The Lookout Trail- A 2.1 km Hike in Algonquin Provincial Park

The Lookout Trail in Algonquin Park was a short one, but a good one! Clocking in at just over 2 km, this trail has some hills to climb but the views are completely worth it.

Dogs are allowed on the trail, and kids too- although there IS a warning sign posted because the lookout is from a steep cliff. It’s important to keep a good eye on any little creatures without any fear.

Given the views, this is a fantastic trail any time of year, but fall would be especially spectacular.

Getting There

We hiked the Lookout Trail after a night of winter camping at Mew Lake Campground. The parking lot for the Lookout Trail is at km 39.7 of Highway 60. You can use these coordinates to get here: 45.579123°, -78.406543°.

We went in the early spring when the trail isn’t technically “open.” But all that really means is that the parking lot isn’t plowed during the winter months. You can find a list of area in Algonquin Park that are plowed and unplowed on the Friends of Algonquin Website.

Since the snow had melted some, we were able to breach the snowbank and park right in the parking lot. I don’t think I would recommend parking at the side of the road on Highway 60, any time of year. While the shoulders are there, there’s also a lot of fast-moving traffic coming through!

The Trailhead

We spotted the trailhead easily at the back of the parking lot. There was a large map posted, and we headed off, spotting trail markers almost immediately.

Just 300 metres along, the trail split. There was an arrow posted pointing us to our right, so off we went.

The terrain began to climb, gently at first. But it didn’t take too much out of us, because we only had to hike another 400 metres before we came to some dips in the trail, giving us a nice break.

The Lookout- Already!

Then, there was one noticeable downhill section. Then another short climb and we were at the lookout, having hiked only 1.07 km!

The lookout was stunning, overseeing miles and miles of Algonquin forest. The cliff dropped off quite abruptly, making us realize why the warning sign had been posted earlier on the trail. There were a few benches scattered along the open rock that made up the lookout, and after pausing to take in the view we headed off to our left, keeping the cliffside on our right. The treeline began to close in as we walked along, but we caught another fantastic view about 300 metres later.

After this second view, the trail began to lead us away from the cliff’s edge and back into the forest.

The way back was straight downhill. It wasn’t tough to navigate, but I was happy to have my hiking poles regardless.

Trail Thoughts

By 1.77 km we had reached the original trail split and headed back to the parking lot. We were able to hike the entire Lookout Trail in about 45 minutes. It’s an absolutely perfect trail for a day where you’re just driving through the park (make sure you get a day pass!) or just don’t have much time, for whatever reason.

I also think this trail would be great for anyone who is really just beginning hiking. The hill is challenging, but it’s so short that I think it would feel like a good, accessible challenge. And being rewarded with the lookout views? You’d be hooked on hiking for sure!

I can’t wait to head back to Algonquin this summer. Maybe I’ll see you there!

Map and Elevation Gain

Whenever I’m hiking somewhere new, I tend to wonder about who was on, and who took care of that land before me. I’ve enjoyed using this website as a place to start learning more about the indigenous people whose land I’m on: Native-land.ca.