Balsam Lake Provincial Park

 Balsam Lake Provincial Park

Balsam Lake Provincial Park is one of the most popular parks in Ontario located approximately 2 hours from Toronto. There are 5 campgrounds and 3 hiking trails, as well as a large clean sandy beach on Balsam Lake, where you can rent canoes, kayaks and pedal boats. This lake is one of the cleanest lakes in the Kawartha Lakes area, which makes for great swimming. The park is approximately 449 hectares in size. There are education programs throughout July and August, where you can learn about the natural environment and local history through a variety of children's programs, guided hikes, evening presentations and more.

There is also some great fishing for large and smallmouth bass, walleye, and muskellunge. You can find a wide range of birds from hummingbirds, cardinals, Northern orioles, Pileated woodpeckers, hawks, osprey and owls. Balsam Lake Provincial Park contains suitable habitat for other species at risk found in the immediate vicinity of the park. Other wildlife that maybe found within the park include white-tail deer, wild turkey, racoon, frogs and turtles. Projects to enhance or restore native wildlife habitat will be considered and implemented where feasible and appropriate.

Balsam Lake Provincial Park offers many different options for accommodations and camping. Explore the shores of Balsam Lake via the hiking trails. Plantation Trail (4.2 km) and Lookout Trail (2.6 km) are both connected by Lorie’s Link (2.7km). Lakeshore trail (1km) runs along the shore of Balsam Lake providing pedestrian access from the lakeshore campgrounds to the day-use area including the boat launch, boat rentals and beach. Self-use cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also available in the winter.

There is a tree nursery area located within the park to grow seedlings for in-park restoration and landscaping projects. This nursery may be expanded. Balsam Lake Provincial Park will be maintained in as natural a state as possible. Native plant species may be planted for the purpose of restoration, enhancement of existing natural areas, shoreline management, or rehabilitation of trails, roads, or campsites.

Brad Sinclair

Team Lead “The Brad Sinclair Team”

Sales Representative

Royal Heritage Realty, Brokerage

Visit my website! www.bradsinclair.ca

Call Or Text me 705-927-6236

Your Cottage Country Inside Source

Waterfront-Commercial-R.E. -Investing

Petroglyphs Provincial Park

 

Petroglyphs Provincial Park

Petroglyphs Provincial Park is one of the most unique provincial parks in Ontario. Visitors can get a glimpse back to a time more than 1,000 years ago, when First Nations peoples created traditional carvings or petroglyphs in the various rock formations located within the park. Petroglyphs Provincial Park holds the largest known concentration of Indigenous rock carvings in Canada. Petroglyphs Provincial Park was established 1976, and in 2002 The Learning Place visitor center opened. Petroglyphs Provincial Park is located in Central Ontario just off of the north shores of Upper Stoney Lake about 45-minutes from the city of Peterborough. With spectacular history, modern uses, ample wildlife, and beautiful hiking trails for everyone to enjoy. The park is also day-use only and there is no camping. There are also strict opening and closing times, so using the park after closing is not allowed. However, there is camping nearby for those who wish to spend a weekend at the park. Visiting during the week is recommended in order to have the best experience.

Petroglyphs Provincial Park is an excellent destination for educational trips, bird/nature watching and hikers. The ‘Teaching Rock’ is one of the few known petroglyph sites located in the Canadian Shield. There is no photography or videography allowed within the Teaching Rock complex. A building now sits over the Teaching Rock to protect the ancient carvings from the elements. The Learning Place visitors center is where you will find a wealth of information about the petroglyphs along with knowledge about the life and traditions of Ojibway People from ancient to modern life.

The presence of a subterranean stream below the petroglyphs site, makes a rumbling sound that was thought to be the voice of a spirit, this may account for its reputation as a religious site and may have been the subject of some of the extensive carvings found here. The present-day forest cover is mainly medium-age pine and hardwoods on shallow soils. The open rock areas have scattered trees and shrubs, while the lower, wetter areas often contain ash or elm forests or willow-alder thickets. Since the early 1960s, most of the park area has been within a timber license area and managed for timber production on a continuous basis. Pruning and thinning of natural and planted white and red pine stands occur on a regular basis. Approximately 130,000 white pine, 250,000 red pine and 100,000 white spruce were planted within the park area and the immediate vicinity.

As the park has been designated a historical park and is limited to day use only the limited additional activities are mainly wildlife viewing and hiking. The trails range in difficulty and length, Marsh Trail is the longest trail in the park and moderately difficult, Ratarat Trail is the shortest most convenient, Nanabush Trail is long but easily, West Day-Use Trail is of moderate difficulty.

 Its location at the edge of the Canadian Shield and bordering the Peterborough Crown Game Reserve provides for some dramatic scenery and includes large populations of indigenous animals such as beaver, otter, white-tailed deer, chipmunks, fishers, wolves and many species of birds including woodpeckers, grey jays, wild turkeys, hawks, northern flickers, ruffled grouse and if your lucky enough bald and golden eagles can sometimes be spotted in the winter months.

Brad Sinclair

Team Lead “The Brad Sinclair Team”

Sales Representative

Royal Heritage Realty, Brokerage

Visit my website! www.bradsinclair.ca

Call Or Text me 705-927-6236

Your Cottage Country Inside Source

Waterfront-Commercial-R.E. -Investing

Silent Lake Provincial Park

 

Silent Lake Provincial Park

Silent Lake Provincial Park is a phenomenal place for endless outdoor activities all year round. With over 19km of hiking, 34 km of groomed trails for cross-country skiing, 17 km of mountain biking.  Silent Lake Provincial Park offers swimming/relaxing sandy beaches, canoeing, kayaking, and fishing. There are opportunities for camping in both the summer and winter months, you can rent a yurt for the most comfortable stay. Most of the campsites are drive-in, but if you are more adventurous there are also hike in campsites. Silent Lake Provincial Park occupies an area of 1,450 hectares (3,600 acres). The Park was first opened to the public in the summer of 1975. Silent Lake was a privately owned lake before it became a provincial park.

Silent Lake Provincial Park is located near beautiful Bancroft, Ontario, is north east of Peterborough, and is a 2 and half hr drive from Toronto. Offering a variety of trails with different levels of difficulty, there is something for everyone. The Park’s lakes are well known for its excellent fishing. There are a variety of fish that call Silent Lake home including Yellow Perch, Trout, Large and Smallmouth Bass and sunfish. Just remember there are no motorized boats allowed so fishing from shore, canoe, or kayak are only permitted.  Certain Park waterbodies may be closed to fishing temporarily or permanently for fisheries research or management purposes. Wherever possible, fisheries management within the park will seek to maintain and enhance native, self-sustaining fish populations.

 

Silent Lake Provincial Park is home to a variety of wildlife species made up of birds such as Northern Flicker, Barred Owl, Loon, and Black-capped Chickadee. Some Reptiles and amphibians that can be found are Spring Peeper, Green Frog, and Garter snake. Common mammals that can be observed include North American Porcupine, Beaver, American Red Squirrel, Northern Short-tailed Shrew, White Tail Deer, and snowshoe hare. There are also variety of moths, butterflies, and insects that can be observed in the spring, summer, and early fall.  

Brad Sinclair

Team Lead “The Brad Sinclair Team”

Sales Representative

Royal Heritage Realty, Brokerage

Visit my website! www.bradsinclair.ca

Call Or Text me 705-927-6236

Your Cottage Country Inside Source

Waterfront-Commercial-R.E. -Investing

Kawartha Highlands provincial park

 

Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is a memorable place with many opportunities to experience the outdoors ranging from backcountry canoeing and camping to a short hike. Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is open all year long, for exciting adventures in any season. Visitors can enjoy shorter hikes, fishing, birdwatching and other nature-based activities. Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is a relatively new park (it was designated as a provincial park in 2005 and became operational in 2011). Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is the second largest park in southern Ontario next to Algonquin provincial park. Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park offers an alternative to avoid the crowded, and often difficult-to-book Algonquin Provincial Park. Kawartha Highlands presents all of the beauty with less of the frustration of Ontario’s most popular provincial park.

Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park spans four geographic townships of Cavendish, Harvey, Burleigh and Anstruther, in the northern half of Peterborough County. Situated along the southern edge of the Canadian Shield, this relatively undeveloped area encompasses over 35,000 hectares. Regional topography features a rugged rolling landscape of small lakes, wetlands, forests with wooded hills, rocky barrens, and deep valleys. Soils are generally shallow, with areas of exposed bedrock. There are over 500 private properties which are surrounded by Kawartha Highlands. The most significant cottage development occurs on Anstruther Lake, Wolf Lake, Loon Call Lake, and Long Lake. None of these properties are regulated as part of the park, and all are governed by municipal by-laws and other applicable legislation and regulations. As a natural environment park, Kawartha Highland's focus is the protection of its landscapes and natural surroundings however some acceptable wilderness activities include: Canoeing, Kayaking, Fishing/Ice fishing, Boating, Hunting, Snowmobiling, Camping (both in summer and winter), and Wildlife Viewing.

Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is about two hours from the Toronto area and has very limited services compared to many provincial parks in Ontario. There is no official visitor’s center, if you plan on camping in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park be prepared to canoe to one of the over 100 campsites within the park. Reservations are recommended to secure your campsite. There are six recommended Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park canoe loops. The loops range from easy to moderate in difficulty. In the fall, the maple trees beam with vibrant red colours and the poplars with vibrant yellows. For a unique view of the fall foliage, explore the area by water. You can also take a nice day walk along the park trails, or at portage points. 

The park’s lakes are home to a wide range of fish species, including Lake Trout, Rainbow Trout, Walleye, Small and Largemouth Bass, and panfish. Visitors are encouraged to try their luck on any of the 17 stocked trout lakes in the park. The park is also home to a variety of other animals made up of 176 bird species such as Osprey, Whip-Poor-Will, Common Nighthawk, Scarlet Tanager, and Eastern Towhee. About 37 mammal species such as Eastern Wolves, Coyote, Mink, Whitetail Deer, and Black Bear. There are about 29 species of reptiles and amphibians for example; the Spotted Salamander, Eastern Rat Snake, Northern Water Snake, Snapping Turtle, and Leopard frog.

Brad Sinclair

Team Lead “The Brad Sinclair Team”

Sales Representative

Royal Heritage Realty, Brokerage

Visit my website! www.bradsinclair.ca

Call Or Text me 705-927-6236

Your Cottage Country Inside Source

Waterfront-Commercial-R.E. -Investing

Why shoreline road allowances are so important to have knowledge on when purchasing your waterfront dream!

 First of all, what is a shoreline road allowance (SRA)? Well, in the late 19th century the Crown instructed their surveyors to lay out 66-Foot road allowances along the banks of lakes and rivers in Ontario. These road allowances were used for logging and transportation of goods. Today, there is very little use, if at all commercially for the road allowances. Since road allowances were no longer of interest to the general public for commercial uses the road allowances were turned over by the Crown to the individual municipality the lakes were in. This leaving the road allowances being owned publicly.

Over the years individual land owners were offered to purchase the SRA from the municipality to have exclusive use. Having ownership of the SRA would mean there would be less restrictions the seller would have on usage and building. Many did purchase the SRA, many did not. In the past municipalities would not enforce rules so many cottages, boathouses and docks were built on these SRA’s. In todays tighter enforcement and environmental protection, problems can now arise with current and future usage if the SRA is not owned. That said “riparian rights” does say you could build a dock on the SRA, for example and enjoy it without any problems.

Closing or purchasing your SRA was always an option at anytime as long as land owner was willing to pay the costs of purchase plus a purchase price to the municipality. No one could purchase the SRA other then the abutting land owner. There is an application process to purchase the SRA, I would recommend to approach the municipal planner about any plans to do so. There are some municipalities now that limit how many of the SRA’s they sell per year as the SRA’s are future funds for the municipality. They would like to spread out the returns as rates escalate over time along with real estate values.

In some cases purchasing the SRA just does not make sense for a property owner. Existing cottages and buildings are well off the SRA. Their access is secured by riparian rights, so usage is not an issue. As long as there is no future plans to build or need the set back amounts there is no reason to purchase.

If you have any further questions, do not hesitate to ask!

Written for you by:

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell contact me at

705-927-6236

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Team Lead at The Brad Sinclair Team

Royal Heritage Realty

Your inside source for cottage country waterfront real estate

Happy Trails!

 

Getting out for a walk in nature can be so beneficial. It eases the mind and body of stress and can be a great way to spend quality time on your own or with family and friends. Plus, you get to observe wildlife and explore wild spaces along the journey. Below are some tips and tricks for hiking, as well as links to hiking trail locations in Kawartha Lakes, Muskoka and Haliburton Highlands.

What a View!

HIKING TRAILS

10 Hiking Trails Kawartha Lakes:

https://www.alltrails.com/canada/ontario/kawartha-lakes

9 Best All-Season Hikes in Muskoka:

https://jaynescottages.com/9-best-all-season-hikes-in-muskoka/

Haliburton Highlands Trails:

https://myhaliburtonhighlands.com/hiking-trails/

 

Exploring with Family

HIKING TIPS AND TRICKS:

WHAT TO PACK – Packing for a short hike does not require too much, here are a few essential items if you plan on hiking all day:

Navigation Tools: Make sure to bring a map, compass or GPS for your hiking trip.

Adequate Water: Hydrate before the hiking trip and sip water throughout the day.

Adequate Food: Bring along extra snacks so you and your hiking companions can enjoy the whole hike.

Clothing and Rain Protection: Pack a lightweight rain jacket or dress in layers so you can adjust to temperature changes easily.

Safety Items: If you are hiking an easy, well-maintained trail that sees a lot of foot traffic, you may not be worried about safety. No matter what you anticipate, you will want to include a firestarter, a flashlight and a whistle, so you are prepared for any situation.

First-Aid Kit: Build a first-aid kit, which might include blister treatment, bandages, tape, antibiotic ointment, gauze pads and any medications that you or your companions may need.

Beautiful Trail

Multi-Purpose Tool or Knife 

Sun Protection: Bring along sunscreen and sunglasses. If possible, aim to hike on shaded trails between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. when the sun shines strong, and use mornings for open-area hikes. Reapply sunscreen every two hours or more if you’re sweating a lot.

Backpack: Choose a pack that feels comfortable for you and that won’t put excess strain on your back and shoulders.

Trash Bag: Pack a trash bag to keep the trails you trek beautiful, clean and free of garbage. A zippered plastic bag is perfect for containing wrappers and other trash until you get back. Be sure to help younger hikers dispose of their trash properly.

Bug Spray: Ticks, bees, spiders and mosquitoes are some of the insects. In buggy areas, you can use DEET insect repellent. Be sure to reapply frequently.

Toiletries: If you plan to hike far away from public restrooms, prepare for bathroom breaks by bringing toilet paper, hand sanitizer, waste bags and any other necessities.

HIKING CLOTHING TIPS

• Dress in layers (tuck shirt into pants to avoid ticks or other bugs getting onto skin)
  

  Hiking Buddy

  
  

  
  

• Bring a hat
• Wear tall socks for extra protection (tuck pant legs into socks)
• Avoid cotton because it holds moisture
• Opt for light-colored clothing, which helps you see ticks and other bugs more easily

(https://koa.com/blog/hiking-tips-and-tricks-how-to-plan-and-prepare-for-a-hike/)

Brought to you by:

The Brad Sinclair Team

Your local Realtor®

If you are looking to either Buy or Sell waterfront  contact me at 705-927-6236

 

The Brad Sinclair Team

Brad Sinclair, Sales Representative

Royal Heritage Realty

The Inside Source to Waterfront Real Estate

 

 

 

 

 

www.bradsinclair.ca

www.kawarthawaterfront.ca