Kelso Conservation Area Review

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 1 hour
Map: Kelso Conservation Area

View Kelso Conservation Area in a larger map
Description: Have you ever driven west of Toronto on 401 highway and wondered what might be on your left? It looks like a ragged cliff coming out right on the side of the highway. That is the Kelso Conservation Area. If you have been skiing to Glen Eden then this seemed to me to be the same place. On one side you have a 35 ha water reservoir and on the other the view of Niagara Escarpment.

Activities:

• For children: There is a large sandy beach with shade up on the hill. I looked at google map before visiting Kelso, and seeing that the lake is relatively small, I thought that it may be warm. I was really disappointed about how cold the water was. Alright, it was not August, and we know that it takes a long time to warm up the water in Canadian lakes, but this is the feeling with which I left this conservation area. So, if you enjoy relatively warm water in the lakes, I would rather suggest Simcoe lake at Sibbald Point Conservation Area, or Rockwood Conservation Area.  One more thing to notice is that the sand is very tiny and the water gets dirty really quickly. There is not much else specifically for children in the area.

• Hiking:Kelso is probably the hiking heaven for Torontonians. It is right next to Toronto and it has 16 km of hiking and mountain biking trails including connections to the Bruce Trail.We have not been brave enough to indulge ourselves with all the trails around as we were with a 3 year old son around, who got tired pretty quickly.
  
  For those with similar restrictions, you could probably make it up to the top of the hill of Glen Eden. You have to be extremely vigilant on top as there is no fence or anything around the escarpment. You may also have a good chance to see a rock climber making his way up the escarpment.
• Fishing:Fish the reservoir for rainbow and brown trout, large and smallmouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Fish from shore or non-motorized boat. Paddle boats can be rented right at the park. Downstream from the dam, adult rainbow trout (steelhead) can be caught through late spring.

• Photography: If you plan to stay on the beach only, there is little that you can shoot. Hiking will definitely open up a lot of opportunities for amazing shots. From the escarpment ragged cliff to wildlife photography and simply watching. Kelso is a great destination for an enthusiast photographer.
• Camping: Only group campsites are available at Kelso. For more information visit the Kelso Conservation Area web site.
• Picnicking: There are plenty of picnic tables both on the beach and up the hill closer to the parking lot. Many of the tables are in full shade. be ready to share the area with many unknown persons just like in most picnic areas. The picnic area seems to be relatively condensed, so the smoke from the neighbors barbecue may also barbecue your veggies :-)
• Canoe rental: Canoe, kayak and paddle boats are available for rental locally. Check the Kelso web site for latest rates.

Verdict: Kelso is a great destination for hiking, mountain biking and wild life viewing. But in case you feel more like lying on the beach, then you should probably look into other options. The water seemed to be cold and relatively dirty.

• Children:There is not much fun for children except splashing in the water on the patrolled beach, and hiking or biking with their parents.
• Camping:Only group camps available. Giving the proximity to Toronto, probably few want to go camping there from Toronto.
• Day trip:It is a very good trip for outdoors enthusiasts, photographers, hikers, mountain bike riders and probably rock climbers.

Official website:
Kelso Conservation Area for summer activities
Glen Eden for winter activities like snow tubing or skiing.
Photos:

Do your own research:

Any comments, suggestions or questions, add in the comments area.

The Best Free Map of Algonquin Provincial Park Interrior

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 3.5 hours
Map:

View Algonquin Provincial Park. Drive through in a larger map

Description:
I have never been to Algonquin interior, but while gliding on the Opeongo lake waters and seeing the camp sites on the shore of the lake, I thought that it should be fun to go on a few days trip into the interior. It's not as if the trails do not give you enough excitement, they do and they are beautiful, but the imagination carries me on into the wild interior. I got a map from the cabin where I rented the canoe at Opeongo lake. I thought that it was a good map and it probably was. Later on I was trying to write a blog on camping in Algonquin and I thought that there should be a better map somewhere than the one that I create using google maps. To tell you the truth the google map is amazing around high density cities, but it lacks around parks (As if you did not not :- ) ). So while searching the web I stumbled upon Free Algonquin Provincial Park Map.

What is so great about the map? Well, it is maintained by a person who is interested in making the best map of the Algonquin Provincial Park. He has worked 2 years before making it available to the public and then he keeps adding features or making small corrections. I may no be the best person to judge the quality of the map, but looking at the one I got from the Opeoongo lake (it's almost torn apart and I haven;t used it too much), and the one provided at Free Algonquin Provincial Park Map one can easily spot that this one contains a lot of extra information. You do not need 10 different maps to find the trails, what are the canoe routes or what type of fish you can catch in various lakes. You get it all in one map and much more: you get the most accurate information that is composed of a few sources.

The downside: You have to learn the legend. It has so much information that you may find it overwhelming. Reading on the web site, I noticed that the map is available for download. As I understood, the map is in several layers, so one can easily turn off one layer that contains information that he does not intend to use and print out only a section of the map that he plans to visit.

Official website:
Free Algonquin Provincial Park Map

You may need Pentax K-x 12.4 MP Digital SLR with 2.7-inch LCD and 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AL and 55-300mm f/4-5.8 ED Lenses (Black) when you go hiking. It is currently priced at 644$ at Amazon.com.

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Review: Algonquin Provincial Park. Drive Through

Any comments, suggestions or questions, add in the comments area.