BY DAVE SPROULE – ONTARIO PARKS
For Wild Northerner
When we hear the words “fall colours,” our minds often jump to Algonquin. Trouble is, Algonquin’s gotten so popular that autumn brings long line-ups, crowded trails, and traffic-snarling “leaf jams.”
So where can we go to see awe-inspiring fall colours, hike to breathtaking lookouts, and avoid the crowds? Restoule Provincial Park. You haven’t heard of it? It’s a gem. And it’s a multi-coloured gem in the fall.
Where’s Restoule?
Restoule is just a bit west of Algonquin. While Algonquin covers the rugged Algonquin Highlands, Restoule lies next door within the Almaguin Highlands. Almost as rugged as Algonquin, but not as high in elevation, the Almaguin Highlands lie south of Lake Nipissing and north of the Muskoka Lakes.
The forest there is very similar to Algonquin. Red and Sugar Maples dominate, with their deep reds and brilliant gold and orange hues. Towering, gnarled Yellow Birch add to the warmth of the canopy, while Red Oak add a deep reddish burgundy to the mix. Pine and hemlock add green to the forest palette. A huge forest fire in the early 1900s put an end to the early logging industry in the area, giving the park a very old and diverse forest.
Fall colours paradise
Restoule Provincial Park