Haliburton Forest Wild Life Reserve

You can howl with wolves at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve in Ontario

The Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve is an incredible destination for nature and animal lovers who want to get outside and experience the Canadian wilderness.

The year-round privately owned forest is a hidden gem, sitting on over 100,000 acres of dense forests, sparkling lakes, winding rivers and extensive wetlands in the Haliburton Highlands, 3 hours north of Toronto.

One of the reserve's most unique attractions is the Wolf Centre, a learning facility dedicated to study the resident wolf pack that has lived in the Haliburton Forest since 1993.

The 5,000 square foot indoor facility has self-guided exhibits, a cinema and classroom where you can watch films and listen to lectures, a souvenir shop, and a large indoor observatory, where you can observe the park's wolves through a one-way glass.

In July and August on select evenings, the centre hosts public wolf howls, which gives you the chance to leave the indoor facility and get out into the field. The experience includes an evening walk through the woods, and the chance to call out to the wolf pack in hopes of hearing a response.

Besides the wolves, there are tons of different animals who call the park home. You might see groundhogs, red foxes, snowshoe hares, deer, moose, and many more wild animals while exploring the wooded trails.

The nature paradise also offers countless wilderness adventure activities. In the winter, explore their groomed snowmobile and ATV trails, try ice fishing, snowshoeing, or even dog sledding.

The centre also offers an introduction to ice climbing class, snowga, hot tent winter camping guide, and a myriad of indoor activities like glass fusion crafts and a mushroom foraging course.

In the warmer months, check out their Walk in the Clouds forest canopy tour, mountain biking trails, hiking, astronomy, fishing, and guided experiences.

If you get hungry between adventures, grab a bite of delicious handcrafted smoked meats at Truss Foodworks Smokehouse, offering dine-in and take out meals on the property.

A day isn't nearly long enough to experience everything the reserve has to offer, so they also have onsite camping and heated accommodations to stay overnight in.

They have also partnered with Cabinscape and have several beautifully-designed tiny off-grid cabins on the grounds, perfect for a cozy escape.

Visitors will be required to book a pass if they wish to visit. You can reserve everything from accommodations to experiences and guided tours directly on their website.

Lead photo by

Haliburton Forest Wolf Centre


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