Wayback Article: Algonquin Logging Trails
June 28th, 2006 - Roadwolf's Corner - Algonquin Logging Trails
By: Roadwolf
Algonquin Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada has long been known by many to be a natural and wild area. However not many know, that Algonquin is actually a logging reserve. In the deep back country of Algonquin Park, there lies many thousands of kilometers of logging roads, and during the week days, you will often find logging crews working away.
Recently some Enviormentalists who call themselves the "Sierra Legal Defence Fund" have discovered these logging roads, and seem to think that they are a very bad thing. I find this very annoying, as The logging roads are a very nice way to get very deep into the wilderness of the park. There are places where you can drive in so far that your 100 km from anything even close to civilization. The logging is done selectivly, and you can hardly tell that the forrest is logged. Look at the photo in the article for example. That was taken on a Logging road deep within algonquin. Can you tell the area was logged? I can't.
The logging roads are usually off limits to unauthorized vehicles. However if your clever, and ensure you have an Algonquin Park day permit, you will be perfectly fine on some of the more accessable logging trails, assuming you can find them.
The above image is from google maps, and was taken at a random location in the middle of Algonquin Park. As you can see, there is a clearly defined logging road, along with several smaller trails branching off from it (that you can barely see). The forrest is full and green, and there is very little other signs of human intervention. The Logging has been going on within the park for a hundred years if not more, and they have been able to tweak the operations to the point now, where it does very little impact on the wilderness. The roads and trails offer the wildlife of the park, quick game trails, to travel from one feeding area to another.
The Ministry of Natural Rescources, is the government agency which oversees the operations of the Provincial Park system. They have yet to comment on this issue, however they do patrol and enforce tresspassing laws in regards to people illegally using the logging roads. The Enviormentalists are blaming the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines over this issue, and have forced the MNDM to remove maps of said logging roads from their website.
Anyhow, These roads are a very wonderful place to explore and discover. I hope they remain a part of the Algonquin expierance for years to come, however... I hope they remain secluded and somewhat off limits, because it is the fact that not many people know about them, that make them fun.