The Crack

Killarney Provincial Park has to be the most beautiful place I had the chance to visit in Southern Ontario so far. I kept reading online that it was THE place to check out the fall colors near Toronto. I was really excited to finally go to the Georgian Bay region. We waited after the Thanksgiving long weekend to skip the crowds and left the city after work on a Friday evening. The long 4-hour drive to get there meant we made it way after darkness and simply pitched the tent on an isolated campsite in the almost empty George Lake campground.

We decided to sleep without the fly on the tent and I quickly regretted my decision a few minutes into the night. While Andrea was already sleeping, I could hear an animal walking in the area. While being in a tent always accentuates the outside noises, I had a feeling an animal was close by. The sound of the dead leaves on the ground made it obvious. I tried to ignore the noise… until I could clearly hear some “sniffing” sounds!! I took my flashlight and looked outside to find a raccoon starring at me a few inches from the tent. Needless to say… he scared the hell out of me! There was nothing I could do to scare him off and he ended up walking around our site all night long.

The next morning, we walked around the huge campground, now being able to see all the other campsites.

In an attempt to sleep better the next night, we moved our tent to another site. This one was located just above George Lake, surrounded by colorful trees.

After setting up our camp for the night, we decided to walk what is called “The Crack” trail. We were told the view of the Georgian Bay from up there was phenomenal. Judging by the fall colors around us, it looked promising.

I will mention that fall is definitely Andrea’s favorite season. Can you tell?

Every turn in the trail was more majestic than the previous one. Simply stunning.

The weather was perfect. No sun but no wind! The lakes we walked by were so calm and you could see everything in double with the nice reflections.

Having all day to enjoy the area, we strolled along the trail, admiring the work of Mother Nature and listening to the crunching sounds of the dead leaves under our footsteps.

Just as we could see that the trail was gaining some elevation to reach the Crack, we stopped at the last water source to refill our bottles for our lunch break at the top.

Filtering water along the trail.

The elevation picked up quite abruptly and it provided a great workout. This trail is part of a 7-10 day loop and I am glad I wasn’t carrying a 40-pound backpack this time.

As we neared the top, we stopped for a while to catch our breath. These Canadian Shield flat rocks provide lots of seating options!

How’s that for a view? The Georgian Bay in all its glory. Killarney is for sure the prettiest place I’ve been in Ontario so far. The rock formations reminded me a lot of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia National Park in Maine where I spent a few summers when I was a kid. The granite bands are really spectacular.

Living and enjoying the moment.

Who needs a Tim Hortons when you can brew your tea right there?

I can’t recommend the MSR Windburner stove enough… On an exposed cliff, the wind was never a problem for this beast!

After an hour of relaxation, we made our way back down as the area was becoming quite busy. The Crack was a little bit more challenging on the way down, especially with a full stomach! A little bit of scrambling is always fun.

The Crack.

The amount of different landscapes Canada has to offer is impressive. I am always in awe when I discover a new one. The geology of this place provided interesting sightseeing opportunities.

On our way back from the trail we made the detour to Killarney to buy what we needed for dinner and to get beer. We were also lucky to find a bottle of Venezuelan rum, something we rarely see in other liquor stores in Toronto. I didn’t waste a minute and opened up the bottle as soon as we got back!

Moving our campsite near the lake proved to be an excellent idea. We were treated with a stunning pink sunset sky. No wonder why this place in so popular in the summer time.

After a nice day of hiking, a beautiful sunset and some good food, enjoying the fire was the last thing to do on this autumn evening.

And to conclude this amazing weekend trip in Killarney, I cooked a hearty breakfast with eggs, roasted potatoes, bacon and fluffy pancakes. That’s my definition of a perfect romantic getaway with my significant other. It can’t get any better!