Algonquin Park's Winter in the Wild Festival

Winter in the Wild Returns February 14, 2026

The Friends of Algonquin Park and Ontario Parks are proud to announce Winter in the Wild Festival happening in Algonquin Park on February 14, 2026 (the Saturday of Family Day Weekend). This family-friendly festival celebrates winter in Algonquin Park through indoor and outdoor events held at various locations throughout the Highway 60 Corridor of Algonquin Park, including many at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre.

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Winter in the Wild Festival Events - February 14, 2026

All of the activities during the Winter in the Wild Festival are free with the purchase of a Daily Vehicle Permit or Camping Permit (with the exception of food at the barbecue).

Guided Walk: Birds and Bogs - 10:00am to 11:30am

Meet at Spruce Bog Boardwalk Trail (km 42.5) [outdoor]

Join Discovery Program staff as they go looking and listening for some of the “Algonquin Specialties” such as Canada Jay, Spruce Grouse and Boreal Chickadee all the while being aware of the other natural phenomena in our midst. A limited number of binoculars will be available to loan to participants.

Participants should wear multiple 'layers', sturdy, winter-appropriate footwear, gloves or mitts and a winter hat. No dogs permitted.

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Wildlife Snowshoe Excursion - 11:30am to 1:00pm

Meet at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre Main Parking Lot (km 43.0) [outdoor]

Discover what Algonquin wildlife is active in winter while exploring infrequently traveled areas by snowshoe. This excursion will be led by a Park Naturalist with The Friends of Algonquin Park. There will be limited snowshoes available to borrow courtesy of The Friends of Algonquin Park however bring your own if you prefer. This excursion will require moderate physical fitness and is suitable for all ages. Instruction will be provided on snowshoeing technique.

Participants should wear multiple 'layers', sturdy, winter-appropriate footwear, gloves or mitts and a winter hat.

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Keynote Speaker: A Look Back at Winter Recreation in Algonquin Park with Emily Welsh - 11:30am to 12:30pm

Meet at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre Theatre (km 43.0) [indoor, seating capacity 100]

Image: Snowshoer standing on the railroad tracks, Algonquin Park Station, Cache Lake, 1915. APPAC, 1995.1.10, Harry and Adele Ebbs.

Each year visitors enjoy the winter wonderland of Algonquin Park, but have we always enjoyed it in the same way? Join Emily Welsh, Collections Coordinator with The Friends of Algonquin Park, to explore photographs and records from the Algonquin Provincial Park Archives and Collections and see what winter activities were like for those experiencing Algonquin Park over 100 years ago.

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Ask the Discovery Naturalist, Animal Winter Adaptations - 12:30pm to 2:00pm

Meet at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre (km 43.0) [indoor]

Join a Discovery Program staff in exploring some of Algonquin’s incredible wildlife through different artifacts and objects at a Discovery station. Bring your questions, pictures, and stories!

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Keynote Speaker: The Temagami Historical Map Project with Craig Macdonald - 1:30pm to 2:30pm

Meet at the Algonquin Park Visitor Centre Theatre (km 43.0) [indoor, seating capacity 100]

Craig Macdonald, a lifelong, self-taught cartographer, ethnographer, artist, and former Algonquin Park Ranger will specifically reference some of the largely unknown winter trails and sledding equipment historically used in the backcountry of Algonquin Park. In the past 46 years, he has made three crossings of Algonquin Park on snowshoes all on separate routes east-west and north-south and countless winter treks far into the Algonquin Park's backcountry as well as many other locations in Eastern Canada, as far north as Ungava.

In the 1960s, Craig Macdonald began a relentless documentation of not only where Indigenous trappers and their families travelled in northern Ontario but also how they moved - particularly in winter - by building and deploying a wide array of sleds and toboggans. To enable this highly detailed study, Craig became conversant in Anishinaabemowin and learned smatterings of Cree and Inuktitut before conducting interviews with dozens of Elders over a span of nearly forty years.

The first publication to emerge from this remarkable body of research was the Historical Map of Temagami, published in 1993 by the Ontario Geographical Names Board. This massive project - for the first time ever - documented the principal routes used for travel and communication before the advent of dams, roads and railways in mid-north Ontario. The large-format map, singular in the Canadian cartographic canon, is especially treasured by the Teme-Augama Anishinaabe. It has been consulted by academics, jurists and politicians, and used as evidence of enduring traditional land use in land-claim trials before both the Ontario Superior Court of Justice and the Supreme Court of Canada.

Craig Macdonald’s newest book, Traditional Sledding in North America, is an equally consequential outcome of a lifetime of primary research. This notable book - developed through respectful partnership with countless knowledge keepers, many of whom have since travelled on - is precious and unique. The contents capture a body of traditional Indigenous knowledge and know-how from coast to coast to coast, which might otherwise have been lost. With that instruction and fuelled by his own insatiable drive, Craig Macdonald has produced a winter traveller's guide for all time.

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Winter Camping Demonstrations - 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Meet at Mew Lake Campground (km 30.8) [outdoor]

Algonquin Park is open to both car camping and backcountry camping year round. Drop by and check out the winter camping demonstrations at Mew Lake Campground. Experienced campers will be on hand to answer your questions and to demonstrate various styles of accommodations and gear.

Participants should wear multiple 'layers', sturdy, winter-appropriate footwear, gloves/mitts and a winter hat.

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Ice Skating, Campfire, and Barbecue - 3:00pm to 6:00pm

Meet at Mew Lake Campground (km 30.8) [outdoor]

Roast a marshmallow, sip hot chocolate, and get warmed by the fire. Bring your skates and try out the Mew Lake Campground skating rink.

There will be a charity barbecue dinner available for sale featuring hot dogs ($3) plus beef and veggie burgers ($5). Tickets may be purchased in advance at the Visitor Centre information desk, or during the barbecue at Mew Lake Campground. Barbecue proceeds support the ongoing charitable work of The Friends of Algonquin Park.

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Guided Walk: Night Hike - 6:00pm to 8:00pm

Meet at Mew Lake Campground (km 30.8) [outdoor]

Come join Discovery Program staff to explore the sights and sounds of winter at night. After a fireside introduction to Algonquin Park wildlife, we will walk into the woods and look for signs of wildlife, and check out the night sky. No dogs allowed on hike.

Participants should wear multiple 'layers', sturdy, winter-appropriate footwear, gloves or mitts and a winter hat. We will be walking a total distance of approximately 2 km round-trip. Headlamps/flashlights recommended.

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Event Sponsors

A special thanks to the following companies who make it possible to deliver special activities at Algonquin Park's Winter in the Wild Festival. If your company would like to sponsor an event please contact Stacey at 613 637-2828 extension 239.

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See past event images on The Friends of Algonquin Park's Facebook page.

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Related Information

• Winter in Algonquin Park
• Special Events in Algonquin Park
• Skiing
• Current Ski Trail Conditions
• Current Snow Depth
• Camping at Mew Lake Campground
• Accommodation Outside Algonquin Park