The Best Seat for Fall Colours? A Canoe at Restoule Provincial Park

Close your eyes for a moment. You’re lowering your canoe into the lake, the water so still it mirrors the sky above. The air is cool and carries the faint scent of woodsmoke. Around you, the hills of Restoule Provincial Park are ablaze in red, orange, and gold, their reflection trembling gently on the surface as your paddle breaks the water for the first time. There is nowhere else you need to be.

Fall paddling at Restoule is one of those experiences that is genuinely difficult to describe to someone who hasn’t felt it. The hush of a September or October morning on the water, the unhurried pace, the sense that the whole park belongs to you alone. Tucked away in the Loring-Restoule area of the Great Canadian Wilderness, less than three hours north of Barrie, Restoule is the perfect weekend escape for paddlers of every level. Ideal if you’re venturing into the backcountry for a few nights on one of the secluded interior campsites, or spending the day exploring the park’s lakes and rivers from the full-service campground. Don’t forget to check the Ontario Parks Fall Colours Report before you go, timing your visit to peak colour is the difference between a great trip and an unforgettable one.

No worries if you don’t own a boat. Canoe and kayak rentals are available at the park. You won’t encounter many other canoeists or kayakers in September and October, but if you look closely, you’re bound to see some permanent residents…wildlife is all around you at Restoule.

Look up and you might spot a rare peregrine falcon, or a bald eagle cruising over the lake. Lake trout, whitefish, walleye, pike, muskie, and large and smallmouth bass swim beneath you in the cool clean waters. Painted turtles bask on logs on warm sunny days, while river otters are regularly sighted playing on the Restoule River.

Day-tripping at Restoule

You can plan a simple day trip. There are several options on the park’s waterways:

Restoule Lake

Paddle from one of the campground beaches around Angels Point into the upper Restoule River, always a good spot for wildlife like Blue Herons in the reeds, or White-tailed Deer along the shore. Take the “Grawbarger Portage,” named for the farming family that settled here in 1881, to reach Stormy Lake for a longer trip.

Restoule River

Paddle from the access point on Stormy Lake down to Scotts Dam for a picnic lunch next to the rapids below. The portage around the rapids is an ancient trail, travelled for thousands of years by the Nipissing and Dokis peoples, and later by the Métis Nation who have also walked this land.

The Bluff 

A favourite route. Paddle below the 100-metre-high cliffs of “The Bluff,” part of the Ottawa-Bonnechere Rift Valley.

Stormy Lake

This lake has many bays and channels to explore, including The Bluff cliff face and Restoule River On the north shore of the lake, you can find the huge glacial boulder, known as an erratic. It’s called “The Elephant,” for obvious reasons.

Clear Lake

Paddlers can reach Clear Lake from Stormy without a portage, following the channels and islands that divide the two lakes.

Backcountry at Restoule

If you’re up for more of an adventure, try base-camping on one of our interior campsites for an easy backcountry paddling trip.

There are 12 backcountry campsites on Stormy Lake, Clear Lake, and a section of the scenic Restoule River. Base-camping on one of these sites puts all of the day trips mentioned earlier right at your waterfront doorstep. The park offers lightweight Kevlar canoes, exclusively reservable for backcountry paddlers. Please call the park directly at 705-729-2010 to reserve.

Need a break from paddling?

One of the most popular hikes is the Fire Tower Trail, which takes you high above Stormy Lake, and the edge of its 100 Bluff. At the top is the historic fire tower and a breathtaking panoramic view of the lake and the fall colours.

Bring your mountain bike or rent one at the park, and check out the Angels Point Trail.  With a combination of double and single-track trails, it’s fun for anyone who likes the idea of biking through a beautiful forest. You can also check out Gibs Trail. This trail is mountain bike focused with a bench at the end beside Stormy Lake, to enjoy the views and a picnic lunch. The trail has two-way traffic and is not looped.

Check out our park trails map for more information.

Planning a paddling adventure at Restoule this fall?

To get more information on paddling or backcountry camping, check the Ontario Parks website or call the park directly at 705-729-2010.