Sunday Afternoon
Moderate Lynx Loop Hike (afternoon)
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A hike with surprises around every twist and turn,
Lynx Loop has it all. Many moderate ascents and descents add to a decent workout while enjoying constantly
changing vistas. The primary trail at the Georgian Nordic Activity Centre meanders past a great variety of
natural habitats, from rock barrens to forests to wetlands large and small, featuring turtles, birds, and other
wildlife. The halfway mark features a lovely lookout sandwiched between two legs of a pond, complete with
Muskoka chairs, a picnic table, and even a fireplace! On the return walk, climb the short embankment to the
alluring lake, its glass surface reflecting the tall evergreens and rocky shoreline that are the signature of
Georgian Bay.
- Cost: $14 CA/ $11 US (transportation fee) + $8 CA/ $7 US (park fee)
- Length of hike: 7.1 km (4.4 mi.) / 2 hours 40 minutes
- Elevation gain: 139 m (456 ft.); moderate ups & downs
- Estimated time away from Camp: 1:00 pm ~4:30 pm
- Total round trip driving distance / time: 62 km (39 mi.) / 50 minutes
- Vehicle: van or car
- Rough Draft of Leader Packet: MS Word
- Links: Lynx Loop (absolutelyGeorgianBay.com)
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Sunday All Day
Wye Marsh Stroll & Paddle; Ste.-Marie-among-the-Hurons Visit
So much
to see and do at the Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre! Hike the trails, climb the observation tower, stroll the
floating boardwalks, enjoy the wildflower gardens, take in the flora and fauna throughout the marsh, listen to
the buzzing at the bee house, marvel at the Birds of Prey. Start at the Interpretive Centre, home to native
snakes and turtles. Feed the chickadees! Explore woodland and wetland trails, generally wheelchair friendly.
See trumpeter swans up close at the Monitoring Station. The Birds of Prey enclave is home to rescue owls,
hawks, a turkey vulture, and a bald eagle. Take a relaxing guided tour by canoe or kayak through the marsh
channels (optional, extra fee). The wetlands are home to painted turtles, bullfrogs, red-winged blackbirds,
and river otters.
Next door to Wye Marsh, step back in time to 17th century Canada at Sainte-Marie
among the Hurons. Experience life in Ontario’s oldest European community and a National Historical Site.
Sainte-Marie now stands re-created on its original location, a pioneer village vividly showing life as lived
350 years ago.
- Cost: $28 CA/ $22 US (transportation) + $28 CA / $22 US (Wye Marsh & St. Marie fees)
- Length of Stroll: approx..3.0 km (1.9 mi.) / 3 hours
- Length of canoe paddle: 1.5 km (0.9 mi.).
- Length of kayak paddle: 1.3 km (0.8 mi.)
- Elevation gain of hike: The trail is very flat
- Estimated time away from Camp: 7:50 am ~ 5:00 pm
- Total round trip driving distance / time: 192 km (119 mi.) / 2 hours 10 minutes
- Vehicle: van or car
- Rough Draft of Leader Packet: MS Word
- Links: Wye Marsh
(website.com)
- Sainte Marie Among the Hurons (website.ca)
Moderate Hardy Lake Loop Hike - WAITLIST
For the most popular hike in the Muskokas,
choose the loop around Hardy Lake. This stellar provincial park boasts magnificent vistas of the lake’s rugged
and untouched shoreline. Encounter eye-catching views of the sparkling blue water through the evergreen trees
but stay on the lookout for a surprise - the ruins of the Hardy cabin! The bridges at the halfway mark offer
great opportunities for views and photos. Marvel at the magnificent, layered erratic rock amongst the giant
boulders haphazardly strewn throughout the forest by nature. Take a quick dip to enjoy the calm waters of Hardy
Lake. And to top it all off, spend a few moments after your hike in the nearby town of Bala to enjoy your
favourite treat from Ice Dreams Soda Shop while strolling over to the marvelous waterfall nearby.
Advanced Hardy Lake Provincial Park Hike - WAITLIST
Hardy Lake is an outdoor lover’s
paradise. Encounter delightful views of untouched shoreline, wetlands, and cedar forests to stretches of smooth
rock surface leading out into the lake. You'll wonder how the giant pre-Cambrian boulders managed to play
hide and seek nestled amongst the trees. Don't miss the surprising ruins of Hardy's cabin. The bridges
across the narrow neck of the lake provide excellent opportunities for views and photos! This hike will explore
most trails in exquisite Hardy Lake Provincial Park, including those toured on the easy and moderate hikes plus
more. Elevation gain is moderate, but a faster pace will give you time for an optional swim in the shimmering
waters of the lake near the end of the hike.
Easy Hardy Lake Hike & Bala Historic Walk SOLD OUT
Get your Sunday started off on the right foot (and left foot, and right foot…) with this
delightful morning hike at Hardy Lake. With its moderate ascents and declines, this pleasant walk takes you past
two gorgeous ponds, replete with beaver dams and fallen logs, before you arrive at Hardy Lake. Your hike then
follows the rugged shoreline of this picturesque lake, traversing rocky outcrops and forested areas. Walk
forested trails with enchanting moss-covered rocks to patches with hundreds of mushrooms. Pop over to the large
rock formations along the water’s edge for some photo ops before you loop back to the parking lot.
Next stop is the charming, picturesque little town of Bala. This walk will take you past waterfalls and
historic buildings. Bridges everywhere allow views of the sparkling waters of Lake Muskoka. Visit the Lucy Maud
Montgomery Museum, author of Anne of Green Gables. Walk by the Kee to Bala, where greats like Louis Armstrong,
Count Basie, and Guy Lombardo have performed. Enjoy the delightful gate at quaint Roselawn Lodge. And be sure to
save room for something yummy at Ice Dreams Soda Shop. You might even see "The Fonz" (from Happy
Days)! Then back to nature as you complete your stroll looking for herons in the small park amidst the rocks at
the waterfall a block away.
Gravenhurst Wharf Walk, Discovery Museum & Steamship Cruise - WAITLIST
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Ready for a fun-filled day? Start your morning with a short hike on Peninsula Trail, a natural
path through a wooded area on a raised ridge with breathtaking views of Lake Muskoka. The secluded gazebos at
both ends provide peaceful places to reflect while waves lap against the shoreline.
Just steps away, the Muskoka Discovery Centre is a heritage museum where you'll see a boatbuilders'
workshop, a replica steamship, and galleries with stories and artifacts from the region's grand old luxury
hotels. Don't miss the star attraction… a collection of Muskoka's own gleaming classic wooden boats!
Next up, enjoy a leisurely stroll along the waterfront boardwalk past charming shops and wetlands on the way to
your afternoon boat tour. Welcome aboard the steamship Wenona II as you cruise past small cottage islands, grand
estates, and fascinating historic landmarks on your scenic trip around Muskoka's largest lakes.
Sightseeing Bike Ride: Millennium & Uhthoff Trails
If sightseeing while
cycling turns your crank, join us on this delightful bike ride through the fabulous town of Orillia and the
connected Uhthoff rail trail. In town, the paved path follows the shoreline along Lake Couchiching, through
woodland, urban parks, and other points of interest. See the sculptural tribute to Canadian icon Gord Lightfoot
in Tudhope Park. Check out the abandoned railway swing bridge and the fishing weirs at Atherley Narrows before
turning back. Explore the lovely grounds of the Stephen Leacock Museum. After lunch at Centennial Park at the
beach, continue onto the Uhthoff trail, riding through forests, farmland, wetlands, and scenic streams on a
crushed stone path suitable for hybrid bikes. Belt out a tune while riding through the arched tunnel! Note how
it gets colder when you cycle through cedars flanking the trail. Continue until it's time to turn back to
town – the faster the group cycles, the further the ride.
NOTE: This activity is only available if you transport your own bike to the starting location.
- Eligibility: must be able to cycle 40 km/ 25 miles on flat trails in 3.5 hours
- Cost No fees if you transport your own bike to/from the activity.
- Length of Cycle: max 37 km (24 mi.); min. 23 km (15 mi.) / 3 hours 40 minutes
- Elevation gain: 77 m. (253 ft.) for the maximum distance. The entire trail is relatively flat.
- Estimated time away from Camp: 8:40 am ~ 4:45 pm
- Total round trip driving distance / time: 224 km (140 mi.) /2 hours 40 minutes
- Vehicle: van or car
- Links: Orillia
Millennium Trail (Simcoe Maps & Photos.ca)
- Uhthoff Trail (simcoe maps & photos.ca)
Rosseau Walk, Rosseau Falls & Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary SOLD OUT
This
tripleheader is the ideal activity for animal lovers who love small towns and wonderful waterfalls! Start your
day strolling through the tiny town of Rosseau, a simple village nestled in the Muskokas, featuring historic
buildings, arts and crafts shops, and the quaint and timeless Rosseau General Store.
The next stop is the Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary, dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured, ill, and
orphaned wildlife. Take the 90-minute guided tour to see and hear about the moose, bears, wolves, and other
animals in an environment suited to their needs.
A lunch break at Rosseau’s public beach, and the sightseeing continues with a quick stop at Upper Rosseau
Falls. And then, the highlight of the day… Lower Rosseau Falls tumbling down a striking series of cascades
around Canadian Shield rocks of all shapes and sizes. Walk along both sides of this wild waterfall to capture
its photogenic views. Be sure to visit this gem before you leave Ontario!
- Cost: $28 CA/ $22 US (transportation) + $21 CA/ $ 17 US (Aspen Valley donation)
- Length of Walks:
- Rosseau walk is 0.7 km (0.4 mi.) / 1 hour 10 minutes
- Rosseau Falls visits are each a short distance / 1 hour 30 minutes
- Aspen Wildlife Ctr walk is 2 km (1.2 mi.) / 1 hour 45 minutes
- Elevation gain:
- Rosseau walk is 6 m. (20 ft.)
- Upper Rosseau Falls visit is moderately steep but short.
- Lower Rosseau Falls visit is an easy walk down the rocks on one side and an (optional) moderately
challenging descent, bushwhacking through the forest on the other side.
- Aspen Wildlife Ctr walk is along wide gravel & dirt paths with moderate grades
- Estimated time away from Camp: 8:45 am ~ 4:45 pm
- Total round trip driving distance / time: 65 km (40 mi.) / 1 hour
- Vehicle: van or car
- Rough Draft of Leader Packet: MS Word
- Links: Rosseau Self-Guided Walk (Seguin trails.ca)
- Upper
& Lower Rosseau Falls photos (waterfalls ontario.com)
- Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (website.ca)
Full-Day Paddle: Maple & Duck Lakes
Solid, experienced paddlers will
enjoy this 4-hour two-person canoe or solo kayak paddle along the perimeters of magnificent Maple and Duck
Lakes. See forested shoreline dotted with striking rock outcrops, sand beaches, and cottages big and small.
Starting at Camp George, paddlers will turn past the dining hall towards picturesque Prospect Island. A serene
inlet creek provides sublime photo ops, replete with lily pads and reflections of the dense vegetation in the
water! Next, we hug the east shore of Maple Lake on our way to Maple Key Beach for a short break and an optional
swim. Refreshed, we continue along the north shore before heading under the bridge to Duck Lake. The curving
west shoreline takes us towards small rapids leading to the next lake. Instead, we hug the east perimeter of
Duck Lake, stopping for lunch at a resplendent rocky shore. Heading back through the channel, we find the boat
launch at the creek leading into Maple Lake's west shore. A short break and we're ready to finish our
day's paddle and return our canoes and kayaks to camp after a wonderful day on the water.
- Cost: $0
- Eligibility: solid and experienced paddlers only. (A shorter paddle is available for beginners and less
experienced paddlers Saturday)
- Length of Paddle: 13.3 km (8.2 mi.) / 4 hours
- Estimated time away from Camp: 9:30 am ~ 4:15 pm
- Distance of activity from Camp: 0 km (0 mi): Starts at the Camp's Paddle Sport Dock
- Rough Draft of Leader Packet: MS Word
- Links: Maple Lake
Description (adventure fishing.ca)
- Maple Lake Shoreline Videos (ecottage films.com)
- Please select Sunday Full Day Out of Camp within registration for this activity
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Sunday Evening
Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Reserve Due to popular demand we have added transport for
participants on this activity
Enjoy nature's night-time spectacle at Torrance Barrens, the world's first permanent Dark Sky
Reserve. Minimal artificial light intrusion, a hard granite surface, and panoramic views make this amongst
Canada's most remarkable places to view the heavens with the naked eye or binoculars. Ridges of Canadian
Shield bedrock and low-lying vegetation allow an unobstructed 360-degree view. Follow the main trail across the
boardwalk and up the first ridge, using red light to minimize light pollution. Gaze at the moon, the planets,
the stars. Identify the constellations. See the Milky Way and the Andromeda galaxies. Find dazzling displays of
meteor showers, shooting stars and moving satellites crossing the pristine sky. Perhaps you'll see the
Northern Lights rippling across the sky in glowing green. Look up into the vast cosmos; appreciate the immense
sense of space around you, a truly breathtaking experience!
- Cost: $14 CA / $11 US (transportation fee). (Refunded if Mosaic cancels due to weather conditions)
- Walk distance: approx. 1 km (0.6 mi.)
- Elevation gain: nominal, mostly flat
- Estimated time away from Camp: 8:00 pm ~ 11:30 pm
- Total round trip driving distance / time: 136 km (85 mi.) / 1 hour 55 minutes
- Vehicle: Three 12 passenger vans and one personal car.
- Rough Draft of Leader Packet: MS Word
- Links: Torrance Barrens website.com
- Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Reserve (ontariotravellers.ca)
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