You can skate on a magical ice trail through a forest near Toronto this winter
You can skate an ice trail through a forest near Toronto this winter, and it's just as magical as it sounds.
Arrowhead Provincial Park in Huntsville, just over a 2-hour drive from the city, is known for its breathtaking beauty and quiet and blissful lakes. Come the colder months, it's also known for its legendary 1.3km ice skating trail that weaves through the forest.
Skaters have the choice to try the trail either in the light of day or at night, illuminated by the firelight of torches lining the length of the path, as part of Arrowhead Park's "Fire and Ice" nights.
The park, one of many in Ontario that stay open through the winter, offers a number of other winter activities throughout the season, like snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and winter camping.
Notably, this year the park's snow tubing hill, which was a favourite among regular attendees to the park, will be closed permanently.
If tubing is a non-negotiable for your festive season, head over to nearby Bracebridge for the Fire and Ice Festival, where an entire street is transformed into a massive tubing hill for all to enjoy.
While the precise opening date of the Arrowhead skating trail is weather dependent, organizers have suggested that it should be around mid-January. With the warmer-than-seasonal averages of the winter thus far, however; that date might be delayed further.
The first Fire and Ice night of the season is scheduled for Jan. 20.
Keep an eye on Arrowhead Park's social media and website for up-to-date information on the trail's opening.
In order to guarantee entry in the park and the ice trail, be sure to book a day-use permit in advance of your visit.
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