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Killarney Provincial Park
Killarney Ontario P0M 2A0
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| Location: The park is North
East of Manitoulin Island. Take Hwy. 69 heading
towards Sudbury, then, about 40km south of
Sudbury, turn onto Hwy. 637 which heads west into
Killarney. The distance from Sudbury is 100 km
and from Perry Sound it is 250 km. Distances:
5-6 hours north of Toronto / 7.- 8 hours
from Ottawa / 9.5 - 10.5 hours from Montreal
Size: The park is 48,500
hectares in size and is currently being expanded.
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Friends of Killarney Park -
Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario
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| A typical view of the
beautiful quartzite hills and windswept
pines on the La Cloche Trail |
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Camping: George Lake has the
only front country camping in the park. It is
close to the front gate and is not far from the
waters of Georgian Bay. It has122 campsites.
George Lake has great swimming and there are a
number of trails leading from the campground for
hiking.
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| Interior Camping: There are
180 backcountry campsites in the interior of the
park for backpackers and canoe trippers. You must
camp at designated campsites. The camping sites
are indicated by a diamond shaped orange marker
with a tent symbol. There is a can and bottle ban
in the interior of the park. |
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| The open-air privies at the
backcountry campsites ensure less odors
and a great view. |
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| A view of Collins Inlet from
the Chikanishing trail |
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Hiking: There are three
self-guided trails in the park that lead from the
George Lake campground. The Cranberry
Bog is a moderately easy 4km loop
that takes about 2 1/2 hours to complete and
leads you through bog, marsh and swamp with
plenty of beautiful plant life and birds. The Chikanishing
Trail starts at the end of the
Chikanishing Road and is a moderately easy 3km
loop with a lot of ups and downs over granite
outcrops. It leads you to Collins Inlet on
Georgian Bay. |
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| The Chikanishing trail should take about
1 1/2 hours to complete. The Granite Ridge
is a moderately easy 2km loop that is steep in sections.
The trail takes you to two lookouts with views of the
park and out to Georgian Bay. Other hikes are the East
Lighthouse/Tar Vat Trail that begins right
behind the parking area at Killarney's East Lighthouse
and two trails that follow parts of the La Cloche Trail,
one 14km trail that starts at the George Lake Dam and the
other is a 20 km trail that starts from Blue Heron Circle
parking lot. |
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| Backpacking: La Cloche
Silhouette loop is a seven to ten day hike, that
is 100 km in length. There are bear in and around
Killarney Provincial Park. You can pick up a bear
awareness pamphlet at the park office. A trail
map can be purchased from the Friends
of Killarney Park. There are two trial
heads with parking, one at George Lake Dam in the
west, the second at Blue Heron Circle in the
east.
The Lacloche is one of the great hikes in
Ontario with lots of diversity and incredible
scenery. The trail winds through wetlands,
hardwood and softwood forest and is rarely far
from one of the parks many lakes.
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| Backpacking on the La Cloche
Trail |
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| Designated
campsites have tent platforms, a privy
and a fire ring. |
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One of the many features that make it unique
is the ridge hiking which presents some
interesting challenges to accompany the
remarkable vistas. The trail has well over a
hundred campsites along route making it easy to
customize your trip. The mountainous terrain
makes section of the trail difficult and the
trails along the mountains leaves you exposed in
the event of a sudden thunderstorm. Consult with
the park staff regarding your route.
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You'll want to bring your camera. The
amazing contrasts presented by the deep green of the
pines, the quartzite mountains, the crystalline lakes and
the red granite outcroppings have inspired many artists.
If you're not able to do the whole trail, you can do part
of it as a day hike, or put together a weekend out and
back with one or two nights of camping included. The two
trail heads help to allow you to customize your trip.
Note: Map and compass skills are
essential, particularly if you do any off trail hiking or
wander off the trail. The parks topology is surprisingly
confusing and it's easy to get disoriented. |
| Backcountry permits are mandatory and have a
cost attached to them. Backcountry reservations
(and front country if applicable) should be made
as early as possible, as the route is becoming
more and more popular. Avoid the peak seasons at
the end of July and the month of August as well
as long weekends in the summer. |
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| Mountain Biking: Mountain
biking is not allowed on the park trails but you can bike
on the park roads. A couple of suggestions from the park
are Johnnie Lake Road, Bell Lake Road & Chikanishing
Road for biking. |
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| A group of Sea Kayakers set
out for a weekend of paddling from the Chikanishing Road Launch |
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Sea Kayaking: This is one of
Ontario's most beautiful parks. There are never
ending possibilities for kayaking in this area.
With the protection offered by Manitoulin island
you can kayak for hundreds of km. |
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| Sea Kayaking in and around the granite
outcroppings on the shores of the park. |
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One standout is the archipelago east of
the park between it's shores and Manitoulin Island. The
area made up of endless inlets and islands but has a
distinctive drawback when it comes to access.
The second area is south of the park in and around
Phillip Edward Island. There are thousands of small
islands in the vicinity and the area is a standout when
it comes to beauty.
Sea kayaking in the park is relatively undeveloped. You
should consult with the park and the local outfitters for
more information.
Note: Georgian Bay is essentially an
inland sea, and the weather can turn in very short order.
Ocean kayaking skills are essential, if you aren't a
seasoned kayaker, please contact an outfitter or guide in
the area. |
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| Canoeing: The park has a
number of canoe routes that can get you into the
parks beautiful interior. The routes vary from
a weekend paddle to almost two weeks of travel
depending on your pace. The interior canoe routes
invariably include portages. Depending on the
route, portages may be several kilometers long
include some elevation gain. Choose a route that
matches your skills and physical condition.
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| The
shore of Georgian Bay along Killarney
Provincial Park |
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The routes are as follows:
- Bell Lake-Baie Fine Loop - Bell Lake Access, 6-7 Days
- Bell David Lake Loop - Bell Lake Access, 2 Days
- Bell- Threenarrows Lake Loop - Bell Lake Access, 4-5 Days
- Carlyle-Killarney Lake Loop - Carlyle/Johnnie Lake Access, 2 Days
- Charlton-Cat Lake Loop - Charlton Lake Access, 4 Days
- Charlton-Great Mountain Lake Loop - Charlton Lake Access, 7-8 Days
- George - Norway Lake Loop - George Lake Access, 2-3 Days
- George Lake to Baie Fine - George Lake Access, 3 Days
- George Threenarrows Lake Loop - George Lake Access, 4 Days
- Nellie Lake Loop - Charlton Lake Access, 2-3 Days
- North Boundary Loop - George Lake Access, 9-10 Days
All of these routes are documented and described in detail in "Killarney
Provincial Park Canoe Guide" which also includes small maps of the
routes. The guide is available from the Friends of Killarney Provincial
Park.
Note: Please practice no trace camping.
Winter Adventures: The park has winter camping, cross
country skiing and snow shoeing. Winters in the park sees lots of snow
and difficult access. Be prepared, and make sure you register (George
Lake Campground) with the park, which is mandatory. Note:
The can and bottle ban is in effect during the winter months as well.
Please practice no trace camping.
Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site!
Literature
Pamphlets
- Killarney Provincial Park - Parks Ontario, MNR (Free)
- Killarney Visitors Information Guide, MNR (Free)
- Cranberry Bog Trial Guide - Friends of Killarney Provincial Park (Cost
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- Granite Ridge Trial Guide - Friends of Killarney Provincial Park (Cost)
- La Cloche Silhoutte Trail Guide - Friends of Killarney Provincial
Park (Cost)
Books
Killarney Provincial Park Canoe Guide - Friends of Killarney Provincial
Park (Cost)
The book includes a history and overview of the park, trip planning,
canoe routes, lake directory, wilderness skills and checklists.
Killarney: Kevin Callen Boston Mills Press
Adventure Nature and Travel Book Store
You can now purchase Canadian adventure, nature and travel
books online. Browse by province or by activity. Watch for hundreds
of more books to be added over the next several months. Click Here to view our current offerings.
Maps
Killarney Provincial Park
Map - Friends of Killarney Provincial Park (Cost)
The map has contour lines and shows the roads, trails and portages
in the park at a scale of 1:50,000.. It also includes a description
of the park along with information on trip planning, safety, wildlife
and regulatory information for the park.
Note: The park boundaries are being expanded so check with park regarding
the new requirement for topographical maps.
Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site!
Outfitters & Nature Guides:
~Contact Information for Killarney Provincial Park~
Links:
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| Quartzite
hills dotted with pines and clear
lakes are plentiful in the
Killarney Provincial park |
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Flora and Fauna: The
park is home to Skunks, Raccoons, Moose,
Deer, Ferrets, Fox, Wolves, Bobcats and
of course Black Bears. If you look up you
just might catch a glimpse of some Hawks
and Osprey working the thermals along the
cliffs. Loons and Blue Heron's are often
spotted on the parks lakes. Acid rain
has unfortunately done considerable
damage to the parks lakes. The
transparent waters of the many lakes are
awe inspiring until you realize the
origins of this condition.
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| Fortunately the lakes are making a slow
recovery due to the tireless work of concerned groups and
individuals - contact the Friends of Killarney Park to
see how you can help. |
| Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site! |
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Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site!
Note: The park has a can and bottle ban in the interior
which is enforced all year long. The Nature Conservancy Canada has allocated
a significant amount of what was crown land to extend existing parks and
develop new ones. Killarney is one of the parks that will have extended
boundaries in the future. The people of Ontario should be congratulated
in their efforts in this direction.
Accomodations
- Nearby
Attractions
Golf - both courses are a fair distance from the
park but if you're into golf, well you know...
- French River Golf & Country Club
- Voyageurs Golf Course
Towns and Villages
- Town of Killarney - A short distance from the park on the waters of
Georgian Bay
Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site!
Transportation
- Air Killarney - (705) 287-2242, Killarney
Municipal Airport
- Boating
on the Web - Boating and Marina Information
Note: If you're coming to Killarney by boat from
the U.S., Killarney is not a port of entry, you must
clear customs at Little Current or Tobermory.
Tourism
Weather
Official Site: Killarney Provincial
Park from Ontario Parks
Click
Here to Visit Our New Killarney Site!
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