I am so excited to talk about my adventure at Killarney Provincial Park! I have two blog posts on it; this one, about The Crack, and the other one is about taking a day trip to the park.
Our adventure to Killarney began at 3:30 am when my friend Laura and I were scouring our city for a 24-hour café. It took us 3 attempts, but we were eventually able to fill our thermoses.
The drive to Killarney Provincial Park took us 4 hours and 22 minutes. It was a fun-filled drive listening to our favourite music and chatting about how eager we were to be in nature. Laura and I are 24 years old now, but we met when we were 4 and have been inseparable since. Over the last 20 years, we have been on many adventures; hiking trails in countless regions, snowboarding, meeting up in Italy, and so many more. But, trekking Killarney is one of my new favourite memories with her.
The Crack is a very well-known trek in Ontario (and for good reason). Neither of us had been to it before, and we could not have been more prepared to have our breath taken away. After a visit to the welcome centre, we ventured to the Crack’s trailhead first thing in the morning.
The trail is marked as extremely difficult and can take upwards of 4 hours to complete. It starts off easy, and as the land gains elevation, it gets more difficult. Difficulty varies from person to person, but there are steep rocks to climb so anyone doing this trail needs to keep that in mind and only attempt it if you are in good physical condition.
We were able to complete the trail in 3 hours while taking time to take photos and enjoy views. We were pretty quick, but had to be careful since there was some heavy downpours of rain at times. The rocks get slippery when they wet.
There were numerous areas where we stopped to appreciate the trail and lookouts. First, we admired the beginning of the trail. Something about the trees encircling the path was just so beautiful, not to mention the colour of the leaves everywhere. Ontario Parks leaf radar had recorded 60% leaf fall but there were still many leaves to enjoy, plus the leaves on the ground added so much colour.
The next stop we made was at Kakakise lake, where we searched for wildlife. We didn’t see anything, but it is such an extraordinary view. After that we didn’t stop until we were just about at the Crack.
When heading up to the Crack, the formation of the white quartzite mountain is mind-blowing, and the lookouts it provided are not ones we will soon get over.
Once we reached the Crack, we spent some time inside it and then went through it and up to Silver Peak where we looked over Proulx Lake and Little Superior lake. This view went down in my books as one of my favourite moments in my life.
Great views and a great friend, what more do you need?
Many pictures later, we headed back the way we came and jumped in the car and changed our socks – what a good feeling. One of the bridges was flooded, so we had a few soakers (and blisters).
I tracked our hike on my phone and recorded 8.2km which was a great start to the day. The trail is only 6km, but we walked a little further just to reach more views! Next up, the Granite Ridge Trail. Find the post on the rest of this trip here.
Quick Tips for Hiking The Crack:
- Follow the red markers, the blue markers are for the 80km backpacking trail
- As per usual, wear sturdy footwear (preferably waterproof)
- Bring snacks & water
- Give yourself time to hike the trail, but also to stop and admire your surroundings
- Don’t just stop at the Crack, go up to the Silver Peak for an amazing lookout of the Proulx lake and Little Superior lake
- The nearest bathroom is at the Welcome Centre (7km away)
- Stay on the trail & leave no trace
Keep on trekking,
Kate 🥾
Packing Recommendations:
- Clothing: rain/sun protection, waterproof & sturdy footwear, extra socks
- Camera (note: Killarney Provincial Park does not allow drones)
- Binoculars
- Snacks & water
- Map & compass
- Car charger
- Driving shoes & socks
If you end up going here as a day trip, tag me in your photos! @yourmatiekatie #katieoutdoors
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