5 must-try hikes at Frontenac Provincial Park

Today’s blog post comes to us from Assistant Ecologist Erica Kendrick from Ontario Park’s Southeast Zone.

I may be biased, but Frontenac Provincial Park is a hiker’s dream come true.

Through both work and pleasure, I have become quite familiar with the park and all the beautiful places it has to offer.

Located in the Frontenac Arch, this park is the best of both worlds – where the south meets the north. From the Black Spruce swamps and rock barrens of Slide Lake Loop to the mature maple and oak forests of the Tetsmine and Gibson Lake Loops, this park is truly spectacular!

With over 100 km of interconnected trails, Frontenac has something for every level of hiker!

Here are my top five day hikes to try at Frontenac:

1. Arab Lake Gorge Trail

Distance: 1.5 km

Difficulty: easy

Arab Lake Gorge Trail is half boardwalk and only takes 30 minutes — it’s a great option for a short hike with the family.

The office parking lot is the best place to park for this trail.

Arab Lake Gorge Trail is also one of two interpretive trails at Frontenac. Stop and grab a trail guide before setting off on your hike! Trail guides are available at the park office or from the kiosk at the trailhead. They offer insight into the geology and ecology of the Arab Lake Gorge.

You’ll come across a multitude of different ferns and birds, and — if you stop and look closely — will probably find many amphibian friends!

2. Dedication Trail

Distance: 2.4 km (linear)

Difficulty: moderate

The Dedication Trail is the newest in the park. It was established in 2014 in recognition of all the volunteers who have dedicated their time and efforts to helping make Frontenac such a special place for all to enjoy.

Dedication is a linear trail that bisects the Cedar Lake Loop; it takes around 1 hour one-way or 2 hours round-trip. The trail winds through hardwood forests and along many ponds.

The best way to access the Dedication Trail is to park at Arab Lake parking lot, halfway down Big Salmon Lake Road.

If you are like me and prefer loops rather than hiking back the same way you came, I recommend continuing to the top portion of the Cedar Lake Loop, eventually looping back to Arab Lake parking lot. This will bring you by large wetland complexes, through hardwood forests, stands of red pines, and along the shoreline of Big Salmon Lake. This will bring your total kilometres up to 8.6, which, in my opinion, is well worth it!

3. Tetsmine Lake Loop

Distance: 10 km

Difficulty: moderate

Located in the north end of the park, this hike is best accessed from Kingsford Dam parking lot.

Tetsmine Lake Loop is personally one of my favourite hikes in Frontenac.

It features old abandoned mica mines and beautiful mature maple and oak forests, and passes through the Moulton Gorge.

I love to stop at Tetsmine Lake for lunch and a quick mid-hike swim.

Sections of this trail can be rugged and offer a great hike for those interested in a moderately difficult hike.

Be sure to pack a lunch, as Tetsmine Lake Loop will take anywhere from 4-6 hours to complete.

4. Big Salmon Lake Loop

Distance: 17 km

Difficulty: moderate to difficult

Big Salmon Lake Loop will take between 5 to 7 hours to complete.

When I hike, I personally prefer doing the more difficult sections first and finishing with the easier sections.

With that said, I recommend hiking this loop counterclockwise, as the trail on the southern shore of Big Salmon Lake is more rugged than the trail on the northern shore.

The best place to park for this hike is – you guessed it – Big Salmon Lake parking lot.

This loop has a great vista at the very end of Big Salmon Lake. Being halfway through the loop, this makes a great spot to stop for lunch!

This trail is also great for visitors interested in the cultural history of the park.

The trail passes by the MacComish and Green homesteads, both of which have a historical plaque that tells you about life for the area’s early settlers.

Near the Green homestead, you will also find “Old Thor,” an old truck that was abandoned in the park after porcupines had eaten away at the rubber on the tires.

5. Slide Lake Loop

Distance: 21 km

Difficulty: difficult

Slide Lake Loop is not for the faint of heart. It is the longest and most difficult hike in Frontenac Provincial Park.

However, with extra effort also comes more reward. This trail passes along great networks of wetlands and along rock barrens, and has three stunning lookouts: Mink Lake, Slide Lake, and Flagpole hill.

Taking anywhere from 7 to 9+ hours to complete, hikers should get an early start on this hike!

Slide Lake Loop is best accessed from Big Salmon Lake parking lot. Since this loop doesn’t directly link up to a trailhead, you will need to hike the north section of the Cedar Lake Loop to access it. This will add about 5 km to your hike, totalling around 26 km!