About two and a half hours north of Toronto , you’ll find a very special place— Awenda Provincial Park .  Though I had never heard of Awenda, it seems that others certainly had because most of the park’s sites were occupied during our visit.  Yet, despite so many visitors, we felt like we “owned the park” when we were out on the network of trails because we had the route all to ourselves (only once did a family cross our paths—they were heading off the trail and we were just starting out!)  I think that contributes to the grandness of this park—the fact that it’s a popular destination with great views of Georgian Bay and its island called “Giant’s Tomb” but also that it’s big enough to sustain such a large number of people while still providing for some privacy with nature.

Awenda has six different campgrounds (i.e., Deer, Snake, Wolf, Bear, Turtle and Hawk), each offering a different kind of camping environment. Three of these areas are designated “radio-free” while the fourth permits a reasonable amount of tunes until a respectable hour.  If you’re bringing your pet along, you’ll be happy to know that all but one of the areas allows pets.  Driving your RV?  No problem! Two of the campgrounds have hydro hook-ups.  Most of the sites are quite private and well-padded with trees.  There’s also a fire-pit, picnic tables and plenty of flat ground for a tent (or two) on each site. 

We had a great camping experience…even the seemingly torrential downpour overnight didn’t dampen our spirits. The thunder and lightning seemed right over us but we were dry and snug in our tent. We *highly recommend* that you hoist a tarp over your tent if the forecast is calling for rain.  Given the number of trees surrounding the sites, this didn’t prove to be a difficult task at all—we just needed our own tarp and stock of rope!  We stayed in the “Snake” campground and found it to be very peaceful and serene.  The comfort station was clean and the showers were warm (more like warm, cooler, hot, then warm again—but we certainly aren’t complaining—any variation of warm is great by us!)

Trails also run along the beach, through marshland and up the dunes.  We explored the Dunes/Robitaille Homestead Trail which was labeled as a 3 km moderate-level hike due to steep inclines at certain points.  We really enjoyed this hike and yes, there were some steady but not incredibly steep inclines that provided for some good cardio.  Be sure to slop on some sunscreen and load up on the DEET because you’ll need it!  As we hiked along the historic trail, we were surrounded by mosquitoes and black flies.  Also, due to the nature of the foliage and weather (i.e., lots of flowers in humid weather), there was also a fair share of butterflies, birds, bees and a whole arsenal of other insects including dragon flies, spiders, caterpillars and inchworms.  If you like macro photography, you’ll find some interesting “models” in Awenda.  For those looking for a longer hike, the 13-km Bluffs Trail winds through the almost the entire park.  A more leisurely hike would be the Wendat Trail that follows the shores of Kettle’s Lake and offers a well-groomed path that at one point crosses some marshland.  You can also rent a canoe to explore Kettle’s Lake for an hour or so!

One last little hiking tip… it’s so worth the $1.99 investment to buy an emergency poncho (yes, the ones that strongly resemble neon-coloured garbage bags).  They fit easily inside your pocket or hiking pack, weigh next to nothing and come in REALLY handy when you need them.  The skies opened up on us on the last leg of the Kettle’s Lake and the emergency ponchos saved our camera from an untimely demise!

Awenda has four beach areas to choose from---one pet-friendly.  The beach area is soft sand laden with tiny rocks and other watery treasures like shells and driftwood.  Once you head into the water, you’ll have to deal with the rocky landscape—a bit uncomfortable at first but once the rocks get a little bigger, they are easier to conquer!  We visited the beach at night, just before the sun was about to set, and enjoyed the calm and solitude.  The water was a bit cold at first but became quite comfortable in no time!  Once again, despite the numerous park guests, we were two of six people enjoying the sunset on the beach.

At the end of our trip, we decided to explore the nearby towns of Penetanguishene and Midland .  Both towns offer boat tours of the “30.000 Islands ” (take that Kingston !) a various times of the day.  Unfortunately, we had just missed the last departure of the day. 

Since we arrived just after supper time, we weren’t able to get into the buildings at Discovery Harbour either… though we were allowed to walk along the Harbour. 

Midland has invested in a series of historic murals which are sprinkled throughout its downtown area (most of them along King Street ).  The murals are simply gorgeous and detailed works of art that tell the story of Midland ’s past.  

Awenda Provincial Park-- http://www.ontarioparks.com/english/awen.html

The Friends of Awenda Park-- http://www.awendapark.ca/

Town of Penetanguishine-- http://www.town.penetanguishene.on.ca/

Town of Midland -- http://www.town.midland.on.ca/

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