Halfway Lake Provincial Park
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Rating: ★★★★★★☆☆☆☆ Halfway Lake
P.O. Box 560, c/o Windy Lake Provincial Park, Levack, ON, P0M 2C0 (705) 965-2702 No. of Sites (214) - 95 non-electrical sites, 116 electrical sites, 0 group sites Wheel Chair Accessible Campsites - 3 Barrier Free sites, 7 Barrier Free washroom facilities Operating Dates: May 21, 2021 to September 26, 2021 |
Blog Entries: Halfway Lake Backpacking July 2021 - The Longest 2 Km We Have Ever Hiked
- A Beautiful Place To Swim, But Don't Get Your Slopes Up
- I Got To Watch The Sunset Twice In The Same Day!
Halfway Lake Tenting July 2021 - Plenty Of Partridge
- Sky Above, Sand Below, Peace Within
Terrain: Some outstanding landform features within the park are periglacial boulder fields, rocky ridges, and numerous lakes and ponds. The
vegetation is representative of the boreal forest, which is dominated by stands of jack pine generally mixed with trembling aspen, and
white birch. Wildlife species are plentiful in the area and representative of the boreal forest environment.
Staff: Not the most friendly (but not completely unfriendly either) and only somewhat helpful. The staff at the park store were quick to greet you but it felt forced and as though they didn't really want to.
Bathrooms: They used a dirty, smelly mop and the water they were using was not clean. They could really do with new mops. The floor of the
bathroom was dirty even after being "cleaned" and there was a musty smell. The bathroom didn't really feel clean to me. The stalls
were stainless steel and showed all the streaks and water marks.
Shower: There are showers at each of the 4 comfort stations. .
Beach: Two beautiful, long, sandy beaches. These are one of the parks best features.
Outdoor Water Faucets: Plenty of them, especially down by the beach. They are easy to find and have good, clean drinking water.
Hiking Trails:
Moose Ridge Trail - Rating: Moderate - Length: 2 km, 0.5-1 hour
This trail winds along Raven Lake and up and over a small glacial ridge. This is an excellent trail for families and offers exceptional scenic vistas.
Echo Pond Trail - Rating: Moderate - Length: 6 km, 1.5 hours
This trail extends from Moose Ridge and continues along Raven Lake and over part of a steeper ridge system. The trail then wanders north along the west shore of Echo Pond where grassy wetlands provide an ideal place for sighting wildlife. Beaver, mink and the majestic moose are regular visitors to this area. Echo Pond Trail connects to the much longer Hawk Ridge Trail. Be sure to watch the trail signs so that you are not hiking onto the longer trail!
Hawk Ridge Trail - Rating: Difficult - Length: 15 km, 6-8 hours
This is the longest and most difficult hiking trail in the park. It is overgrown and not well maintained at all. Be sure to bring plenty of water because there are very long stretches where you can not reach the water, despite being able to see it. Hawk Ridge extends off the northern portion of Echo Pond Trail and travels deep into the heart of the interior. The trail passes through part of the forest devastated by the 2002 tornado when mature trees were instantaneously flattened. The trail visits several lakes including tiny Lost Lake with several low cliffs that provide great vantage points. One of the highlights of the trail is the lookout over Three Island Lake. It alone is worth the trip. There are a few interior campsites located along the last stretch of the trail that the weary hiker can rest for the night. * Interior camping fees apply.* Site number 3 is the best of those sites and the others are really not all that great to camp on.
Osprey Heights Trail - Rating: Moderate to Difficult - Length: 6 km, 2 hours
Located on the east side of Highway 144, towards the north end of the park, this trail starts across a short section of low wetland forest before climbing sharply up into the rugged rocky hills of the Canadian Shield. The trail meanders east through mossy clearings, forests and along cliff tops to the edge of Antrim Lake. The Osprey Heights Lookout provides a superb view from over 50 metres above Antrim Lake. This is a great photo opportunity and an ideal place to stop for lunch. The trail then loops back west.
Pet Amenities: They have created a brand new pet exercise area. It is actually a part of the main beach that has been re-designated for pets (just
past the children's playground). So, it has lots of picnic tables, and a very nice beach area for pets to swim in.
Playground: A very nice playground down by the beach. It has many sets of swings, a jungle gym with a slide, and some ring hoops to hang from.
There are benches near by so that parents can sit and watch their kids.
Park Store: It is located on the main road between the two campgrounds. You can buy firewood and ice or browse through the large selection of
Ontario Parks’ merchandise, such as T-shirts and hoodies. The building is air conditioned and they sell hand scooped ice cream cones
and frozen treats.
Rentals: You can rent canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boats at the park store.
vegetation is representative of the boreal forest, which is dominated by stands of jack pine generally mixed with trembling aspen, and
white birch. Wildlife species are plentiful in the area and representative of the boreal forest environment.
Staff: Not the most friendly (but not completely unfriendly either) and only somewhat helpful. The staff at the park store were quick to greet you but it felt forced and as though they didn't really want to.
Bathrooms: They used a dirty, smelly mop and the water they were using was not clean. They could really do with new mops. The floor of the
bathroom was dirty even after being "cleaned" and there was a musty smell. The bathroom didn't really feel clean to me. The stalls
were stainless steel and showed all the streaks and water marks.
Shower: There are showers at each of the 4 comfort stations. .
Beach: Two beautiful, long, sandy beaches. These are one of the parks best features.
Outdoor Water Faucets: Plenty of them, especially down by the beach. They are easy to find and have good, clean drinking water.
Hiking Trails:
Moose Ridge Trail - Rating: Moderate - Length: 2 km, 0.5-1 hour
This trail winds along Raven Lake and up and over a small glacial ridge. This is an excellent trail for families and offers exceptional scenic vistas.
Echo Pond Trail - Rating: Moderate - Length: 6 km, 1.5 hours
This trail extends from Moose Ridge and continues along Raven Lake and over part of a steeper ridge system. The trail then wanders north along the west shore of Echo Pond where grassy wetlands provide an ideal place for sighting wildlife. Beaver, mink and the majestic moose are regular visitors to this area. Echo Pond Trail connects to the much longer Hawk Ridge Trail. Be sure to watch the trail signs so that you are not hiking onto the longer trail!
Hawk Ridge Trail - Rating: Difficult - Length: 15 km, 6-8 hours
This is the longest and most difficult hiking trail in the park. It is overgrown and not well maintained at all. Be sure to bring plenty of water because there are very long stretches where you can not reach the water, despite being able to see it. Hawk Ridge extends off the northern portion of Echo Pond Trail and travels deep into the heart of the interior. The trail passes through part of the forest devastated by the 2002 tornado when mature trees were instantaneously flattened. The trail visits several lakes including tiny Lost Lake with several low cliffs that provide great vantage points. One of the highlights of the trail is the lookout over Three Island Lake. It alone is worth the trip. There are a few interior campsites located along the last stretch of the trail that the weary hiker can rest for the night. * Interior camping fees apply.* Site number 3 is the best of those sites and the others are really not all that great to camp on.
Osprey Heights Trail - Rating: Moderate to Difficult - Length: 6 km, 2 hours
Located on the east side of Highway 144, towards the north end of the park, this trail starts across a short section of low wetland forest before climbing sharply up into the rugged rocky hills of the Canadian Shield. The trail meanders east through mossy clearings, forests and along cliff tops to the edge of Antrim Lake. The Osprey Heights Lookout provides a superb view from over 50 metres above Antrim Lake. This is a great photo opportunity and an ideal place to stop for lunch. The trail then loops back west.
Pet Amenities: They have created a brand new pet exercise area. It is actually a part of the main beach that has been re-designated for pets (just
past the children's playground). So, it has lots of picnic tables, and a very nice beach area for pets to swim in.
Playground: A very nice playground down by the beach. It has many sets of swings, a jungle gym with a slide, and some ring hoops to hang from.
There are benches near by so that parents can sit and watch their kids.
Park Store: It is located on the main road between the two campgrounds. You can buy firewood and ice or browse through the large selection of
Ontario Parks’ merchandise, such as T-shirts and hoodies. The building is air conditioned and they sell hand scooped ice cream cones
and frozen treats.
Rentals: You can rent canoes, kayaks, and stand up paddle boats at the park store.
Things To Do At Halfway Lake Provincial Park
- Fishing
- Swimming
- Canoeing
- Boating
- Birding
- Hiking
- Natural HeritageEducation
- Biking
- Picnicking
- Discovery Program
Attractions And Places To Go Near Halfway Lake Provincial Park
Closest City (town) - Cartier, Ontario (but also close to Sudbury, Ontario)
- Science North
- The Big Nickel
- Northern Ontario Railroad Museum
- Northern Exotics
- Urban Air Trampoline And Adventure Park
- Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf
- Wagon Wheel Ranch (horse back riding)
- Kalmo Park Conservation Area
Closest City (town) - Cartier, Ontario (but also close to Sudbury, Ontario)
- Science North
- The Big Nickel
- Northern Ontario Railroad Museum
- Northern Exotics
- Urban Air Trampoline And Adventure Park
- Dinosaur Valley Mini Golf
- Wagon Wheel Ranch (horse back riding)
- Kalmo Park Conservation Area
Directions:
Halfway Lake Provincial Park can be accessed by Highway 144, which runs north-south, between Sudbury and Gogama.
Signs For Directions To Park - The signs to the park are easy enough to find and are well laid out.