Photo: Hiking Vacation Ontario Canada

Two pairs of empty hiking boots and backpack sit on the rocky shores of George Lake, Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada. A top vacation destination in Ontario, Killarney Provincial Park is a treasure trove of natural wonders.

At sunset on the shores of George Lake in Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada, hiking boots and back pack set aside on a rock by weary hikers after a day of trekking through Ontario's beautiful wilderness creates a thought-provoking picture.

Killarney Provincial Park, on the north shore of Georgian Bay, Lake Huron, is considered to be a Crown Jewel of the Provincial Parks. Given Park status at the urging of a group of artists, including the Group of Seven's A.Y. Jackson who were drawn to the area by the Jack Pine and the pristine sapphire lakes, the Park is considered to be a top-ranked vacation destination for those people who are looking for a wilderness adventure in Ontario, Canada.

A four and a half hour drive from the city of Toronto ... continue below the picture...

This picture is part of the photo album "Sunset Pictures" - there are more beautiful images waiting for you.

... , Ontario brings the adventurer to the edge of Killarney Provincial Park where the choices of activity range from hiking, fishing, canoeing, swimming, wildlife viewing, or backpacking into the back country. In the winter, more than 20 kilometers of cross-country ski trails are blazed through the forest from the park office, providing the opportunity to ski or snowshoe well into the less traveled and more secluded portions of the Park.

Geologists and rock hounds find interest in the white quartzite cliffs that, from afar, resemble snowy mountain peaks even in summer and form just one part of the magnificent scenery to be experienced. The one campground in the Park, near its entrance at George Lake, offers some basic facilities and the Park is considered to be mainly a wilderness park. This lack of facilities in the rest of the Park allows the hiker to experience solitude while enjoying an undisturbed natural setting.

The Park straddles the La Cloche Range of mountains of the Canadian Shield having an age of approximately 3.5 million years, making it one of the oldest mountain ranges on earth. According to local First Nations' legend, these mountains would sound a bell sound when struck, and were used to signal distant peoples. When the voyageurs explored the area, they named the mountains according to the legend; La Cloche is the french word for bell.

The delicate ecosystem in the Park has been under threat by acid rain, algae and the introduction of non-indigenous species. With new legislation forcing lower emission standards by mining and smelting operations, the water quality in many of the lakes has improved. The clear night skies of Killarney Provincial Park brought a new facility to the Park in 2010, the Killarney Provincial Park Observatory which is enjoyed by many people interested in viewing and studying the night sky.

Hiking boots and back pack on a rock along the shores of George Lake during sunset in Killarney Provincial Park, Ontario, Canada.