Kingston in Summer: Frontenac Provincial Park

By Amanda – Posted on August 7, 2013March 24, 2018

After spending a day with Stef exploring Wolfe Island, we decided to spend the next day hiking in Frontenac Provincial Park. The humidity from the previous day had dissipated overnight, so the weather was comfortable and sunny. Frontenac Provincial Park has an extensive network of lakes and waterways, making it a very picturesque area. The park is perfect for canoe camping or portaging, so many of the trail Stef and I hiked were a lot less frequented than what we are used to.

We hiked from Arab Lake to Doe Lake and back again, and then walked the easygoing Arab Lake Gorge Trail. In the time spent along the trails we encountered three people at most. It was one of those hard to come by moments where I felt like I had escaped civilization. The park has a pack of wolves, bears, coyotes, and foxes, although the only large mammals we saw were deer. I’ve always wanted to portage, and I think Frontenac Park is a great location to consider in the future.

Looking out onto Arab Lake from the trail.

Stef consulting the map to plan our hike. We had been observing the beaver dam built where the lake becomes a stream.

Doe Lake

Before we went on the Arab Lake Gorge Trail, we took a trip to the park office. There we relaxed for a bit by South Otter Lake and enjoyed the view. Without the deer flies this place could be heaven on earth; it was so serene.

We finished our day of hiking with the relaxing Arab Lake Gorge Trail. This trail was a short loop featuring a boardwalk that showcased parts of the Canadian Shield. It was duckweed season, so some parts of the gorge looked almost overwhelmingly green.

It was a really liberating feeling to be out in a park with so much space and so little people. I can only imagine how much more exciting and adventurous it would be to have a kayak or canoe to navigate the many lakes with.

This was the last of my weekend with Stef. I was really grateful that I got to see her and spend our time together doing such venturesome things. I’ll surely miss her after I move to BC, but our friendship has always been the kind to survive lengthy absences. Isn’t that the mark of a true friend? I look forward to sharing all the stories to come as we both spend the next few years completing our post-graduate education.