14 best places to visit in Ontario for winter adventure

Northwest Ontario

Quetico Provincial Park: View the northern lights

Embrace the snowy silence and starry skies of winter at Quetico Provincial Park in Northwestern Ontario.

Designated as a Dark Sky Preserve in 2021, this wilderness park is one of the top locations in Canada to view the night sky and winter offers your best chance of witnessing spectacular northern lights displays. Book one of the Park’s two heated camping pods or three winterized cabins and step outside to see waves of white, green, red and pink lights dancing across the sky as solar storms interact with the Earth’s magnetic field.

Explore Quetico’s winter woods and frozen lakes from the network of groomed cross-country ski and snowshoe trails that leave right from your doorstep.

The friendly town of Atikokan serves as a gateway to the park, offering amenities and accommodations, as well as the Beaten Path Nordic Trails which provide an additional 30 kilometres of volunteer-maintained ski trails.

Atikokan is accessible from the U.S. via International Falls/Fort Frances from the west, and from Grand Portage/Pigeon River from the east.

Thunder Bay: Embrace winter at the lakehead

Northern Ontario’s second-largest city sits on the shore of mighty Lake Superior, at the foot of the Nor’Wester Mountains. The rugged intersection of water, rock and boreal forest makes Thunder Bay an epic place to get outside in winter.

Consistently cold temperatures and long winters create some of the best wild ice skating in Ontario. Try Cloud Lake or Sturgeon Bay in nearby Neebing or head to Silver Harbour Conservation Area for good early-season conditions. Inquire locally about ice safety before heading out—the Thunder Bay Hiking Group on Facebook is a good starting point.

Hit the trails on a fat bike at Centennial Park and Shuniah Mines. Rentals are available from local shop Rollin’ Thunder.

For a winter thrill unlike any other, guided ice climbing excursions with Outdoor Skills and Thrills put first-time climbers on some of the best vertical ice in Canada.

Just 30 minutes west of town, Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park is open year-round, with groomed cross-country ski trails and viewing platforms overlooking the “Niagara of the North.”

Stay downtown at the boutique Courthouse Hotel or the lake-view Prince Arthur Waterfront Hotel and Suites. For easy access to the slopes of Loch Lomond Ski Area and mountain views right from your room, try the Best Western Plus Nor’Wester Hotel.

Sleeping Giant Provincial Park: Ski the shores of Lake Superior

While you’re in the Thunder Bay area, make time for an excursion to Sleeping Giant Provincial Park.

The park offers five heated cabins and 50 kilometres of groomed ski trails looping through the spectacular landscapes of the Sibley Peninsula, where views of 300-metre-high cliffs resemble a giant slumbering on its back.

Plan to visit in early March to join 650 other skiers from across Canada and the U.S. for the annual Sleeping Giant Loppet. This ski festival offers distance challenges for every skill level, with prime trail conditions at a time when more southerly ski areas are wrapping up their season. For winter fun on wheels, check out the park’s Fat Bike Loppet.

Sault Ste. Marie and Algoma

Sault Ste. Marie: Ski, snowshoe and fat bike the Algoma Highlands

Billing itself as “Ontario’s premier outdoor adventure town,” the city of Sault Ste. Marie serves as a gateway to the Algoma Highlands.

This sparsely populated region of eroded Canadian Shield mountains once rivalled the Rockies in size and grandeur. Each winter, storms blowing across the Great Lakes bestow the Highlands with deep and fluffy lake effect snowfall.

The sprawling trail network at Stokely Creek Lodge comprises the fourth-largest cross-country ski area in North America, complete with cozy trailside warming huts. Day passes, rentals, lessons and all-inclusive stay-play-eat packages are available. More outstanding skiing awaits at the nearby Hiawatha Highlands trail system. You can also rent fat bikes here and take them out on groomed trails.

For a truly unique winter experience, join a local outfitter for a guided snowshoe tour, ski adventure or introduction to winter camping. Half-day tours with Forest the Canoe include an unforgettable ice caves excursion on the frozen shores of Lake Superior (March only, call ahead to check availability). Thrive Tours offers nature-focused snowshoeing experiences with insights into Indigenous practices and philosophies.

Plan to overnight in the Soo before or after your adventure. The comfortable Water Tower Inn offers trail recommendations, indoor pools and a spa. The Clergue Park ice skating trail is a short walk from the Delta Hotels Sault Ste. Marie Waterfront. Time your visit to coincide with Bon Soo, Sault Ste. Marie’s annual winter festival.

Searchmont Resort: Family fun on the slopes

Just 30 minutes northeast of Sault Ste. Marie is one of Ontario’s top ski areas.

Searchmont Resort offers great terrain, no lift lines and epic snowfalls (up to four metres annually). Rated among the best in the Midwest, Searchmont offers over 200 metres (700 feet) of vertical, terrain parks and glade and bush trails for the more adventurous.

The resort’s newly renovated slopeside suites are perfect for a comfortable and convenient family stay. Lessons, rentals and night skiing/riding are available. If you’re skipping the slopes, Searchmont offers a cozy chalet and scenic Nordic skiing.

Northeastern Ontario

Killarney Provincial Park: Experience winter glamping

For outdoor enthusiasts, yurt or rustic cabin “glamping” is a must-try winter experience—and the snow-covered pines, ancient La Cloche Mountains and icy lakes of Killarney Provincial Park provide a picture-perfect backdrop.

Explore snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails and look for the tracks of winter residents like moose, deer, wolves, martens and bobcats.

Killarney offers six heated yurts and two rustic cabins for rent during the winter months. All are found in George Lake Campground, about 500 metres from the main office, and accessible by ski/snowshoe only and a toboggan is available to help shuttle your gear. If you don’t have your own, snowshoes can be rented through the Friends of Killarney Park, which is a popular winter destination, so make reservations well in advance.

Nearby Windy Lake Provincial Park, just west of Sudbury, also offers winter yurt stays and excellent groomed ski trails. Rentals are available through the Onaping Falls Nordics Ski Club.

Sudbury: Ski, skate, pedal and stay

Sudbury boasts outstanding winter recreation combined with all the amenities, attractions and amazing food experiences of one of Northern Ontario’s most vibrant cities.

For starters, put Kivi Park at the top of your list. This incredible natural park in the heart of Greater Sudbury contains over 55 kilometres of trails for fat biking, Nordic skiing and winter hiking (rentals available from Adventure365). Ice skaters can glide through the park’s beautiful birch trees on a 1.3-kilometre skating path, illuminated at night with twinkling lights.

Enjoy more ice skating on Ramsey Lake, where you can hit your stride on a 1.5-kilometre-long swath of natural ice. Lace up in Bell Park, located just east of Science North, one of Sudbury’s top attractions and a great option if you’re visiting with kids.

Warm up downtown at Da Capo Café & Lounge or Kuppajo Espresso Bar. Find more places to eat, play and stay at Discover Sudbury.

Mattawa Valley: Discover the “other” Algonquin

The enchanting snow-filled forests, meandering wildlife trails and silent highlands of Algonquin Park don’t end at its northern border. Head east from North Bay on Trans-Canada Highway 17 into the rugged Laurentian Mountain landscapes of the Mattawa River valley.

Stay off-grid at Nature’s Harmony Ecolodge in a cozy yurt, woodstove-heated glamping tent or log cabin, and explore this eco-resort’s pristine trail system on snowshoes, backcountry skis or by kick-sled—a traditional Scandinavian snow scooter.

Visit Von Doeler’s Ranch, where you can amble through the frosty forest while listening to the soft crunch of snow under hooves. The ranch is open daily for winter trail riding and four-season lessons.

For downhill thrills, ski and ride at Mattawa’s Antoine Mountain, a hidden gem with stunning views of the Ottawa River valley and Ontario’s longest run.

The North Bay Nordic Ski Club offers lit trails for night skiing, equipment rental and lessons.

Algonquin Park, Muskoka and Parry Sound

Algonquin Provincial Park: Off-grid winter retreat

Thronged with summer campers and fall colour crowds, rugged Algonquin Provincial Park is stunning in winter, and you’re likely to have much of the 7,635 square kilometres to yourself—along with winter wildlife, including wolves, moose and (hibernating) bears.

For a DIY winter getaway, reserve one of seven heated yurts at Mew Lake Campground and choose from eight snowshoe and cross-country ski trails accessible from Highway 60 in winter. Rent skis and snowshoes from Algonquin Outfitters in Huntsville, just 30 minutes from the park.

For an all-inclusive, off-grid Algonquin Park experience, Northern Edge Algonquin offers guided winter retreats from the base on Kawawaymog Lake in the northwest corner of the park. Bundle up for dog sledding, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, kick-sledding and ice-skating excursions, then cozy in for gourmet candlelit meals and cabin lodging with a wood-fired sauna.

Nearby, Voyageur Quest hosts similar guided getaways at the Algonquin Log Cabin, as well as a unique winter introduction to backcountry hot tent camping.

Muskoka: Cottage country without the crowds

The quiet return of winter is the perfect time to experience the magic of Muskoka. Base yourself in the charming community of Bracebridge and explore at a relaxed pace.

Liv Outside is your hub for exciting winter activities. Rent fat bikes and backcountry skis, take a guided ride on the groomed trails or book an introductory ice climbing package.

Visit in late January to catch the Bracebridge Fire and Ice Festival, when fireworks fill the night sky and the main street is piled with snow and transformed into a giant tobogganing hill. Warm up with a steaming mochaccino at Capsize Coffee, tucked inside Cedar Canoe Books. 

Just 40 minutes away, the Cranberry Ice Trail at Muskoka Lakes Farm & Winery is the only ice skating trail in Ontario with an on-site winery. After your skate, relax by a crackling fire while sipping on hot mulled cider or wine. Snowshoe trails and rentals are also available.

Stay on the shores of Lake Muskoka at Touchstone Resort, or reserve a room downtown at the historic Inn at the Falls or cozy Jypsy Inn. Find more places to stay, play and eat at Discover Muskoka.

Huntsville: Best of winter in north Muskoka

Much more than simply the gateway to Algonquin Park, the friendly town of Huntsville is a wonderful winter destination of its own. Stroll the snowy downtown and grab a bite to eat, then bundle up for outdoor fun.

The experts at Find Your Wild help outdoor enthusiasts reconnect with nature on guided snowshoe safaris.

Mush down narrow forest trails with your own dogsledding team at North Ridge Ranch—join friendly Alaskan huskies for one-hour or half-day tours. End your day gliding through lantern-lit snowy woods on an evening horse-drawn sleigh ride with Back of Beyond Equine Centre.

More winter adventure awaits with Arrowhead Provincial Park’s beginner-friendly Nordic ski trails and popular forest ice skating trail (rentals are available on-site). Stay trailside in one of 13 heated cabins and make reservations for cabins and day use, along with their Fire & Ice Night Skating, in advance.

Alternatively, book a cozy log cottage at Cedar Grove Lodge and enjoy a traditional Muskoka experience with on-site dining and winter activities.

For downhill enthusiasts, Ski and Stay packages at Hidden Valley Highlands Ski Area are available from Deerhurst Resort and Hidden Valley Resort—both perch on the shore of Peninsula Lake with easy access to the ski hill.

Almaguin Highlands: Winter wilderness basecamp

Bordering the west side of Algonquin Park, the beautiful Almaguin Highlands are one of Ontario’s best-kept secrets. Tucked among the snowy hills and countless frozen lakes, welcoming lodges and outfitters make it easy to plan the ultimate winter basecamp.

Fern Glen Inn B&B offers a classic bed-and-breakfast stay, with a twist—the inn is nestled on 120 wooded acres with 10 kilometres of private snowshoeing trails to explore (equipment provided).

Missing Link Adventure Tours’ organic farm-stay switches gears in the winter, with fat biking retreats, snowshoe trails and a great tobogganing hill. Choose a self-catering stay or book a food package to simplify meals.

Winter glamping allows you to immerse yourself in the snowy landscape without skimping on comforts. Book the Stargazer Geodome at Deer Lake Wilderness Retreat (snowshoes are provided with your stay) or snuggle into the aptly named Cozy Cabin in the woods. Nearby, drive your own dogsled at family-run Sugardogs Adventure Co.

Head to the hamlet of Kearney to experience glamping in a Mongolian-style yurt at Pit Stop 518. Woodstove heating and thick quilts keep things comfy, with optional food delivery right to your yurt door. Strap on snowshoes or skin-skis to explore Kearney’s Bare Rock Trail system.

Rent equipment from Algonquin Basecamp, or sign up for their complete winter hot tenting package if you’re ready to take your winter glamping to the backcountry.

Bruce, Grey and Simcoe

Bruce Peninsula National Park: Snowshoe the Grotto

The white cliffs and azure waters of Bruce Peninsula National Park make this iconic park one of Ontario’s busiest during summer. Avoid the crowds by visiting in winter, when Georgian Bay’s sparkling waters create fantastical ice sculptures along the limestone shoreline.

Reserve one of 10 woodstove-heated yurts at Cypress Lake and head out early to witness sunrise at the Grotto; this stunning sea cave is even more impressive in winter when snow and ice transform ancient cedars into “phantom” trees.

Park trails are not maintained in winter, so snowshoes or microspikes are recommended. Plan to bring your own (rentals are not available in the park or nearby), or join a guided snowshoe trek to the Grotto with EcoAdventures from January through March.

Blue Mountain Resort: Play in the snow in Collingwood

No list of the best places to visit in Ontario in winter would be complete without a mention of Blue Mountain Resort—the province’s largest ski resort, ranking third in Canada after British Columbia’s Whistler-Blackcomb and Quebec’s Mont-Tremblant. Like these internationally known winter destinations, Blue Mountain offers much more than alpine skiing and snowboarding.

Alongside Blue Mountain’s 42 runs, freestyle terrain and lively pedestrian village, you can enjoy a wide range of on- and off-resort activities, including winter caving, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, snow tubing, mountaintop ice skating, luxurious Scandinavian spas and great restaurants.

Blue Mountain Resort’s Ski and Stay package includes ski lift tickets for every guest in your reservation, along with cozy resort accommodations. Just remember to book accommodation and activities well in advance for this popular winter getaway.

Resist the temptation to hibernate indoors and let the magic of winter awaken your sense of adventure. Embrace the fresh landscapes and thrilling adventures the winter season delivers in Ontario.