Celebrate 75 years of Discovery with a guided hike

This year marks 75 years of interactive Discovery Programs at Ontario Parks.

To celebrate, parks across the province are planning a special day of guided hikes and Discovery Drop-ins on August 10!

Our guided hikes are in memory of Professor J.R. Dymond, the first Ontario Parks interpreter. He was hired by Algonquin Provincial Park in 1944.

A guided hike at Lake Superior Provincial Park in 1963. From the Archives of Ontario.

Guided hikes take visitors along a trail in the park to explore the unique natural and cultural heritage features along the way.

Join us for a guided hike

Twenty-seven parks will be hosting a guided hike at 10:00 a.m. on August 10.

These parks have experienced interpreters and naturalists with expertise in various areas.

At the end of a guided hike at Killbear Provincial Park staff members and visitors chat. — At the end of a guided hike at Killbear Provincial Park

Find a list of parks offering guided hikes on August 10 below.

Check out a Discovery Drop-in

Other parks will be offering Discovery Drop-ins, a newer component of our Discovery Program. Drop-ins encourage families with children to explore a topic of the day (such as Incredible Insects!) alongside our Discovery Guides. However, all ages are welcome!

For more on the Discovery Program, read here.

A family explores for insects on a fallen log during a Discovery Drop-in. — A family explores for insects on a fallen log during a Discovery Drop-in

Find a list of parks offering Discovery Drop-ins on August 10 below.

A big shout-out

We also want to recognize all the Ontario Parks interpreters and naturalists who have come before us. Thank you for sharing our collective cultural and natural heritage stories with Ontarians, Canadians, and international visitors.

An historical interpreter at Murphys Point Provincial Park takes visitors on a guided hike down the Silver Queen Mine Trail and into an early 1900s mica mine. — An historical interpreter at Murphys Point Provincial Park takes visitors on a guided hike down the Silver Queen Mine Trail and into an early 1900s mica mine

Were you a past Ontario Parks interpreter? We would like to know who you are!

Tell us:

where did you work and when?
where did life take you from there?
what are you up to these days?

Are you an Ontario Parks visitor who participated in a particularly moving Discovery Program experience? We would like to hear from you too!

Kids checking out a cool leaf they found. — Kids looking at a bug they found on a leaf during a Discovery Drop-in program

Reach out to us @OntarioParks on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Include hashtag #OPDiscovery!

Discovery memories

Whether you’re a long-time camper or a first-time visitor, we hope you remember the parks you visit and how they make you feel. And we hope you will continue to visit these places — in person or in your memories — and keep them safe for whomever visits them after you.

A visitor and Discovery Guide take a close-up look at an insect during a Discovery Drop-in at Silent Lake Provincial Park. — A visitor and Discovery Guide take a close-up look at an insect during a Discovery Drop-in at Silent Lake Provincial Park

Our Discovery Program staff are here to enhance your park experiences and connections, so that you will remember these places and why they are important to you.

Celebrating with us on August 10?

The following parks will be offering guided hikes at 10:00 a.m.:

The following parks will be offering Discovery Drop-ins throughout the day:

For additional details, check the Ontario Parks Events page.

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