Say goodbye to summer and hello to fall. What better way to embrace the crisp autumn air than with a nice, long walk?
The first signs of fall are slowly starting to appear across Canada, with leaves changing colour and the sun setting earlier — well before 7:30 p.m. in some regions.
Iceland’s flagship airline, Icelandair, recently released a ranking of the world’s most colourful autumn walks, and three Canadian parks cracked the top 10.
To create the ranking, Icelandair analyzed the five predominant colour palettes of 50 renowned autumn walking destinations. Each palette was scored based on how closely it aligned with autumn colours, the diversity of its shades, and its overall vibrancy.
If you’re planning some domestic travel to celebrate the new season, perhaps these spots are worth adding to your itinerary.
4. Algonquin Provincial Park, Ont.
Algonquin Provincial Park was ranked the fourth-best spot in the world for a fall walk, with an overall score of 9.06/10.
Algonquin is particularly famous for its sugar and red maples. As the oldest provincial park in Ontario and the first provincial park in Canada, it sprawls across 7,000 sq. km and features 1,500 lakes. There are 14 designated hiking trails within the park, more than 2,000 canoe routes and plenty of spots to take in a gorgeous sunset, too.
It appears the window to catch Algonquin in all its colourful glory is relatively small. This website shows that parts of Algonquin’s forest are already beginning to show off a vibrant mix of red, orange and yellow hues.
9. La Mauricie National Park, Que.
La Mauricie National Park was ranked the ninth-best spot in the world for an autumn walk, with an overall score of 8.78/10.
Located near the Laurentian Mountains and the Saint Lawrence River, some refer to it as “the Quebec fall foliage destination that nobody talks about.” The park’s maple forests produce bright reds and oranges as anthocyanins develop in the leaves, writes Canadian Spirit.
The park covers 536 sq. km and is home to 150 lakes and small ponds. It’s also crisscrossed by hiking trails that come alive with orange, red and yellow colours when fall officially arrives.
Forests cover about 93 per cent of the park, with maple and yellow birch the most common on sunny slopes, and balsam fir, pine and spruce can be found around rocky cliffs and wetter areas.
Experts recommend visiting in early October, when the fall colours are typically at their peak.
10. Cape Breton Highlands National Park, N.S.
Rounding out the top 10 list of the best destinations for fall walks is Cape Breton Highlands National Park, with an overall score of 8.77/10.
The park was established in 1936 and spans 950 sq. km, with dramatic cliffs rising as high as 300 metres above the Atlantic Ocean. It’s home to 26 hiking trails, including the famous 6.5-kilometre Skyline Trail, where a wooden boardwalk leads to a headland with sweeping views of the ocean.
The Aspy Trail is another great spot to catch the fall colours in late September and early October. We’re talking orange and yellow maple-covered hills, brilliant red blueberry fields, golden grasses and colourful ferns, with pops of autumn colour throughout.
Otherworldly destinations on Icelandair’s list include Acadia National Park in Maine, U.S., which took the top spot this year, and Spain’s Irati Forest.
Do you have some favourite parks in Canada for a nice autumn walk? Let us know in the comments.
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