Toronto Photography Meetup Group

Like many landscape and nature photographers in Ontario do every year... most of us plan a trip up north to take autumn colour photos with the changing landscape. Algonquin is popular, along with many other area's.

Well.... this year has been a strange year in central Ontario... and this past weekend with the cold snap and recent rain we have been having ... something must have triggered the tree's... because they are starting to change colour! By my prediction ... Algonquin will probably reach peak by September 15th weekend..... maybe even earlier.. who knows.

And the weather up there - I have now called it Augtember... because the last two nights at the trailer were damn cold for this time of year! It was 11 degree's overnight on Saturday when I looked at the temperature, and apparently tonight is going down to 9.

That's September weather.

Some of the leaves look like they are changing to orange but it's because they have dried out due to a lack of rain. Leaves mainly change colour due to a reduction in the amount of day light (shorter days) not as much from temperature.

The trees in our area [Miners Bay } are turning a little from the stress of very little water this summer and my favorite Birch lost most of it's leaves and I hope it's around next summer .
Rob

I spent the day in Algonquin on Saturday and the trees are definitely turning. Some birch and maples have a few leaves starting to turn (yellow and red). The smaller saplings are turning first. I saw one small maple completely red along the highway. A lot of the ferns have gone brown already.

I expect that the peak will come about a week early this year on the west side (the east tends to be a couple of days behind) along the highway. That would make it around the weekend of September 22nd (typically peak in Algonquin is the weekend before Thanksgiving - average September 27th). I also expect that due to the drought that the colours will be less intense and the leaves will drop faster and easier. This is based on about 20 years of being in the park for the fall colours peak and having seen wet years and dry years.

DG

Thanks guys for the info.

Darn - I just had to move some vacation from the third week of September into the 1st week of October. I was hoping to get a Muskoka fall trip in, but looks like I might be too late this year.

Daryl.... That sounds about right. Haliburton Forest which resides on the Algonquin dome is in about the same boat..... Peek should he the same weekend in parts of the forest. I just got back, and there is about 5%-10% change overall.

Are there any good spots closing to the GTA?

Yes...there are lots, but you have a couple of weeks to go before it will be good.

Algonquin is almost at peak. The park reports colour is at 79%.

For the GTA High Park can be very nice and any of the river valleys (Humber, Don, Rouge)have nice areas. Many parts of Caledon like Forks of the Credit and Hockly Valley are nice, although packed with leafers on weekends. Further afield the Beaver Valley is a TPMG favourite and the run up Airport Road to Collingwood is pretty nice.

DG

I am hoping to hit Algonquin this weekend... Maybe Sunday.

The FOAP have posted today that Algonquin Park has hit peak. This weekend will be your best shot for the best colour. Doesn't look like the rain and wind will be bad the next few days so the leaves may hang on into the weekend. In the past the FOAP have based the colour report on the trees around Found Lake due to that being the site of the old museum. The eastern end of the park is usually a little slower then the west end. Friends currently on the ground in the park tell me the colours are not as intense this year.

DG

Not surprised given the messed up weather we've had in the north.

I live in Bancroft now, and the colours are spectacular! The reds are a deep brilliant, and the oranges are a deep orange. The reds are just starting to fall here leaving the underbrush covered in beautiful leaves. Today is overcast, bringing out the rich colours everywhere. As long as we don't get a lot of wind and rain storms, Thanksgiving should be stunning.

Hi all,

just back from the weekend in Haliburton/Algonquin. There was a lot of wind last night, and as a result about 10-15% deadfall overnight.... so if you are planning to get up to shoot the colour.... do it quickly, as the leaves are starting to drop. Susan - you are in an area slightly out of the same range as the Haliburton highlands/Algonquin area... and colour peek usually comes about 1/2 a week later... so I am not surprised that Bancroft is going to be stunning this week. We had lovely colour in Algonquin - and I'd say it was pretty darn vibrant!


David

The Great Grey Owl by lxdesign, on Flickr

These owl's are very rare in Ontario!

took a drive to hamilton over the weekend and it looked pretty good along the way

My wife and I am heading to Algonquin this weekend for the first time ever. Any pointers on where to go to shoot Fall Colours in particular? I am sure the whole place will be spectacular but any 'not to miss spots'?

Also, with respect to lenses does it tend to be a fairly 'wide' day of shooting or a mix of wide and telephoto?

Definately a mix---reflections in lakes, to close-ups of leaves. I'm in Bancroft on the East side. Opeongo Rd, Tea Lake can be nice. Some of us are going to be there this Saturday shooting sunrise and looking for Moose. The HWY 60 corridor between Algonquin past Barry's Bay is beautiful with rolling hills east of Barry's Bay.

Yes, bring a mix of lenses. You will want the wide for the landscape shots, but the telephotos will let you get the section and detail shots.

Places to check out.

Pretty much any point along the highway will reward you but here are some nice spots. Be VERY CAREFUL pulling off the road. Hwy 60 is a HIGHWAY and many drivers do not slow down even when there are moose jams. Be careful of the traffic. And DO NOT stop on the highway or blocking the lane.

Also, watch as you pull over the shoulders can be soft or drop off quickly into deep ditches.

Before you arrive in Algonquin you will pass a small provincial park called Ragged Falls. This is worth a stop if you have time as it is likely the most impressive waterfalls on the HWY 60 corridor. You will also see signs for the Oxtongue Rapids Park just after you pass through Dwight and again it is a nice stop if you have time. The road into the rapids is rough and not a place for low slung cars.

From the car (West Gate to East Gate):

The West Gate is worth a stop for more than just your permit
The bridge at Smoke Creek where it enters Tea Lake
The Smoke Lake access point across for the road into Canoe Lake access point
The Canoe Lake access point - there is a look out at the restaurant
The road into Arowhone Lodge - there is a beautiful hardwood forest on the hill between 1K and 2K
The hill on HWY 60 just east of the Arowhone Road, offers both a view to the west and a forest on both sides of the road
The short road into Source Lake across from the Art Gallery
The Art Gallery parking lot - Found Lake used to be the location that the Park used for judging the peak of the leaves.
Canisby Campground Road - the campground is open this weekend I believe, but its not the campground you want - if you drive up to the gatehouse there is a dirt road running west just before the main gate to a picnic area on the lake that runs through a hardwood forest
The Two Rivers East Beach road - there are nice colours usually around the parking lots - this is also a primo place for sunset at this time of year.
The Rock Lake Road has a number of hardwood areas that can be lovely
The Visitor Centre road into the parking lot and the view from the deck can be nice, but the place is very busy and probably will be packed with bus tours.
The Opeongo Road to Opeongo Lake is more spruce than hardwoods although there are some nice birches right at the start but if the tamaracks are changing this can be great road.
Brewers Lake has a pull off to enjoy the lake and the colours.

The east side of the park tends to be a little behind the west side for colours.

If you are planning to walk almost any of the trails will give you great scenery, but the most popular walks like Lookout and Hardwood are packed on the weekends in the fall and parking can be a challenge.

Some places for walks other than trails.

The Lumber Museum can be a nice stroll with interesting historical items to photograph and some colours.
The Bike Trail from Mew Lake to Rock Lake although it is 10 K one way it can be walked as far as you like and then you turn around and come back.
Kearney Campground is usually closed at this time of year but you can park at the gate and walk around. There is a nice beaver pond on the west side. The camp is mostly pine, but the view over the lake from the beach can be nice.

Hope these help. Maybe we will cross paths as I will one of the folks up this weekend that Susan mentioned.

DG

Wow! Thanks so much to both of you - we really appreciate it. A friend of my wife mentioned we should think about approaching the park from the east gate based on traffic up the 400. We are planning on going on Sunday, do you think this would be the right approach?

Thanks again!

The colours are better on the west side, there are more coniferous trees along the eastern entrance.

A drive from Toronto to the East Gate is a nice drive, but it is LONG. Unless you live on the east side of Toronto it may not be to your advantage. You will have to drive first to Peterborough, which is about a two hour drive from the west side of Toronto, and then go north on Hwy 28 to Bancroft. Hwy 28 is a secondary highway and two lanes most of the way. One slow car backs traffic up completely. Once you reach Bancroft you will head off along 62 and then onto 127 which will bring you to 60 just east of Whitney.

I have done this drive as I have family in Peterborough and sometimes we drive up and then through the park. So I am familiar with this route. I will be going to Peterborough on Sunday myself.

One thing to consider is if you do go up you may want to plan on getting to Algonquin before 10:00 AM. If Sunday is nice it is possible hundreds will head up and there could be a line up along the highway at the West Gate just to get in and buy your permit. I have seen this often in past years.

Depending on how you drive and traffic it is about 2.5 to 3 hours to the West Gate from Toronto (Pearson Airport). Going to the East Gate would be about 3.5 to 4 hours.

By the way, if you go west fill up your gas tank in Huntsville or if you go east fill it in Bancroft (Maynooth might be cheap as well at 62/127 junction). The price of gas in Whitney will kill you.

DG

I would be remiss not to mention that there is the alternative of going via Hwy 35. You could drive east to the 115/35 exit on the 401 and then follow 35 all the way to Hwy 60 where 35 ends at Dwight and then 60 to the West Gate. Its a long, slow highway, but it is a very beautiful drive. Watch out for a traffic mess just north of Dorset at the Fire Tower Lookout on 35. Usually they have to have the police there because of the number of cars and buses trying to get into the site. Estimate on 3.5 to 4 hours to the West Gate from west Toronto (Pearson Airport area).

DG

Thanks so much for the insight - very valuable information indeed. My wife just corrected me that her friend had said we should go around the east side of Lake Simcoe but still approach the park via the west gate. If we leave at 7ish on Sunday morning then we likely will just head right up the 400 - I doubt traffic will be that bad at that hour.

Thanks again for all the help - it is much appreciated!