The old boat docks We spent a few days in Algonquin Park this week. We were hoping to see the fall colour peak, but the warm nights this September meant that most of the leaves hadn't changed yet and the peak will likely hit in early October (it varies each year, but we'd planned based on the September 27th average). Regardless, spending time in Algonquin is always great for the soul, even without the mosaic of red, orange and yellows spreading over the horizon. I love the large variety of trails directly accessible from the highway 60 corridor, allowing all kinds of people to connect with nature.
My parents took us to Algonquin many times in my childhood, so I have many memories, good and bad, of all the trails. As much as I may have thought I hated hiking at the time, it cultivated a comfort with nature that is now a huge part of my life. When I get out on a trail, my stress melts away. The "boring" hiking from when I was a kid now fills me with a sense of tranquility. The parts I found fun still entertain the child inside me, climbing rocks, fantastic lookouts, searching for wildlife and finding interesting plants.
One of my favorite parts of Algonquin is that it wasn't always the peaceful wilderness that it appears to be. In fact, less than a century ago, it would have felt very different. Many of the trails explore this history, and use the rail bed that ran through the park for chunks of the hiking. Old trestles still stand in the water and foundations of large estates can be seen buried in the forest floor. We hiked Booth's Rock Trail many times when I was a child. Early in the trail, there was an old boathouse that we slowly watched fall down over the years. Now, when you walk down to Gordon Lake, you couldn't imagine that it ever stood there. The trail also takes hikers to an abandoned estate on Rock Lake. When we were children, you could have played tennis on the old courts there. Now, they are over grown and buried in pine needles. The old boat docks have slowly fallen apart as we've grown, trees have grown right out of the side and I imagine it won't be many years before it's hard to notice that there was a man made structure there. It is amazing how quickly nature can take over, and reminds me how powerful life is. It also helps me to see that all those human created rules and structures that stress me out from day to day maybe aren't so important in the grand scheme of things (not that I'm planning on becoming anything but a law abiding citizen, but it helps me keep breathing through day to day trials).
If you have a chance sometime, head up to Algonquin (you still might be able to catch the peak colour if you hurry). Take a short hike (or a long one), take your time and really reconnect with nature. Believe me, you'll be happy that you did.
My parents took us to Algonquin many times in my childhood, so I have many memories, good and bad, of all the trails. As much as I may have thought I hated hiking at the time, it cultivated a comfort with nature that is now a huge part of my life. When I get out on a trail, my stress melts away. The "boring" hiking from when I was a kid now fills me with a sense of tranquility. The parts I found fun still entertain the child inside me, climbing rocks, fantastic lookouts, searching for wildlife and finding interesting plants.
One of my favorite parts of Algonquin is that it wasn't always the peaceful wilderness that it appears to be. In fact, less than a century ago, it would have felt very different. Many of the trails explore this history, and use the rail bed that ran through the park for chunks of the hiking. Old trestles still stand in the water and foundations of large estates can be seen buried in the forest floor. We hiked Booth's Rock Trail many times when I was a child. Early in the trail, there was an old boathouse that we slowly watched fall down over the years. Now, when you walk down to Gordon Lake, you couldn't imagine that it ever stood there. The trail also takes hikers to an abandoned estate on Rock Lake. When we were children, you could have played tennis on the old courts there. Now, they are over grown and buried in pine needles. The old boat docks have slowly fallen apart as we've grown, trees have grown right out of the side and I imagine it won't be many years before it's hard to notice that there was a man made structure there. It is amazing how quickly nature can take over, and reminds me how powerful life is. It also helps me to see that all those human created rules and structures that stress me out from day to day maybe aren't so important in the grand scheme of things (not that I'm planning on becoming anything but a law abiding citizen, but it helps me keep breathing through day to day trials).
If you have a chance sometime, head up to Algonquin (you still might be able to catch the peak colour if you hurry). Take a short hike (or a long one), take your time and really reconnect with nature. Believe me, you'll be happy that you did.
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