A perfect activity for those idyllic snowy, not-too-cold days, tobogganing is a classic winter experience that’s fun no matter your age. From provincial parks to neighbourhood hangouts, these hills throughout Ontario are great for sledding this season. Always check conditions beforehand, and make sure the area is safe before hopping on your sled. Here are some of the best tobogganing hills in Ontario:
The Dominion Arboretum in Ottawa
The Arboretum is a beautiful place in all seasons, a nature refuge near the heart of the city. The sloping hills make for the perfect toboggan spot in the winter—if you’re from Ottawa, you know the Arboretum is a go-to. Before taking on one of the bigger hills, make sure to brush up on your steering skills; sometimes, the bigger trees are padded by hay bales, but it’s a good idea to check out the path beforehand.
Arrowhead Provincial Park in Huntsville
Arrowhead doesn’t close down for the season like some other provincial parks; it turns into a winter wonderland each year, with skating paths through the forest, groomed snowshoeing, cross-country skiing trails, and, of course, many tobogganing options.
James W. Kerr Park in Bracebridge
You don’t have to trek out too far into cottage country to toboggan, and this park, central within Bracebridge, is a great choice. The hills here aren’t as steep as some of the other places on this list, so this park is good if you have little ones who need easier tobogganing.
Port Sydney Community Hall in Huntsville
Insiders know about this other great Muskoka option for tobogganing. More central to Huntsville, it makes for an easy, close-by-day activity if you live in the area.
Armour Hill in Peterborough
With ‘hill’ right in the name, this historical park is a reliable tobogganing spot each winter. Armour Hill is a great go-to if you live in the Kawarthas or in and around Peterborough.
Pinery Park in Grand Bend
This beautiful park on the shoreline of Lake Huron is a beloved spot in the summer, and it turns into a tobogganing haven in the winter. The slopes here are great for all ages.
Thompson Park in North Bay
A Cottage Life reader let us in on the secret about this toboggan spot up in North Bay, where you can always rely on dense snow—perfect for tobogganing.
Albion Hills Conservation Area in Caledon
A nature expanse in the GTA, Albion Hills can be a day trip from Toronto or a great regular spot for those in the region. This area is also ideal for walks and winter hikes if you have the energy to spare after tobogganing.
Hy Hope Farm in Pickering
This lovely family-owned farm sits on property great for tobogganing, with both steep and more gentle slopes, depending on what suits your group.
Blue Mountain Resort
Ski slopes equal toboggan slopes, right? The charming Blue Mountain Village has some great spots for tobogganing in and around the hill if you’re not up to strap on the skis for the day.
The sunroom at Janet Fletcher and Ed Graca’s cottage is a great place to enjoy a morning coffee and take in views of the lake, save for one thing—it needed a coffee table, one that would fit the small space and suit their 70-year-old Lake Muskoka cottage. “We don’t have a big, fancy place that you’re going to get a $900 coffee table for,” says Janet. It worked out well, then, that they had a broken, folding Muskoka chair lying around. “We didn’t know what to do with it,” says Ed, “but I thought I could use the back of the chair for the top of a table.” To test his theory, Ed disassembled the old chair and started playing around with the pieces. He converted four arm supports into table legs, which he secured using the metal pins that allowed the chair to fold down, and stabilized the legs with support pieces from the back and the seat. The chair arms became a shelf, and the chair back became the coffee table top, secured with wood glue and screws. Finally, Ed sealed it with a couple coats of polyurethane. “I tried to keep it as natural as possible,” he says.
It’s the work of a true cottage putterer. “I didn’t use a plan at all,” says Ed. “But I was able to put it together and make it look nice.”
Solved a cottage problem by building something? Tell us about it: edit@cottagelife.com.
This essay about the otter was originally published as part of “The Great Canadian Creature Feature” in the June/July issue of Cottage Life.
I have never really understood the choice of the beaver as Canada’s national symbol. Yes, they helped build an international fur industry many believe is largely responsible for establishing Canada as a player (by almost being hunted into extinction). Amazingly, they don’t seem to hold a grudge about that. But looking at the animal objectively, it’s a slow-moving, chubby, flat-tailed creature that eats constantly and builds dams. Additionally, it’s viewed as an industrious animal that is always working hard. It has a Protestant work ethic. Well, maybe the beaver is a better symbol for Canadians than I originally thought.
But if I may offer up an alternative suggestion…the adorable otter.
First of all, there are two kinds of otters in this world (this world being Canada). I’m sure there are other otters somewhere else on this planet. They are such wonderful and amazing creatures,
I don’t believe the Creator would have limited them to just one continent.
River otters populate much of the fresh waterways of this country; sea otters frolic along the Pacific coast. River otters, of which I am kin to as they are my clan, are the ones I am most familiar with.
My partner, who hails from halfway up the B.C. coast, is more acquainted with the other kind. So, I am including both species in my argument.
River otters are one of the few animals, which, once grown, retain an innate sense of fun. My kin are famous for gleefully sliding down snow-covered hills, then racing back up to do it over and over again. They are sleek, fast, endearing—and amazing fishermen. They rule the Canadian rivers and lakes.
My partner’s otters, the ones with the big moustaches, are more well-known for cracking clam shells on their chests with rocks, and holding each other’s paws while sleeping. They too were once practically hunted to extinction by those pesky two-legged creatures. Equally adorable and amazing, sea otters are also known for taking life pretty easy, by just floating along on the kelp, watching the world go by as they lounge on their backs. All that’s missing is a can of beer and some sunglasses.
River otters in particular are at home both in the water as well as on land, living in burrows or tunnels; both species are social and communicative. Meanwhile, beavers? They say ‘no man is an island,’ but beavers practically make their own islands.
In the world of boxing, beavers would be the heavyweights. Larger, heftier, a little more clumsy, good at weightlifting trees. And yes, they can hold their own in the water. But the otter is leaner, faster, and much more agile. Frequently it can dance around the beaver.
I think I’ve made my case. Otters epitomize everything we could be and should try to attain. In this next life, I could expect no greater move on the evolutionary or karmic scale than to return as an otter.
A deep dive: Underwater, an otter can hold its breath for up to eight minutes at a time.
Baby time! Otter offspring are born in the spring; by July and August, mothers move their babies from beaver pond nurseries into larger lakes—there’s better fishing.
Miss Congeniality: Otters are among the friendliest of the mustelids. They’ll happily swim close to canoes and other boats.
Read more essays from “The Great Canadian Creature Feature” to read more of our favourite writers making the case for their pick for the most Canadian animal in the June/July 2021 issue of Cottage Life.
While it’s not as colourful as its cousin (the red-breasted nuthatch), the white-breasted nuthatch is just as clever and acrobatic. The bluish-grey and white bird is our largest nuthatch—though still no bigger than a sparrow—with a bulbous head, no neck, and a sharp beak that curves upwards.
Winter is one of the best times of the year to spot the white-breasted nuthatch, either at your feeder (try attracting them with suet or peanut butter) or scaling trees moving up, down, or sidebars, in a trademark jerky motion. You’ll also spot why they earned their name: all nuthatches are known for shoving nuts and seeds into a tree bark crevice, then “hatching” them open by smashing them with their bills. So smart!
Along with caching food, white-breasted nuthatches use a specific foraging strategy to nourish themselves through the winter: they’ll join mixed flocks of other non-migratory birds—chickadees and titmice—and hunt for food as part of a larger group. It’s possible this strategy offers protection from predators and makes it more likely for an individual white-breast to find food. (Many hands—er, eyes—make light work.)
That said, in winter, it’s still every bird for itself: a white-breasted nuthatch isn’t above knocking another aside to get feeder food. If you watch yours carefully, you might spot a male pushing nearby females out of the way. Rude! Nuthatches will also steal from each others’ food hiding spots; this is why, once a bird has gathered a morsel, it will first fly in the opposite direction of where it intends to cache the food, hoping to throw spying nuthatches off the trail.
While it’s not as colourful as its cousin (the red-breasted nuthatch), the white-breasted nuthatch is just as clever and acrobatic. The bluish-grey and white bird is our largest nuthatch—though still no bigger than a sparrow—with a bulbous head, no neck, and a sharp beak that curves upwards.
Winter is one of the best times of the year to spot the white-breasted nuthatch, either at your feeder (try attracting them with suet or peanut butter) or scaling trees moving up, down, or sidebars, in a trademark jerky motion. You’ll also spot why they earned their name: all nuthatches are known for shoving nuts and seeds into a tree bark crevice, then “hatching” them open by smashing them with their bills. So smart!
Along with caching food, white-breasted nuthatches use a specific foraging strategy to nourish themselves through the winter: they’ll join mixed flocks of other non-migratory birds—chickadees and titmice—and hunt for food as part of a larger group. It’s possible this strategy offers protection from predators and makes it more likely for an individual white-breast to find food. (Many hands—er, eyes—make light work.)
That said, in winter, it’s still every bird for itself: a white-breasted nuthatch isn’t above knocking another aside to get feeder food. If you watch yours carefully, you might spot a male pushing nearby females out of the way. Rude! Nuthatches will also steal from each others’ food hiding spots; this is why, once a bird has gathered a morsel, it will first fly in the opposite direction of where it intends to cache the food, hoping to throw spying nuthatches off the trail.
With a learning curve not quite as steep as downhill skiing or snowboarding, cross-country skiing is a favourite winter activity for Canadians who still want to get their exercise outdoors in the winter. Some of the best cross-country skiing is in the heart of cottage country and can even be tied in with a winter getaway at a remote lodge or luxury resort. If you’re looking for more detailed guides, check out our in-depth look at popular cross-country areas like Algonquin Park or Sauble Beach.
A tried-and-true Muskoka staple, Arrowhead Provincial Park is a winter wonderland with many all-season activities, including an extensive network of groomed cross-country ski trails. Rentals are available on-site. Be sure to check the Ontario Parks website for trail reports and conditions.
A quick drive from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park is a dream for both beginner and hardcore cross-country skiers. With tons of trails at varying levels of difficulty and wide paths for skate skiers, a visit to Gatineau Park for this sport is a no-brainer for those in the area.
This multi-season provincial park boasts more than 110 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, some being multi-use and groomed regularly for easy access. Before heading out, check conditions on the highway leading into the park, as it can vary come winter. For the more adventurous, there’s also one wilderness ski trail that is not track-set (groomed).
Another excellent Muskoka option, this popular campground run by the well-regarded KOA (Kampgrounds of America), offers more than 15 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. You can buy or rent equipment on-site, and many other family activities are offered here throughout the winter months.
Situated about 40 minutes from Calgary, Bragg Creek is a small hamlet resting on the edge of the beautiful Kananaskis Provincial Park. What’s better than cross-country in an idyllic mountain setting? The West Bragg Creek Day Use Area is the starting point for many trails, which are heavily used by beginners and experienced skiers alike. There are also multiple skate-ski tracks available.
A popular summer destination for its towering waterfalls, Kakabeka Provincial Park offers equally impressive options for Nordic skiers. Regarded as one of the best-kept secrets for excellent skiing in the area, you can enjoy more than 13 kilometres of groomed and ungroomed trails. To visit, you must purchase a day-use pass at the main parking lot, and be sure to bring your gear with you.
With reliably heavy snowfall all year, Northern Ontario is one of the best areas in Canada—and arguably North America—for cross-country skiing. Insiders love Sleeping Giant Provincial Park for skiing, especially because many of the trails are sheltered by huge evergreen trees, shielding you from wind and harsh conditions.
This world-class ski resort, about an hour’s drive from Quebec City, boasts one of the largest cross-country ski trail networks in North America. Anyone familiar with outdoor activities in this part of the country knows it can get brutally cold, but luckily, the trails around Mont-Sainte-Anne are equipped with shelters along the way. Some of them are built to accommodate overnight stays if you’re looking to make a trip out of your cross-country ski adventure.
Billed as an all-inclusive ski and snowshoe resort, Stokely Creek Lodge is a must-do for lovers of both of these winter sports. Located in the picturesque, remote area of Algoma, the endless networks of groomed trails offer excellent all-levels options. You don’t need to be a guest at the resort to use these trails, but if you’re interested in a winter getaway, it’s definitely worth looking into.
Located in the more than 400-acre area that spans Kivi Park, this lodge is a perfect launch point for the park’s cross-country ski, snowshoe, and winter hiking trails. The lodge also makes for an excellent getaway, but you can visit Kivi Park just for the day and rent your gear on-site as well.
Related Story Ski resorts in Canada for a winter weekend escape
With a learning curve not quite as steep as downhill skiing or snowboarding, cross-country skiing is a favourite winter activity for Canadians who still want to get their exercise outdoors in the winter. Some of the best cross-country skiing is in the heart of cottage country and can even be tied in with a winter getaway at a remote lodge or luxury resort. If you’re looking for more detailed guides, check out our in-depth look at popular cross-country areas like Algonquin Park or Sauble Beach.
A tried-and-true Muskoka staple, Arrowhead Provincial Park is a winter wonderland with many all-season activities, including an extensive network of groomed cross-country ski trails. Rentals are available on-site. Be sure to check the Ontario Parks website for trail reports and conditions.
A quick drive from downtown Ottawa, Gatineau Park is a dream for both beginner and hardcore cross-country skiers. With tons of trails at varying levels of difficulty and wide paths for skate skiers, a visit to Gatineau Park for this sport is a no-brainer for those in the area.
This multi-season provincial park boasts more than 110 kilometres of cross-country ski trails, some being multi-use and groomed regularly for easy access. Before heading out, check conditions on the highway leading into the park, as it can vary come winter. For the more adventurous, there’s also one wilderness ski trail that is not track-set (groomed).
Another excellent Muskoka option, this popular campground run by the well-regarded KOA (Kampgrounds of America), offers more than 15 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. You can buy or rent equipment on-site, and many other family activities are offered here throughout the winter months.
Situated about 40 minutes from Calgary, Bragg Creek is a small hamlet resting on the edge of the beautiful Kananaskis Provincial Park. What’s better than cross-country in an idyllic mountain setting? The West Bragg Creek Day Use Area is the starting point for many trails, which are heavily used by beginners and experienced skiers alike. There are also multiple skate-ski tracks available.
A popular summer destination for its towering waterfalls, Kakabeka Provincial Park offers equally impressive options for Nordic skiers. Regarded as one of the best-kept secrets for excellent skiing in the area, you can enjoy more than 13 kilometres of groomed and ungroomed trails. To visit, you must purchase a day-use pass at the main parking lot, and be sure to bring your gear with you.
With reliably heavy snowfall all year, Northern Ontario is one of the best areas in Canada—and arguably North America—for cross-country skiing. Insiders love Sleeping Giant Provincial Park for skiing, especially because many of the trails are sheltered by huge evergreen trees, shielding you from wind and harsh conditions.
This world-class ski resort, about an hour’s drive from Quebec City, boasts one of the largest cross-country ski trail networks in North America. Anyone familiar with outdoor activities in this part of the country knows it can get brutally cold, but luckily, the trails around Mont-Sainte-Anne are equipped with shelters along the way. Some of them are built to accommodate overnight stays if you’re looking to make a trip out of your cross-country ski adventure.
Billed as an all-inclusive ski and snowshoe resort, Stokely Creek Lodge is a must-do for lovers of both of these winter sports. Located in the picturesque, remote area of Algoma, the endless networks of groomed trails offer excellent all-levels options. You don’t need to be a guest at the resort to use these trails, but if you’re interested in a winter getaway, it’s definitely worth looking into.
Located in the more than 400-acre area that spans Kivi Park, this lodge is a perfect launch point for the park’s cross-country ski, snowshoe, and winter hiking trails. The lodge also makes for an excellent getaway, but you can visit Kivi Park just for the day and rent your gear on-site as well.
Related Story Ski resorts in Canada for a winter weekend escape
As a wildlife ecologist, I have been keeping tabs on the northern map turtles of Lake Opinicon since 2003. One of these turtles is CJV. She is one of more than 1,800 turtles encountered during our monitoring program.
Every spring, we catch as many turtles as we can. Each turtle is measured, examined for signs of diseases or injuries, and marked with a unique combination of small notches on the edge of its shell. This is how I recognized CJV on May 31, 2019.
CJV and I go way back, to May 19, 2005, to be exact, but we haven’t seen each other since. The passage of time has left its marks on both of us. For starters, I am noticeably greyer, balder and less fit. As for CJV, she has grown a few millimetres, but that would be nearly impossible to tell without very accurate calipers.
But the biggest change in CJV’s appearance is her shell. After missing in action for 14 years, CJV showed up with a large but partially healed scar running from the left side of her shell to her spine. When and where she got injured is anyone’s guess, but the cause of the injury is clear. No natural predators can slice through her bony armour — but a sharp boat propeller surely can.
CJV is a female northern map turtle from Lake Opinicon, Ont., with a large boat propeller scar. (Grégory Bulté), Author provided
When I first captured CJV in 2005, seven per cent of all the females we examined were scarred. When we met again in 2019, the number had climbed to 13 per cent. But mutilated turtles are not unique to Lake Opinicon.
There are eight species of freshwater turtles in Canada. All are federally listed as Species at Risk, meaning that to remain a part of our lakes, ponds and rivers, they need protection and conservation efforts.
A close call: a male northern map turtle from Lake Opinicon showing a severe propeller injury to its shell and face. (Grégory Bulté)
Betting on the long haul
It is not a coincidence that all our native turtles are in trouble — the global group of about 350 species is in a dire situation. Sixty-one percent of turtle species are extinct or threatened by extinction. This grim statistic does not have a single root cause. Like most precarious wildlife, turtles are threatened by the usual suspects of habitat loss, poaching, direct mortality from human activities and pollution.
Unfortunately, turtles have something else going against them: a 200-million-year-old gambling habit. When it comes to procreation, turtles play a numbers game: they lay as many eggs as they can over their lifespan, hoping some will eventually make it.
Turtles do not care for their eggs or young in the same way birds and mammals do, and without any care or protection, most eggs and babies are eaten by predators or otherwise die from cold, droughts, floods or other weather hazards. If a female lays enough eggs, however, some will hatch and grow into adults. Longevity is key here, and turtles evolved remarkably long life spans.
Turtles have successfully gambled their way through the last 200 million years, but the playing field has changed. Human activities are cutting the long lives of these animals too short for many females to have won their reproductive bet against time. So here we are with dwindling turtle populations in our protected areas.
We can’t say for sure if, or how much, collision with boats threatens the persistence of turtles because an important piece of information is still missing: the proportion of turtles dying from their propeller injuries. Finding dead turtles in nature is not easy because biologists have fierce competition from scavengers when it comes to finding animal carcasses.
However, what we do know raises a red flag. Many turtle populations are already experiencing an inflated amount of adult mortality. Roads alone kill countless adult turtles every year so boat mortality need not be high to precipitate the decline of some turtle populations.
Four three-year-old northern map turtles — the females have eight years to go before maturing. (Grégory Bulté), Author provided
Testimonial scars
The visible scars of turtles are a testimony to the pressure recreational boating exerts on aquatic wildlife. Motorboats affect aquatic wildlife and their habitats in many ways: noise pollution, chemical pollution, wakes, erosion, collisions.
In a recent meta-analysis of 94 studies on the effects of water-based recreation on freshwater ecosystems, researchers found boats to consistently cause negative impacts on wildlife. Some of these impacts can be subtle but nonetheless important: the noise from motors alone can affect the behaviour and physiology of nesting bass. Disturbances from motorboats can also reduce the foraging time of waterfowl.
According to the National Marine Manufacturer Association Canada, the sales of outboard engines increased by 17 per cent between 2019 and 2020, and is now at a record high. With such enthusiasm for recreational powerboating, the impacts on turtles and other wildlife need to be measured. This data will dictate the need for conservation actions such as outreach programs, best practices and, if necessary, regulations such as limiting engine size, or restricting traffic.
Mutilated turtles like CJV are a reminder that lakes and rivers are living and fragile ecosystems. These ecosystems and the species they host — including turtles — provide us with countless cultural, economic, health and aesthetic services. These services are increasingly at odds with certain forms of recreational boating.
Without changes in how we perceive and use our lakes and rivers for recreation, we will find more injured turtles … until we won’t find any turtles at all.
