Family Day at Ontario Parks in February, 2011

An astronomical night of stargazing, cross-country skiing by moonlight, igloo-building and a candlelit skate path are a few of the Family Day weekend activities planned at Ontario Parks, February 19-21, 2011. Stargazing kicks off Winter Activity Day at Killarney Provincial Park. Hosted by the Friends of Killarney, the event begins indoors, the evening of February 19, near the park at the Killarney Bay Inn where astronomer Bruce Waters will project a star map on the inn ceiling and give tips on how to read the night sky. Then it’s back to the park and Killarney’s new observatory which holds a ten-inch Meade telescope. On Sunday, the Friends will host a BBQ lunch, guided snowshoe hikes, skiing, and other educational activities.

The day ends at Killarney Bay Inn with an aprГЁs-ski social, dinner and entertainment by the Killarney Singers. The park has yurts for rent.

A Moonlight Ski, hosted by Wasaga Beach Provincial Park, will take place under a full moon on Saturday February 19 from 5 pm to 9 pm at the Wasaga Nordic Centre on the Blueberry Trails. The trails are part of a 30 km cross-country ski network. The Nordic Centre offers ski rentals and will serve light refreshments. Warm up by the fireplace in the Nordic Centre or enjoy a campfire at the outdoor warm up shelter and be entertained by Scott Thomas, the Singing Superintendent. Rental equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis at a reduced cost of $5 per rental. There is no additional cost for parking or trail use for the event. Overnight accommodation is available in The Town of Wasaga Beach.

Sparkle in the Park at MacGregor Point Provincial Park is on February 20. The park’s skate path which winds 400 metres through the woods will be the focus of the evening event which begins at 8 pm. Candles will line the entire skating loop. Some of the winter RVers and campers plan to add sparkle to the campground by lighting their campsites too. Sixteen yurts provide roofed accommodation in the Lake Huron park located north of Goderich. Reservations for these are a must. The yurts have electric heat and lights. A heated comfort station provides showers and flush toilets. Deer Run and Nipissing Bluff ski trails run eleven kilometres through hardwood forest and wetland areas.

Quetico Provincial Park west of Thunder Bay, has Frosty February running February 19-20. Igloo building, snow sculptures, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and Snow Snake, a traditional Iroquois game, are some of the activities planned. Two yurts are available for rent. The Log Cabin Nature Centre will be open from 11 am to 5 pm. For further information, contact susan.bourne@ontario.ca

For more Family Day weekend activities, including some closer to Toronto, see the Parks Blog at http://www.parkreports.com/parksblog/?p=1526

Ontario Parks’ camping and day permit fees are found at http://www.parkreports.com/fees/camping/2011 The latest Ontario Parks’ ski report is at http://www.parkreports.com/skireport.

January 21, 2011   Posted in: Canada