Note: this is a continuation to my last blog post (Hiking The Crack)
Killarney Provincial Park is a hiker’s paradise in Ontario. It is located at the top of Georgian Bay, and it is a wilderness class park.
For day hikers, the park offers 5 trails:
- The Crack (6km) difficult
- Granite Ridge (2km) easy to moderate
- Cranberry Bog (4km) easy to moderate
- Lake of the Woods (3.5km) moderate
- Chikanishing (3km) easy to moderate
With careful planning, it is possible to hike all of the trails in one day. However, if given the opportunity to, I always recommend staying at a place for a night or two.
Step 1: Prepping for your Day Trip
- Research trails & set a goal of which trails you’d like to finish
- Pack your bag (my packing list is at the end of this blog post)
- Fill your gas tank
- Pack food, snacks & water
- Confirm details with your adventure buddy
- Get a good nights rest
I live about 4.5 hours from the park, and still successfully managed to have an unforgettable day trip there with my best friend! Here is what we did, and I would do it all over again!:
Step 2: Rise and Shine!
We woke up at 3:30 am for this trip. We got dressed, double checked our bags (that we packed the night before), got in the car and headed off to find coffee.
Quick Tips for leaving early for a trip:
- Get gas the day before
- Pack the day before
- Make a physical packing list to lower chances of forgetting something
- Go to bed earlier than usual
- Have your outfit laid out before the morning
Step 3: Arriving to the Park
The first place to stop (besides washrooms and restaurants on the way to the park) is the Welcome Centre. The welcome centre is where you can buy your day permit for parking ($15.50), and where you can buy a map of the day trails ($6). It is also a good place to ask questions!
Step 4: Time to Hit the Trails
We started our day with The Crack which is a very well-known trail. This is the longest day trail, so we started it just as the sun was rising. We powered through, only stopping for photos and to enjoy the scenery.
The Crack is rated as extremely difficult and should only be attempted if you are in good health. There are large rocks and boulders to climb. It can take upwards of 4 hours and is 6km. Follow the red signs, for the blue is for the 80km LaCloche Silhouette trail. The red is not a loop trail – it is linear.
Things you’ll enjoy on this trail include mountains, white quartzite ridges, trees, lookouts, lakes, wildlife and more.
Tips for this trail:
- Sturdy & waterproof footwear must be worn
- Use a map
- Use all-fours to help you climb (or even your bum!)
- Rain & cold weather may make rocks slippery
Granite Ridge was the trail that was recommended to us by the employees at the Welcome Centre. My friend, Laura, who was with me, had done the trail before but she had done it on a very foggy day. This trail has two lookouts, so too much fog isn’t very suitable here.
This trail is only 2km. It takes about an hour and has lots of beauty to offer. At the highest point of the trail, you are rewarded with two lookouts! On the north side that shows the LaCloche mountain range and forests, which is breathtaking. The lookout on the south side offers views of islands and Georgian Bay. You are surrounded by amazing scenery here, take it in. The trail is quite easy but has some elevation gain in places.
Be sure to keep your eyes peeled on this trail, it used to be an early settlers farm so you can find little hidden relics. Nature is still in the process of reclaiming itself. You’ll also find lots of moss and stunning rows of trees.
Chikanishing is a unique trail that is slightly longer than Granite Ridge. At 2.7km, it can take around 1.5 hours. This trail takes you by a portion of the Chikanishing River and provides stellar views of Georgian Bay. In warmer weather, you can swim at this trail. We were here in late October, so it was a tad too cold to so that.
This trail requires some climbing over granite ridges. But it is a great trail for all outdoor enthusiasts as it shows a considerable amount of nature gems; shoreline, rocky outcrops, forests, and moss.
Cranberry Bog is the second longest day hike. It is 4km, and in one day (since I tried conquering all the day trails, I only did a portion of this trail). This trail is full of wetland types. It is a great place to find wildlife. It can take around 2.5 hours to complete.
This trailhead was a little trickier to find since it was located in between campsites. The first half of the loop is easier than the second (so I was told at the Welcome Centre) so we turned around halfway through and completed it as a linear trial. This trail has a variety of bogs, marshes, and swampy areas. You can also view A.Y. Jackson Lake from the trail, but also from where you park for the trail.
Lake of the Woods trail would probably be a favourite of mine if I didn’t rush through it, but we experienced a heavy downpour of rain when we were here. I can’t wait to come back and take my time at this trail. It’s 3.5km and takes about 2.5 hours to complete.
This trail offers views of Silver Peak, forests, boardwalks and the lakeshore. You can also swim on this trail! We weren’t able to take many pictures here (because of the rain) and we ran through this trail so we actually did it way faster than we ever thought we could.
Step 5: A Safe Trip Home
Hiking all of those trails in one day is possible (I did it), but it can be a lot. So, selecting 2 or 3 of them is a great idea.
Once you complete your trails, the journey home begins. I recommend getting gas on the road you came in on – the gas station is 10km from the welcome centre.
There is a local Fish & Chips restaurant that is world famous – Herbert Fisheries. I recommend stopping for food there, it also has some beautiful scenery surrounding it.
This day trip is jammed packed, but excitement is certainly something it does not lack. Long car rides, many trekked kilometres, and everlasting memories made.
Day Trip Packing List:
- Shoes & socks for driving (the best feeling)
- Snacks & water
- Weather appropriate clothing
- Phone charger
- Extra outfit
- First Aid & Tylenol
- Extra water to leave in your car as a back up
- Map
I hope this exploration guide has helped map out what a day trip to Killarney Provincial Park looks like. Let me know by interacting with this post or on my social media.
Keep on trekking,
Kate 🥾
If you end up going here as a day trip, tag me in your photos! @yourmatiekatie #katieoutdoors
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CLICK HERE FOR A FREE DOWNLOADABLE CHECKLIST OF THINGS TO DO IN KILLARNEY PROVINCIAL PARK
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