Hiking in Sharbot Lake Provincial Park

I feel like I’ve neglected the provincial parks in my home province of Ontario a bit over the past year, and I really want to take advantage of the summer season to visit a few I’ve never been to before. I started by stopping at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park in Eastern Ontario.

I’ve driven past this provincial park a few times during my road trips on Highway 7 between Ottawa and Peterborough, but I’d never actually stopped there. Like many other provincial parks in this region (Murphys Point Provincial Park, for example), Sharbot Lake Provincial Park showcases the rugged terrain and ecosystem typical of the Southern Canadian Shield.

Of course, Sharbot Lake Provincial Park is located on the shores of the lake of the same name. There are several campsites there, as well as two short hiking trails, of which here’s a preview.

Ridgeview Trail

500-metre one-way trail. I arrived early one Sunday morning at Sharbot Lake Provincial Park and decided to park directly at the Ridgeview trail head. This trail is the shorter of the two trails in the provincial park, and I thought I’d start on this one to warm up my legs before heading to the other trail.

This short trail leads to the top of the rocky ridge that separates Black and Sharbot Lakes. The trail climbs steeply for a few metres before reaching a more open area where a few wildflowers were growing.

The trail description indicated a spectacular view from the top of the rocky ridge, but I imagine this view is now blocked by vegetation. I could see Sharbot Lake here and there between the trees, but nothing more. When I reached the sign indicating the end of the trail, I turned back and retraced my steps.

Discovery Trail

1.7-kilometre loop. The trail head to the Discovery Trail isn’t far from the Ridgeview Trail, so I decided to walk towards it, rather than drive. This trail showcases the typical ecosystem of this region of the Canadian Shield and allows you to learn more about the wildlife, flora, and geology of the provincial park.

I followed the loop counterclockwise. The trail first offers a view of Black Lake before heading towards Sharbot Lake.

The trail then runs along the shore of Sharbot Lake for several metres and offers beautiful views of it. This lake is one of the region’s large lakes and is quite impressive. It’s possible to paddle there, and I admit that on this hot summer day, I would have been tempted to spend time on its peaceful waters.

But I continued my hike. The trail eventually leaves the shore of Sharbot Lake to head into the forest. It gains elevation to also reach the rocky ridge between the two lakes. Apparently, there’s usually a viewpoint from the top of the ridge, but I couldn’t really see the lakes from up there. I think the viewpoints along the shore were more impressive.

But regardless, I still had a lot of fun hiking this trail. It offers several steeper and rockier sections, without being too difficult. It had rained the night before, so the rocks were a little slippery, and I had to be more careful, especially when coming back down from the rocky ridge. Overall, an interesting and short challenge.

By combining the two trails, I was able to complete a short 3-kilometre hike, with an elevation gain of just over 100 metres. What a pleasure to reconnect with the rugged beauty of this region of Ontario! I can’t wait to come back!