A Quiet Winter Escape In Ontario: Windy Lake Provincial Park

I recently found myself longing for something I rarely experience. Silence. Let me explain. While raising a toddler in the most populous city in Canada is layered with excitement, it can also be…well…LOUD. Occasionally I become acutely aware of the constant buzz around me and dream of retreating to a place where sirens are replaced by the sounds of birds faintly chirping in the distance. Cue the need for a nature escape to Ontario’s near north…

Winter Camping At Windy Lake Provincial Park

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch. Ah, a welcomed soundtrack as my travel buddy and I walked over to check-in at Windy Lake Provincial Park after a two-hour journey from Toronto (1 hr flight to Sudbury via Porter Airlines followed by a 1 hr drive). We were there to try winter camping for the first time and excited to get the keys to our yurts!

After a quick chat with the friendly park staff, we were given a map and a sled for our gear. The beginnings of an adventure…

As we pulled our gear to the yurts, my energy immediately shifted. Oh mama nature, you do transformative things. I felt happy, inspired, and a tad bit afraid of the unknown. But I reminded myself that it’s these outside-the-comfort-zone experiences that are the often the most memorable.

When we arrived at the yurt I swung open the door and was greeted by some much-needed warmth (it was -21°C outside). Rejoice — the cabins and yurts at Windy Lake Provincial Park are heated! Does this make it glamping? Not quite. There’s no running water or washrooms inside the yurt so we had to hop across the path for those luxuries. But the yurts are large (sleep six people) and come with an electrical outlet, table and chairs, a fire pit, BBQ (propane included) and lighting! So, in my opinion, it’s the perfect balance between roughing it and glamping…

The mornings were my favourite. I woke up and stepped into a winter wonderland right outside my yurt. It was exactly what I craved: silence. Snow does that you know? That’s because snowflakes absorb sound. I’m convinced this kind of stillness and sense of calm can only be felt out in nature. So I soaked it all up as long as I could before realizing how bitterly cold it was…

A remedy for the cold: activity. Perhaps the best part about staying at Windy Lake Provincial Park are the winter activities you can partake in with friends/family or zip off on your own for quiet reflections (I did both on this trip). Snowshoe trails blanketed with fresh powder and over 15 km of groomed cross-country ski trails await…

We even tried something a bit different: ice fishing! Windy Lake Provincial Park offers an ice fishing package that’s ideal for beginners/those who don’t want the hassle of lugging all the equipment onto the ice. Park staff transport the gear to a pre-determined ice fishing location, drill a couple of holes, set up an ice fishing shelter with two seats and provide two rods/reels, a bait bucket, and fishing tackle! We had beginner’s luck and caught two fish in five minutes…

Our evenings were spent BBQing, attempting (and eventually succeeding) at making a campfire and sipping on wine. We shared stories, laughed and hung out without any glowing screens. It was nice. Really nice.

When it came time to call it a night, I found myself so exhausted that I slipped into a deep slumber almost immediately. The cold, fresh air always has this effect on me! Note: if you’re a light sleeper, the occasional train passing by may awaken you, but it didn’t bother this city gal who’s used to the sounds of firetrucks and police cars all night long. Oh, and washroom visits were much more pleasant than I had anticipated! The privy is heated, well-lit and only a few metres away from the yurts. A little jaunt that left me feeling proud! Yes, I CAN do this…

Now that I think of it, beyond the quiet escape, this little winter camping trip of ours satisfied something else…something I didn’t know I craved: a desire to DO things. Catch fish, carry gear/wood, light a fire, cook etc. The experience left me feeling connected, proud and rejuvenated. It’s a winter escape I’d recommend to anyone who wants to shake things up and step out of their comfort zone! You will surprise yourself. I sure did.

A huge thanks to Ontario Parks and Ontario Travel for hosting us and sponsoring this post. As always, reviews and opinions are entirely my own. For more information on Windy Lake Provincial Park, click here.