You can skate through a torchlit forest north of Toronto

Thanks to the frigid weather that always descends on Southern Ontario, one of the most popular winter attractions north of Toronto opens for the season as soon as it gets cold. It will open in late December or January. 

It's called the Arrowhead Skating Trail, and it's incredible. 

That's pretty exciting news for winter day trippers in general, but it gets even better when you consider one of the regular events that returns every year: Fire and Ice nights. 

We were bundled up tonight for Fire and Ice @ArroPark in -20C. The pics don’t show how beautiful it was skating through the forest under the moonlight with tiki torches pic.twitter.com/YvtyfxQOnu

— Tina McAuley (@TinaMcAuley2) January 2, 2018

These are pretty much exactly what they sound like. The picturesque trail through the woods is lit up with a series of torches, and skaters can dart through the forest lit by firelight for a thrilling and romantic experience. 

The Fire and Ice Night takes place on a set schedule. The torches are lit for 6 p.m. and skaters can circle the trail until 9 p.m. 

Here's the schedule:

• Monday, December 31, 2018
• Thursday, January 3, 2019
• Saturday, January 12, 2019
• Saturday, January 19, 2019
• Thursday, January 24, 2019
• Saturday, February 2, 2019
• Saturday, February 9, 2019
• Thursday, February 14, 2019
• Saturday, February 23, 2019
• Saturday, March 2, 2019
• Saturday, March 9, 2019

If you haven't already booked a cabin in the park, your best bets for an overnight stay in the area are Deerhurst Resort and Hidden Valley, which are both just a short drive away. 

One thing to note if you're planning a trip to the park for Fire and Ice, you'll want to get there early, as it often takes some time to pay your park fee and find a parking spot. Vehicle permit fees cost $17 on weekdays and $20 on weekends.