Parks and Wilderness Areas

This feature now available on our Backroad GPS Maps!

Parks have long been a favourite destination for people looking to get away from it all. From city or regional parks to provincial and national parks, Canada offers an incredible variety of parks to explore.  Of course, Canada is well known for its vast areas of untracked wilderness and that is where Backroad Mapbooks specializes.  We show you all of these wonderful places and more importantly show you how to get there and tell you what you can see and do when you visit.

When you combine our detailed maps with the write-ups on the parks, you will be armed with all the information you need to enjoy the day, the weekend or even an extended trip.  You can find that secluded getaway few people will ever dream of visiting or you can search out those special places that feature some of the most amazing displays of nature the world has to offer.  Let Backroad Mapbooks be you planning tool for your next adventure. 

What to look for

Newsletter's Featured Trips   For more Featured Trails check out our Blog.

Northern BC: Liard River Corridor & Hot Springs Parks (Map 79/E1–90/D6)
Activities: Camp/RV, Picnic, Hike, Swim, Horseback, ATV, Canoe, Fish, Wildlife View. Wheelchair accessible, Paid Campsite.
Sporting Canada’s second largest hot spring, this is an extremely popular stop for travellers along the Alaska Highway. In addition to two large pools, there are 53 campsites, some of which can be reserved. The marsh is a great place to see birds, as well as moose, deer and elk. The main feature in the Liard Corridor is the Grand Canyon of the Liard, a 30 km (18 mile) stretch of rapids. Riverboats can get upstream as far as Sulphur Creek.

Canadian Rockies: Willmore Wilderness Park (Map 31/A2)
Activities: Camp, Hike, Bike, Horseback, Cross Country Ski, Snowshoe, Hunt, Fish, Wildlife View.
Willmore Wilderness represents some of the last unexploited habitat for wildlife such as mountain goats, bighorn sheep, bear, caribou, cougars and wolves. Although not as large as Jasper, located immediately to the south, this park contains scenery every bit as spectacular. It offers an almost perfect blend of soaring peaks, high alpine passes and raging rivers. It would be a popular destination if it just weren’t so hard to access. There are no roads into the 4,600 sq. km park, so if you want to get anywhere in the park, you will have to walk or more likely ride a horse. In total there are about 750 km (458 miles) of trails in the park that vary in both difficulty and usability, as some of the older trails are getting brushed it over.  There are three main access points into the park, two of which are on these maps: Big Berland (Map 42/A7), and Rock Lake (Map 31/A4).

Southwestern Ontario: Point Pelee National Park (Map 3 Inset)
Activities: Picnic, Beach, Swim, Canoe, Hike, Bike, Cross Country Ski, Snowshoe, Fish, Wildlife View. Wheelchair accessible, Reservations required, Brochure Available.
Point Pelee is one of the most important inland wetland areas for migrating birds in North America. Throughout the year, the area is home to hundreds of bird and animal species, but it is during spring and fall when the locale really comes alive. It is at this time that the migrating birds stop en route to their distant destinations. Over two thirds of Point Pelee National Park is comprised of marshland, as it is the largest marsh in the Great Lakes basin. Visitors to Point Pelee can get a close up view of the marsh and its wildlife by hiking along the famous Marsh Boardwalk. The boardwalk is one of the longest in the country and is a great way to explore the wetland. Another fantastic way to explore the wetlands is by canoe. Guided paddles are offered during the summer, and will take visitors through the marsh in a large freighter canoe. Other outdoor activities available at Point Pelee include a large selection of hiking trails, biking along the many park roads and over 20 km (12 mi) of sandy beach to explore or relax on. In winter, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and skating on the frozen pond are popular pursuits. In the past, Point Pelee was a very popular camping destination park. So much so that the park eventually has had to cease camping to the general public in order to limit the stress on the park’s natural environment. Call 1-866-787-3533 or (519) 322-2365 for picnic reservations or for general park information, such as migration information. The park information line is available 24 hours a day at (519) 322-2371.

Nova Scotia: Kejimkujik National Park (Map 6/D1, 11/D6)
Activities: Camp/RV, Picnic, Beach, Swim, Hike, Bike, Canoe, Fish, Mountain Climb, Cross Country Ski, Snowshoe, Wildlife View. Wheelchair accessible.
Kejimkujik (pronounced: kej-im-koo’-jik) National Park is an easily accessible wilderness park in the centre of southwest Nova Scotia. The park offers an incredible array of hiking opportunities, with 14 different day hikes and 91 km (56.4 miles) of trails through a variety of terrain (See our Trails section for more details). Many of these trails make fine cross-country or backcountry ski destinations. However, to truly discover the park, a canoe is recommended since 80% of the backcountry is accessible by water. Wildlife is abundant in the area.
Camping options include something to suit everyone’s needs. The Jeremys Bay Campground is available year-round, while there are group camping sites at Jim Charles Point. Wilderness campsites are scattered throughout the park. Some are just a short paddle along Kejimkujik Lake, while others are in the backcountry requiring extended paddling or hiking to reach. Winter camping is possible from November to may, or you can ski in and stay at Mason’s Cabin at Pebbleloggitch Lake. The cabin and group campsites must be reserved, while reservations for all others are recommended. Call the Park Office at (902) 682-2772. Backcountry users must also register with the park office.

Tips

To avoid unwelcome visitors when front country camping, food must be stored safely in your vehicle. Picnic tables and the surrounding areas must be free of food scraps and dishes are not to be left out.

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