Autumn in Ontario is a short window — roughly late September through mid-October — when maples, beeches and sumac turn the province red and gold. Ontario Parks has put together a list of quieter, less obvious trails for catching the colour, and five stand out across southern and southwestern Ontario.
Closest to Lake Huron, the Cedar Trail at Pinery Provincial Park near Grand Bend is a gentle 2.3 km loop past big oaks and fragrant sumac, with purple and red grasses and goldenrods adding colour at ground level. An extension takes you right out to the lake, which is a decent reward for a short walk.
Down in Chatham-Kent, the unnamed trail at Clear Creek Forest Provincial Park is only 2.4 km return, but it runs through old-growth forest — sugar maples, American beech and basswood forming a dense canopy. The thick cover keeps the understory sparse, which Ontario Parks describes as an almost enchanted, enclosed feel. Boardwalk sections make it an easy stroll.
For a proper leg-stretcher, Earl Rowe Provincial Park near Alliston has two options. The Rainbow Run Trail is an 11 km loop you can walk or cycle, passing wetlands, campgrounds, forest and wildflower fields down to Earl Rowe Lake. If that's too much, the Lookout Trail extension is a 4 km moderate climb to a viewing platform over the lake and surrounding countryside — probably the best photo opportunity of the bunch.
Rondeau Provincial Park near Morpeth offers the Harrison Trail, a flat, wide 8 km one-way route (16 km return) running the length of the park. It's suitable for bikes, strollers and wheelchairs, and cuts through oak woodland, oak savanna, prairie openings and rare Carolinian forest, making it a good bet for wildlife spotting as well as colour.
These trails work for pretty much any kind of traveller: short loops for families, accessible paths for mixed-ability groups, and longer routes for anyone who wants a full day out. The main thing is timing — Ontario's colour typically peaks in the first half of October in these regions, and weekends at popular parks get busy, so aim for a weekday morning if you can. Book day-use or camping spots ahead through Ontario Parks, as several of these parks fill up during peak foliage weekends.
Credit: Curiocity
