Mashkinonje Provincial Park

On our way to Killarney Provincial Park we had spotted a sign for another Provincial Park that we were curious about. We had never heard of Mashkinonje Provincial Park before and we wondered if it was a tenting camp or a day use camp. So we decided that on our way home from Killarney that we would stop in to take a look.

We had left Killarney Park around 11 a.m. and had spent some time in the town of Killarney. After about an hour and a half drive down Hwy 64, near the town of Monetville, we came to a little side of the road picnic area. We knew we were close but we didn't want to miss it so we pulled over into the picnic area to check our map. Sure enough, we were a mere minute and a half away. So although the picnic area was beautiful we didn't stay long. 

Just up the road we saw the sign for Mashkinonje Provincial Park on the right hand side of the road. 

According to the map there were hiking trails on the left hand side of the road too but we hadn't seen any signs for that side indicating an entrance anywhere, so I am not sure how to access those trails exactly. But that was OK because Heather was anxious to get home and didn't want to stay long anyways. We were just there for a quick peek, not for the whole day. 

Turns out that Mashkinonje is a day use park. So there were no rangers and no fees to pay. This little park is one of those gems that are a well kept secret. The further I went into this park the more and more impressed I was with it. If you are ever in the area it is well worth a visit. 

The parking lot is just a tiny one with maybe enough room for about 3 cars, despite the fact that there is a sign indicating a section for bus parking (it would have to be either one of those small buses or it would be one bus and no room for any cars). 

There is one small washroom with a mes side and a ladies side. There is a place for garbage and recycling and there is the first of many benches that you will see along the paths.

The bathrooms are wheel chair accessible but are not flush toilets. 

When you first arrive you think to yourself, "it's nice enough but it doesn't look like much". But if you were to stop there then you would miss out on all the beauty that is just around the corner.  The park can be used year round and there are multiple look out points to visit. 

The Loudon Peatland Trail is 2.9 km of very easy to use wheelchair accessible paths. I read on the sign that there were boardwalks and marshes up ahead. Those are one of my favourite types of trails since there is usually plenty of wildlife to see on those kinds of trails. 

All the paths were extremely wide and very well maintained. You can tell that a lot of care goes into this park. 

Heather and my mom were too tired to do much walking and Heather still had some nasty blisters on her heels so I left them both to sit on a bench in the shade while I went on ahead on my own. I was not going to walk the entire trail but I did want to see a little bit more than just a bench or two. And I am glad I did or I would not have known just how beautiful it gets the further in you go. 

Near the bench that I left Heather and my mom at were some informational signs about the various trees in the park. So at least they had something to read while they waited for me. 

Not far up ahead the trees opened up and there in front of me was a gorgeous little board walk. Most boardwalks are a dull grey colour and some don't have any railings. This one had recently had the boardwalk planks with brown pressure treated wood and it still had the old grey railings. The colour combination made this particular board walk a very picturesque one. 

At the start of the board walk was a sign and a couple more benches. 

Even the sign had some very nice artwork of various animals that you had the potential to spot while you were on the trail. 

On the board walk from either side you could see a vast expanse of marsh grasses with what looked like trails of water or a creek or something.

At specific points on the boardwalk there were educational signs about the plants and wild life that you see before you. 

Since I was by myself it was very quiet and I just stood there in the peacefulness enjoying the view. I looked down into the water trail below me and tried to see if I could see any fish or turtles. I didn't see any turtles but there were a few small fish swimming around. 

And then to my surprise, something rather large came very slowly and silently out from under the bridge I was standing on. 

It was a beaver! I was so close to it that if there was no bridge between us I would have practically been standing on it. It was pretty exciting to be that close to it. I barely moved and I barely breathed to that I wouldn't scare it away. 

​It didn't pay any attention to me and it continued slowly and silently down the water path towards it's lodge or food pile in the distance. 

From the boardwalk I could see one of the look outs from where I was standing so I decided to go at least as far as that before turning back. So I continued to the other side of the boardwalk and found myself on the nice, well maintained path again. The path forked in two directions and I took the left path. The paths were very well signed. 

I didn't have far to go at all before I saw ramp and platform of the look out. 

From the look out I could see the boardwalk I had just been on in the distance.

From the look out you can also see the bird house that was put in the marsh to attract some birds. 

 I would have loved to have had a chair and a cold drink and just sit here in the shade for a long while. But I knew that Heather and my mom were waiting for me and I had to get back. On the way back I spotted a large dragonfly sitting on the bark of a pine tree. 

And there was this curious hole in the ground on one side of the path. Looks like some little critter was making itself at home there. 

As I walked back across the boardwalk I wondered what the rest of the trail would have been like. I would have liked to have done the whole trail.

On the way out we signed the guest book. The last person to sign before us had been two days previous. But there were quite a few other signatures and I am sure that not everyone signs the book. So from that I could tell that this park was used often enough, but at the same time did not have crowds of people. It was so peaceful and enjoyable here. ​ The next time I am in this area I will have to make plans to come back here and perhaps also do the trails on the other side of the road too.