Esker Lakes Provincial Park

06/17/2026

Although hiking in pairs or groups is great, sometimes we just want to hike all by our lonesome. And that’s why we have the Lonesome Bog trail!

Just kidding! Whether you’re in a group or alone, the Lonesome Bog trail has something for everyone!

On the Lonesome Bog you will:

🥾 Traverse through the bog itself aboard wooden boardwalks, keeping an eye out for bog plants sprouting from a blanket of sphagnum moss.

🥾Take a break halfway through, on the viewing platform to observe the beginnings of bog taking root on Sausage Lake.

🥾Take some watercolours/pencils and paper with you to document the colour changes through the season!

Check out this blog more sights on the Lonesome Bogs trail: https://blog.ontarioparks.ca/hitting-the-trail-at-esker-lakes/

[Image 1: A wooden boardwalk winds through a lush forest with tall trees on either side, surrounded by green foliage.]

[Image 2: A wetland scene featuring lush green vegetation.]

06/10/2026

🌞 As the whether warms up and we slowly come upon summer, we can see glimpses of green in our forest’s understory!

🌿 Among the dead fall of last year, these exciting peeks of green are the sign of new life (and in some cases extensions of previous generations)!

Keep your eye out on the forest understory for these plants:

🌱Image 1: Trailing Arbutus
🌱Image 2: Lowbush Blueberry
🌱Image 3: Bluebead Lily


🌼 Let us know what your favourite spring plant/flower is!

[Image 1: A single green leaf is emerging from a bed of moss, lichen, and twigs.]
[Image 2:Close-up of a plant with green leaves and two small, white, bell-shaped flowers hanging from a stem.]
Image 3: A cluster of small white flowers surrounded by green leaves and grass, with sunlight illuminating the scene.]

06/06/2026

It's National Trails Day, and boy does Esker Lakes have some trails for you!

Each of our trails embody a different environment, offering a diverse experience to our landscape:

🌲Prospector’s Trail: This 1.4 km, 1 hour, easy trail skirts southern shore of Panagapka Lake while giving you an opportunity to view some mysterious artifacts.

🌲Lonesome Bog Trail: This 1.5 km, 1 hour, easy picturesque trail takes you around Sausage Lake, occasionally by boardwalk right over a boreal bog! Pay close attention to the unique plants that grow here!

🌲Recreation Trail: This 1.5 km, 1 hour, easy but meandering trail tests your boreal plant knowledge!

Let us know what your favourite trail at Esker Lakes is!

[Image 1: A scenic view of a calm, reflective lake surrounded by a forest of tall pine trees with a trail in the foreground.]

06/05/2026

🌎Today is World Environment Day! 🌎

🌲Esker Lakes has so much to discover from the tall spruce trees sprouting from our lonesome bog trail to sandy eskers that remind us of our glacial past!

🚣While we continue to enjoy these prized environments, conserving and maintaining these areas is a priority to our staff!

🗑️You can also play your part in the upkeep of the ecological integrity of natural spaces, and it can be as simple as managing plastic waste!

🌎As the theme of this year, lets hope to throw our plastic waste away in designated areas and keep it out of our natural spaces!

[Image 1: A serene lake with a reflective surface, surrounded by dense forests. The cloudy sky is mirrored on the water, and lush greenery lines the lake's edge.]
[Image 2: A garbage bin located in a serene forest pathway surrounded by lush green trees.]

06/01/2026

The Boil Water Advisory at Esker Lakes Provincial Park has been lifted.

05/24/2026

🌲 It's a happy opening weekend at Esker Lakes!

🌲 Over the past few months, our staff has been working hard to open the park up, from clearing debris to cleaning campsites!

🌲Thank you to our hard working staff! Check out the blog post below to see what goes into opening a park for the season!

Once the weather starts getting warmer, you may want to visit your favourite park right away. But opening a park is more than just waiting for nice weather and unlocking the front gates.

05/22/2026

Esker Lakes Provincial Park is currently under a boil water advisory until further notice.

Water from our taps is unsafe for drinking unless boiled for one full minute.

Please continue to check back for updates. Updates can also be seen on our website: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/eskerlakes/alerts

05/21/2026

🌞 The time is finally here!🌞

Esker Lakes will officially be open for the season tomorrow, May 22!

Remember to head over to our Gatehouse to start your visit!😎

Our official Gatehouse hours for the spring season are as follows:

🕙 Monday to Thursday: 10:00 AM - 5:30 PM
🕣 Friday to Saturday: 8:30 AM - 8:30 PM
🕣Sunday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM

[Image 1: A serene lake scene with the bow of a canoe in the foreground, surrounded by calm water reflecting dense, lush trees.]

05/04/2026

⚠️PARK ALERT⚠️

Due to prolonged winter conditions including heavy accumulation of snow and ice, the opening of Esker Lakes Provincial Park has been delayed until May 22, 2026. Affected reservation holders will be contacted.

Please continue to monitor the Alerts page for any updates: https://www.ontarioparks.ca/park/eskerlakes/alerts

03/02/2026

Are you a student from the Kirkland Lake area? Do you want to spend your summer surrounded by nature?

Good news - we're hiring! 🎊

Apply early for the best chance to join us for the season. Summer student positions include gate attendants, maintenance workers, and Discovery rangers.

For more information and to apply now: https://blog.ontarioparks.ca/apply-park-ranger/



[Image: four students smiling with their arms around each other; two students are wearing collared office uniforms and two are wearing yellow hi-vis shirts.]