Spring is in the Air

Spring is one of the best times to visit area Parks and trails. The lack of foliage is a chance to see rare park flora and fauna. Wildflowers carpet forest floors. Salt-depleted moose seek roadside mineral pools and special spring events are planned. Spring wildflower viewing Native wildflowers are in abundance in Ontario every spring and there is no better place to enjoy nature's beauty than on a trail. You'll see trillium's, Lady Slippers, Trout lilies, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Dutchman's breeches and much more. In southern Ontario, native species begin to bloom in late April while in northern Ontario spring blossoms last well into June. Moose-spotting at Algonquin Provincial Park Algonquin Provincial Park is a good place to spy a moose. The 3,400 park moose are generally elusive but in spring, the moose are attracted to mineral pools along Highway 60 which runs through the southern portion of the park. The pools fill with runoff and salt from winter highway maintenance which moose love to feed in after "browsing" all winter long on twigs that are salt-poor. Ice-out adventures Ice-out adventures are another spring rite of passage in Ontario. Many experienced paddlers favour Temagami's for an ice-out adventure. While water safety is paramount at this time of year, the Makobe Rivers benefit from higher spring water levels and are best paddled at this time of year. Spring Bird Watching Over 250 different bird species migrate to Ontario in spring. Studies suggest that birds orientate themselves on migration routes using the position of the sun during the day, and the stars at night. It is also believed that they can sense the earth’s magnetic field. Spring into Photography Another season of outdoor adventures is upon us and it’s time to dig out the camera and get ready to capture your summer memories in Ontario Parks. Refresh your camera skills and learn new ones.