Nearby: Algonquin Provincial Park
Mailing: Algonquin Provincial Park, Box 219, Whitney, Ontario K0J 2M0 Phone: (705) 633-5572 Visit the Friends of Algonquin web site. 
It is a vast rugged landscape with thousands of lakes surrounded by glacier-scarred rocky hills, basically unchanged since the area was captured by the famous Group of Seven artists almost a century ago. The only way to really explore the interior of this park is by canoe or on foot.The park has limited highway access along the 56-kilometre stretch of Highway 60 though the park, you can access eight campgrounds 14 trails and visit Algonquin's superlative Visitor Centre and the Logging Museum. Getting ThereHighway #60 runs through the south end of Algonquin Park. The East Gate is located just west of the town of Whitney. The West Gate is located just east of the town of Dwight. There are many other access points to the park that run off highway #17 (The Trans-Canada Highway) to the north of the park, near Kiosk. Other access points run off highway #11 to the west of the park and others run off of Highway #60 to the east of the park.HistoryIn early Algonquin area history the area was peopled by scattered family groups of First Nations peoples fished, hunted and picked berries. In the early 1800s , pioneer loggers pushing westward from the Ottawa Valley to harvest the great first-growth White Pine trees whose wood was in demand by an expanding British economy. These loggers lived in remote and primitive camps and over the winter felled and squared the giant pine trees, and when spring came they drove them down swollen rivers to the Ottawa River to the outside world. The Park retells the story at the Algonquin Logging Museum, located near the East Gate.Algonquin was established in 1893 as a wildlife sanctuary to protect from farming as well as from logging. This protected the waters of the five major rivers flowing from the Park, which quickly became popular with adventure fishermen who came up by train, and shortly thereafter by Tom Thomson and The Group of Seven, which kept Algonquin's rustic hotels busy ever since. The Park has inspired more than 40 books, the Algonquin Symphony, and hundreds of paintings and studies of Park landscapes, including many hanging in the National Gallery. Algonquin as the most important place in Canada for biological and environmental research and has a part in our natural and cultural heritage. Fees:http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/geninfo/fees.htmlNature
Algonquin Provincial Park covers a transition zone between southern deciduous forests and northern coniferous forests. The result is that both forest types are found within Park boundaries. On even a short trip in the Park's you can see maple forest, spruce bogs, road edges, beaver ponds, campgrounds, lakes, and cliffs. Algonquin's diverse habitat protects and nurtures incredibly diverse plant and animal life. The park is home to 53 species of mammals, 272 species of birds, 31 species of reptiles and amphibians, 54 species of fish, and approximately 7000 species of insects, plus over 1000 species of plants and another 1000 species of fungi.The park is the locale for extensive scientific research over the years by both biologists and ecologists. "Ground Zero" for the research is the Wildlife Research Station located along the Highway 60 corridor. Camping & CanoeingYou can experience Algonquins wildlife with three "flavours" of camping:Highw 
ay 60 Parkway Corridor (natural)Enjoy camping, swimming, museums, hiking, learning, and picnicking with the comfort of modern amenities like electricity & running water along the 56-kilometre stretch of Highway 60 along the southwest corner of the Park. Peripheral Campgrounds (rustic) The Park has four intimate campgrounds away from the Highway 60 Corridor. These campgrounds are typically at the park-end of long and dusty roads leading into Algonquin's north, east, and south sides. These rustic campgrounds feature no modern conveniences and provide a slow-paced, old-fashioned camping experience. Park Interior (rugged) Explore Algonquin's vast Interior of maple hills, rocky ridges, spruce bogs, and thousands of lakes, ponds and streams via canoe or on foot. Canoes can be rented at outfitters inside the Park. Reservations: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/geninfo/reserve.html Boating
There are over 1600 canoe routes inside Algonquin Park, with a range of difficulty from flat water to white water. There are over 1800 campsites along the different routes (see Camping, above). Motor boats are not permitted within Algonquin Park. are not permitted on most lakes within the park, however there are some exceptions.
Waterskiing and jetskiing are not permitted anywhere in the park, HikingThe park has a number of hiking trails:
Park AttractionsAlgonquin Visitor CentreHighway 60, km 43. Opened in 1993 for the 100th anniversary of Algonquin Park & Ontario's provincial park system. The centre features exhibits on the Park's natural and human history, a restaurant, a bookstore. Take in the Algonquin Room's exhibitions of Algonquin art, a theatre presentation on the Park story, and the viewing deck with a panorama of Algonquin's wild landscape. Algonquin Logging Museum Just inside the East Gate The Algonquin Logging Museum presents the history of logging including the early square timber days and the great river drives. A video presentation summarizes Algonquin's logging history. Take a short 1.3 km trail to a recreated camboose camp and a steam-powered amphibious "alligator" log tug. The Algonquin Logging Museum also has an excellent bookstore. Algonquin Art Centre At km 20, next to Found Lake This 1953 giant, hollow stone sculpture was first exhibited at the original Park Museum. This Centre was conceived to connect the art world with the natural world, and promote environmental stewardship. There is an indoor gallery with three wings, an outdoor gallery and a boutique. Visitors can participate in the artistic process at The Creation Station, for all ages. The facility is wheelchair-accessible and admission is by donation. Open June 25 to October 22, 10 AM to 5:30 PM daily. Community Map
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