Photo opportunities in Ontario

For those living in Ontario Canada where are the best or unique locations to shoot foliage or just plain landscape/nature photographs. The locations would be preferably not more than 200 km from Toronto. Also did anyone ever photograph tornados and where they are most likely to occur in Ontario. Thanx for any info.

Robert,

I'm not a Canadian, but was in Ontario in the Guelph area for a week

earlier this summer. That's about 30-40 miles west of Toronto. Right

around Guelph are a couple of decent sites - Guelph Lake park is

pretty standard manicured park, but its a pretty lake with some nice

wildflowers. The arboretum on the University of Guelph campus also

has lots of photo ops if you're into wildflowers at all, and the birds

are ok. The Kortright Waterfowl Park in Guelph has about 80 species

of swans, geese and ducks, along with a bunch of deer, chipmunks, etc.

in semi-natural settings, so you can get some decent nature shots

there that don't look like they were taken in a zoo. Just north of

Guelph is Elora Gorge Recreation Area, which has some nice scenic

views of the Elora River. A bit further to the north (maybe 30 miles)

is Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, which has some pretty forest, and some

spectacular overviews of the countryside. If you're up for a longer

drive, there are a bunch of national parks up in the Bruce Peninsula,

which is about 100 mi. north of Guelph. Much more of a pristine

forest feel to the area than most of the Toronto/Guelph countryside,

which is mostly agricultural. Standard road maps will have all of the

Recreational Areas, Provincial and National Parks marked. However,

most of the recreational areas that I saw are rather short on nature

and long on picnic facilities, ball fields, etc., so photo

opportunities are limited. Its a pretty area - enjoy your trip.

I'm from Courtice ( 70 km east of Toronto). I was up at Algonquin

Park this past weekend (Sept. 19,20,21). The leaves are wonderful on

the west side of the park where maples predominant. I think through

this week and into the weekend they will still be nice.

Close to Toronto are both the Niagara escarpment and the Royal

Botanical Garden in the Hamilton area. Niagara Falls is also close by.

The Parry Sound area is a bit further away, but easily accessible by

car. As today is the first day of Fall, the trees might well be

colourful in the Algonquin Park/Parry Sound area. But, here in the

south, not too much is happening yet.We have had such a dry summer

most leaves are simply scorched and falling off. It might not be a

very photogenic year?

 

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Mercifully tornado season has ended..I hope. We don't get very many,

compared to Texas etc.. They usually occur to the east of Lake Huron,

generally from Windsor up to the Georgian Bay area.

If you are limited to a 200km radius of Toronto, bring a macro lens.

It might be the only way you will be able to keep civilization out of

your landscape/nature pictures.

 

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If you can push to 300km or so, the direction to go is north. My

recomendation is to drive to Lindsay, then take Hwy 35 north to Dwight

(a few kilometres west of Algonquin Park). [The 'normal' route of

using Hwy 400 is faster, and recommended if you like driving fast, but

photographically it is exceptionally dull. If you must use this

route, save it for the return trip.]

Isn't there a wildlife safari park in Cambridge, Ontario?

Since we are talking about the Ontario Province, there is the Point

Pelee National Park in Leamington, near Windsor and Detroit. It is

about a four-hour, 400km drive from Toronto though. Point Pelee is a

great place for bird watching and photography. I have been there

once several years ago. Arthur Morris considers it one of the hot

spots for bird photography and provides some details about it in his

book.

Call 1-800-ONTARIO for fall foliage reports (and other tourist info).

Some places are already at peak, some have barely started turning.

Robert, I'm from the Muskoka area about two hours north of Toronto.

Unfortunately we have had a very dry year and the foliage is just

turning brown. Most trees are changing unevenly too. Not generally

a pretty sight. Algonquin park, about three hours north of Toronto,

is a little bit better but not as glorious as it can be. Not a great

year in Ontario overall, although if you search around you will find

some isolated, low lying spots that may pay off.

Head to the Kingston area, about 200 km east of Toronto. There are 2

provincial parks, Frontenac and Charleston Lake, nearby. Frontenac

has a canoe outfitter right at the entrance, you can rent a canoe to

get to the interior lakes; the Canadian shield that we sit on provides

lots of rock outcroppings along the shores, sets off the fall colours.

Just grab your map and drive around the countryside, there's many

scenic sites you can see from the road. If you're polite in asking,

many people will allow you to cross their fields to get better shots.

 

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The fall colours look as though they are going to be good, we've had

enough rain this summer, and not too much obvious damage from last

winter's ice storm. Various species of asters are just spectacular

this year, roadside fields are gorgeous, there's still some migrating

monarchs feeding from them.

 

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You didn't say when you plan your trip, the colours in this area

usually peak around the 10th of October, they're just starting now.

Robert,

I'm from Burlington, Ontario.

I personally think the Dundas/Burlington/Milton area is fabulous for

fall colours. Unfortunately, we have had a dry summer and some of

the leaves are brown. There is Dundas valley (very nice spot -

maples and an escarpment as a backdrop) Tews and Websters falls in

Flamborough/Dundas. A spectacular falls (actually 2 of them)dropping

off of the Niagara escarpment into the valley. Nice pic in the

valley...takes some walking but it's worth it!! North of Burlington

there is Milton and the escarpment (Rattlesnake Pt and Nount Nemo).

Very nice!

If anyone is interested in checking out any of these sites, please

drop me a line...it's a great excuse to get out and take come pic's.

Or if you know and southern Ontario Jewel, I'd love to know of any

new places.

John Wade

Burlington, Ontario

Hi Robert, I leaved in Tronto for a year and i learned that a boring land scape in mid day could be very dramatic during sunrise or sunset. I took great pictures in a small lake along HW 400 during sunrise. So go out there before it gets too cold...

I live in Ohio, but Ontario has been one of my favorite subject areas. A 10 hour drive will get you to Lake Superior Provinical Park. Most of the images at http://www.NaturePhotoGallery.com are taken there.