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Algonquin Park Ice Conditions

Algonquin Park Backcountry Camping Reopens - Ontario Parks has announced that Algonquin Park's backcountry will reopen for camping starting April 12, 2024. Algonquin Park's backcountry previously closed to camping from March 31 to May 2, 2024, for the spring thaw, is reopening three weeks earlier than planned.

Algonquin Park Official Ice Out - April 10, 2024

Algonquin Park's official ice out was declared as April 10, 2024. Observations at the Lake Opeongo Access Point confirm visible ice on April 9, prior to strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms later in the evening. On April 10, 2024, both aerial and ground observations, plus satellite imagery, confirmed that a boat would have been able to safely navigated from the Lake Opeongo Access Point to the Happy Isle Portage in the North Arm of Lake Opeongo.

This year's ice out date of April 10 ties the third earliest date in 60 years of detailed record keeping in Algonquin Park. The official ice out date for Algonquin Park has ranged from March 29 (2012) to as late as May 15 (1972), see below for details.

On April 9, 2024, warm temperatures, plus approaching strong winds, heavy rain, and thunderstorms removed much of the fragile ice remaining on Algonquin Park's lakes. As of April 10, 2024, all lakes visible from the Highway 60 Corridor of Algonquin Park are open, but some still had small amounts of floating ice in sheltered bays.

Lake of Two Rivers became ice-free on the afternoon of April 9, 2024. Watch a time-lapse of the thawing of the ice below.

Algonquin Park is one of the last areas to shed its ice cover in south-central Ontario. This webpage, provided by The Friends of Algonquin Park, tracks the progress of ice out in Algonquin Park. Check back for updates.

Lake of Two Rivers 2024 Time-Lapse: Ice Out April 9, 2024

This three week time-lapse documents ice out at Lake of Two Rivers using more than 2,150 images. This time-lapse from March 19 to April 9, 2024 is brought to you by The Friends of Algonquin Park, in partnership with Killarney Lodge. The official ice out date for Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park was April 9, 2024 (afternoon).

Lake of Two Rivers is a medium sized lake located in south central Algonquin Park. Lake of Two Rivers entire lake surface, covering 315 hectares (780 acres), is easily observed from Highway 60 allowing for detailed freeze and thaw data to be recorded over the years. On average, Lake of Two Rivers freezes on December 11 and thaws on April 25. Ice out dates can vary widely and in the past 45+ years, ice out on Lake of Two Rivers has ranged from as early as March 30 (2012) to as late as May 10 (2018). For 2023, the ice out date for Lake of Two Rivers was April 20. On average Lake of Two Rivers sheds its ice cover 3 days earlier than Lake Opeongo, Algonquin Park's largest lake, and the basis for declaring Algonquin Park's ice out (see below for historical ice out information).

Algonquin Park Ice Out History

For almost 60 years, the average ice out date for Lake Opeongo, Algonquin's largest lake, is April 28. Given variations in winter and spring conditions, the ice out dates for Lake Opeongo have ranged from March 29 (2012) to as late as May 15 (1972). During 2022, the ice out date for Lake Opeongo was April 25. For 2023, the ice out date for Lake Opeongo was April 23.

Technically, the official ice out date for Algonquin Park is recorded when a boat can safely navigate from the Lake Opeongo Access Point to the Happy Isle Portage in the North Arm of Lake Opeongo.

Algonquin Park Images - Spring 2024

A selection of recent images from Algonquin Park. See the caption for the date and location.

April conditions are extremely important in determining the ice out date for Algonquin Park. Heavy rainfall events, high winds, and warm temperatures all help to speed up ice removal, while cold, snowy conditions can slow the removal of ice from lakes. Watch the Algonquin Park weather forecast for conditions, which are generally colder and snowier than surrounding areas as a result of the Park’s high elevation (the highest in southern Ontario).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 20, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 21, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 22, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 23, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 24, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 25, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 26, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 27, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 28, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 29, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 30, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on March 31, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 1, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 2, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 3, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 4, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 5, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 6, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 7, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 8, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Image: Lake of Two Rivers in Algonquin Park on April 9, 2024 (click to enlarge).

Latest Satellite Imagery

Below is satellite imagery of the Algonquin Park area. Imagery is taken on a regular basis with the best images recorded when cloud cover is minimal, which can be infrequent during late winter/spring. Clear images are posted to highlight the overall changes in ice conditions in south-central Ontario.

Image: Detailed image of Lake Opeongo taken on April 10, 2024, showing open water conditions. Only a small amount of floating ice is visible in the East Arm, that would not impede navigation from the Lake Opeongo Backcountry Access Point to the Happy Isle Portage in the North Arm. If verified by ground observations, this would mean the official ice out date for Lake Opeongo, and thus all of Algonquin Park is April 10, 2024. This date would tie the third earliest ice out record for Algonquin Park since detailed recording keeping began in 1964.

Image: Satellite image taken on April 7, 2024, showing the boundary of Algonquin Park. Lakes showing black are open, while lakes showing various shades of gray remain ice covered but the ice is of decreasing quality. The strongest ice appears bright white. Click to enlarge the image.

Image: Various stages of ice out in Algonquin Park on April 7, 2024. Compare ice conditions at Round Island Lake (open), Shirley Lake (partially open), and Booth Lake (ice covered).

Image: Detailed image of Lake Opeongo taken on March 31, 2024. Ice showing white is the strongest, ice with shades of gray is of decreasing quality, while black waterbodies are open. Note Bonfield Lake and Lee Lake (upper right corner of the image) which are showing open water. Click to enlarge the image.

Satellite Image Comparison By Year

Below are satellite images of the Algonquin Park area from recent years and the official ice out date for that year for comparison purposes.

The spring of 2012 was record early by about a month and ice on Lake Opeongo melted by March 29. All lakes in Algonquin Park were ice free by April 2, 2012.

Snow Depth in Algonquin Park

The snow depth recorded by Environment Canada at Algonquin Park's East Gate over the last 2 weeks.

During the early spring, snow depth in Algonquin Park varies greatly depending upon location. On south facing slopes that receive the strongest spring sunshine the ground can be bare, while on shaded north facing slopes snow depths can exceed the values listed below.

Spring and Safety

Please remember that The Friends of Algonquin Park advises against ice travel due to a range of environmental variables and the difficulty in detecting hazards. Be safe, stay off the ice. Park visitors are encouraged to stay away from fast moving and icy cold water at this time of year.

Water temperature in spring remains just above freezing for many days after ice out. Submersion in cold water can quickly lead to hypothermia (a potentially deadly situation). Reduce the risks, by wearing a PFD, stay close to shore, paddle according to your skill/experience level, pack the proper safety gear, and don't take unnecessary risks.

Cold Water Paddling

Even though Algonquin Park lakes will become ice free, water temperature during spring remains just above freezing for many days after ice out. Submersion in icy cold water can quickly lead to severe hypothermia, a potentially deadly situation. Reduce the risks by:

wearing a PFD (personal flotation device) while on the water;
staying close to shore;
paddling according to your skill/experience level and the weather conditions;
packing the proper safety gear; and
not taking unnecessary risks.
Learning more about hypothermia and cold water before you paddle.

For the latest Algonquin Park closures and restrictions see Algonquin Park Advisories.