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Lookout Trail
A short, steep loop to a cliff-top view over hills of forest. Park permit required.
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Algonquin, Ontario
Algonquin Park and Whitney
Ontario's most famous park, along the Highway 60 corridor between the west and east gates: short trails to big lookouts, canoe lakes, moose by the road and a logging museum. Whitney is the east-gate village.
Photo: A small lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, Maksim Sokolov (maxergon.com), CC BY-SA 4.0
Algonquin is big: more than 7,600 square kilometres of lakes, forest and rivers. Highway 60 cuts across its southern corner, with day trails to big lookouts, canoe lakes, a visitor centre, a logging museum, and moose that sometimes wander up to the roadside.
Whitney is the village just outside the East Gate and the way in to Lake Opeongo, the park's largest lake. Barron Canyon, on the east side of the park, is a separate trip a couple of hours away and worth every kilometre.
Outdoors and nature
Trails, lookouts, waterfalls, beaches and time on the water come first.
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Canoe Lake
The lake where Tom Thomson painted, with canoe rentals at the Portage Store.
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Moose watching along Highway 60
Moose often feed by the road in spring and early summer. Pull fully off the road.
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Lake Opeongo
The park's largest lake, near Whitney, with outfitters and water taxis.
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Barron Canyon Trail
A trail along the rim of a 100-metre canyon, on the park's east side, a separate trip.
Sights and attractions
Museums, landmarks and the places people come here for.
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Algonquin Visitor Centre
Exhibits, a bookstore and a viewing deck over the forest.
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Algonquin Logging Museum
A trail through logging history, with a camboose camp and an alligator tug.
Check price
Algonquin Art Centre
A gallery of wilderness art inside the park.
Season Open roughly June–mid-Oct (check before you go).
Markets, shops and festivals
Main streets, markets and the dates worth planning around.
Free
Public wolf howls
Park naturalists sometimes lead August evening wolf howls, announced only days ahead.
Book a tour or activity
Cruises, tours and experiences people book here. Each one goes to the operator's official page, and you can still add it to your trip.
Canoe and kayak rentals
Canoe rentals and trip outfitting.
Algonquin daily vehicle permit
Daily permits for Highway 60 trails and beaches.
Part of our Ontario Highlands guides.
Make it a weekend
Why stay the night
- The best moose and wildlife viewing is at dawn and dusk, when day-trippers aren't around.
- Algonquin's skies are dark enough for the Milky Way, so look up.
- There are more trails along Highway 60 than one day can hold.
Nearby and worth the drive
Huntsvilleabout 45 min · Guide ↗
The West Gate town.
Haliburtonabout 75 min · Guide ↗Lakes and the sculpture forest.
Barry's Bayabout 30 min
East of Whitney on the way to the Ottawa Valley.
Ready-made trips with Algonquin Park and Whitney
Good to know
- Park permit: A daily vehicle permit is required, even if you only stop at trails: Ontario Parks.
- Wildlife: Moose on the road are dangerous. Slow down, especially at dusk, and never approach animals.
- We list only places we can check against an official source. Hours, seasons and prices change, so confirm before you go.
Photos on this page
Photo: A small lake in Algonquin Provincial Park, Maksim Sokolov (maxergon.com), CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: On the Lookout Trail, Algonquin Park, Sikander Iqbal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: The dock area at Canoe Lake, Markabq, Public domain
Photo: A bull moose in Algonquin Park, Ryan Hodnett, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Barron Canyon, Óðinn, CC BY-SA 2.5 ca