Islands as a summer destination, but winter truly transforms the park into something magical. The quiet trails and frozen landscapes offer such a peaceful contrast. Loved your tips on dressing in layers and watching out for icy patches—super helpful for anyone planning a winter adventure there. Thanks for highlighting this underrated season!
Linda, this was such an engaging winter journey—your details from last year’s trip really brought the landscape to life. I could feel the quiet of those snowy trails and loved the mix of history, nature, and family adventure.
Thanks for your kind words, Michael. The snow has such a magical way of transforming the landscape. I’ve actually come to enjoy hiking in the winter as it’s typically quieter and there are no pesky mosquitoes around!