Stubb’s Falls Snowshoe Loop, Hardwood Ridge Trail and more!
Distance: 6km
Elevation gain: 50m
Time: 3hr
The snow that had fallen the night before our snowshoe hike made the entirety of Arrowhead Provincial Park a Winter Wonderland. The branches of every tree were topped with fresh sparkling snow and the trails were pristine as if we were the first to venture into this magical place. Arrowhead uses a combination of trail names and junction numbers to orient the hiking trails. Our hike started near junction 3 across the road from Parking Lot 2. Our plan was to hike to Stubb’s Falls (Junction 2) along Stubb’s Falls Snowshoe Loop and then head north to junction 4, west along Hardwood Ridge to P3 and then back east to explore the shores of the Arrowhead Lake. The first section of the hike towards Stubb’s Fall was mostly level through large spruce trees on either side of the trail. Close to the Falls there were a set of stairs so we took our snowshoes off in order to walk down. At the bottom of the stairs we crossed a bridge that afforded us a great view of the river and a glimpse of the upper section of Stubb’s Falls. We crossed to the other side and went off trail to get a closer look at the Falls. The white wintery scene surrounding the Falls was serene to say the least! From here, near Junction 2, we proceeded through a hardwood forest towards Junction 4. This section had some fun elevation changes that added extra character to the hike. From Junction 4 we went west along Hardwood Ridge towards Parking Lot 3 and the tubing hill! We didn’t try the tubing hill during our hike but aim to return at a later date just for that! We back tracked along Hardwood Ridge past Junction 4 towards Junction 1 and the shores of Arrowhead Lake. Once at the lake we were off trail and wandered north along the beautiful tree-lined shore. This was another really nice part of the hike. The snow from the night before that covered the entire lake added to the winter wonderland feeling! We back-tracked again and followed one of the cross-country ski trails (keeping off trail) to where our car was parked at P3. We drove the short distance to the Visitor Centre to return our equipment, still marveling at the amazing scenery around us! As we headed towards the park gates we enjoyed the warm cozy feeling one gets from having spent a the day in fairytale-like winterly magic.
Notes: Arrowhead Provincial Park is near Huntsville Ontario and is a two hour drive from Toronto. For more information about the Park and associated costs for visiting, including equipment rental, please see our post “7 Winter Activities at Arrowhead Provincial Park”.
