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Winter Activities You Need To Try At Windy Lake Provincial Park

Winter Activities You Need To Try At Windy Lake Provincial Park
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With the snowfall already here, many of us have transitioned into full winter mode by getting out the winter tires, heavy-duty jackets and winter boots. While it can be nice to stay indoors and enjoy a movie or a stroll around a shopping mall, outdoor activities are already in full swing and Sudbury has some great nature escapes for this winter! 

Windy Lake Provincial Park is located right outside Sudbury and has a great array of outdoor winter activities that are sure to please everyone. Keep reading to find out what these are!

Ice Fishing

Try your hand at ice fishing at Windy Lake Provincial Park! Don’t have any ice fishing equipment? Not to worry as the Windy Lake park office carries all the gear that you will need, which are all available for rent. The park staff at Windy Lake will also help you find the perfect spot, help you set up and answer any questions you may have. Keep in mind that permits and/or licenses may be required before you can ice fish, as well as outdoor conditions vary on when it is best and most safe to ice fish. 

Cross-Country Skiing

Windy Lake has some of the best cross-country skiing in the Sudbury region! The Onaping Falls Nordic Ski Club is located within Windy Lake, and offers a 15 km trail for both beginner and advanced skiers. A ski chalet is also available on weekends to visit! Visit their website for the latest information on the start of the cross-country skiing season. 

Snowshoeing

Snowshoeing is also available on the trails at Windy Lake! For the latest information on snowshoeing, visit the Ontario Parks website. 

After a long day of outdoor activities, why not head back into town and make yourself at home at a local hotel? The Quality Inn Sudbury boasts the perfect location for those who are visiting or travelling through Sudbury when taking part in all the outdoor Sudbury has to offer. To book your stay, connect with us at (705) 675-1273. 

Four Provincial Parks Near Sudbury That You Need To Visit

Killarney Provincial Park
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Are you longing to escape and explore the outdoors?  Look no further than Sudbury!  Located in Northeastern Ontario, Sudbury is surrounded by the beautiful Canadian Shield, including 4 provincial parks.  Check out rugged landscapes, boreal forests, beautiful lakes, and enjoy your fill of fresh air at these Provincial Parks.  

1 . Fairbank Provincial Park

Fairbank Provincial Park is a 45-minute drive West of Sudbury.  Here you will find a beautiful, spring-fed lake, with crystal clear waters and a sandy beach perfect for swimming.  This park is family-oriented, and has been a popular destination for over fifty years.  For geology buffs, it’s interesting due to its location at the edge of the Sudbury basin—a crater created by a meteor strike over a billion years ago! 

2. Windy Lake Provincial Park 

45 minutes Northwest of Sudbury you will find Windy Lake Provincial Park.  Perfect for the amateur hiker, Windy Lake offers the 3km Transition Hiking Trail. Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of birds and wildflowers growing on the forest floor. Or relax with a swim and a picnic at Windy Lake’s 1.5km of sandy shoreline. 

 3. Halfway Lake Provincial Park

If you would like to travel farther afield, head Northwest to find Halfway Lake provincial park an hour’s drive from Sudbury.  Perfect for day tripping, at Halfway Lake you will find hiking and canoeing, while being able to participate in Natural Heritage Education programs.  For wildlife enthusiasts, there is the opportunity to see nesting bald eagles and a heron rookery along the Narrows Canoe Route. Or take the Echo Pond Trail and keep your eye out for a moose!

4. Killarney Provincial Park

A similar drive Southwest will bring you to Killarney Provincial Park.  Home to dramatic landscapes, this area has been an inspiration to artists including the Group of Seven.  View the La Cloche Mountains’ white quartzite ridges, Georgian Bay’s coast of pink granite, and make your friends jealous when they see your photos.  If you’re in for a challenge, hike The Crack, a 6km trail featuring a nearly vertical climb through a rocky cascade, opening up to panoramic vistas of the surrounding forest… just be sure to wear your hiking boots!

While these three provincial parks are just a quick drive from Sudbury, they are only a taste of what we have to offer.  For a safe and comfortable space to return to after your day’s adventure, book a room at Quality Inn Sudbury or call us at 705.675.1273.