Hiking The Nanabush Trail At The Petroglyphs Provincial Park In Ontario
Planning a scenic outdoor adventure in Ontario? **Petroglyphs Provincial Park** offers an unforgettable day-trip destination for nature photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. While famous for its sacred Indigenous rock carvings, this park also...
Planning a scenic outdoor adventure in Ontario? **Petroglyphs Provincial Park** offers an unforgettable day-trip destination for nature photographers and outdoor enthusiasts. While famous for its sacred Indigenous rock carvings, this park also boasts exceptional scenery along its wilderness paths. For an immersive trek into the rugged Canadian Shield, look no further than **hiking on the Nanabush Trail in the Petroglyphs Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada**.
This gorgeous 5.5 km interpretive loop takes you past dense pine forests and rich wetlands. Below, our park photo gallery highlights the stunning natural features you will encounter along this classic Ontario hiking trail.
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## Nanabush Trail Photo Gallery
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### Trail Highlights: From Wetlands to Minnow Lake
The route provides a phenomenal blend of diverse habitats. Early in the trek, a flat wooden boardwalk guides you safely through a vibrant marsh ecosystem teeming with wildlife. As you continue your journey, the trail begins to loop across rolling granite ridges shaded by towering red and white pines.
For many hikers, arriving at the serene shores of **Minnow Lake** is the perfect mid-way highlight of that trek. The flat, ancient rock outcrops lining the pristine interior lake serve as an ideal lookout spot to sit, unpack a lunch, and capture long-exposure landscape photography. If you are ready to experience the quiet, spiritual essence of Central Ontario, exploring this pristine trail network is a must-do addition to your summer itinerary.
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This gorgeous 5.5 km interpretive loop takes you past dense pine forests and rich wetlands. Below, our park photo gallery highlights the stunning natural features you will encounter along this classic Ontario hiking trail.
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## Nanabush Trail Photo Gallery
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### Trail Highlights: From Wetlands to Minnow Lake
The route provides a phenomenal blend of diverse habitats. Early in the trek, a flat wooden boardwalk guides you safely through a vibrant marsh ecosystem teeming with wildlife. As you continue your journey, the trail begins to loop across rolling granite ridges shaded by towering red and white pines.
For many hikers, arriving at the serene shores of **Minnow Lake** is the perfect mid-way highlight of that trek. The flat, ancient rock outcrops lining the pristine interior lake serve as an ideal lookout spot to sit, unpack a lunch, and capture long-exposure landscape photography. If you are ready to experience the quiet, spiritual essence of Central Ontario, exploring this pristine trail network is a must-do addition to your summer itinerary.
A close-up view of the vibrant magenta blossom of a Purple Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus), framed by its famously large, maple-like leaves. Growing in the dappled sunlight along the rocky trail edges of Petroglyphs Provincial Park, this...
A close-up view of the vibrant magenta blossom of a Purple Flowering Raspberry (Rubus odoratus), framed by its famously large, maple-like leaves. Growing in the dappled sunlight along the rocky trail edges of Petroglyphs Provincial Park, this hardy native shrub provides a stunning, colorful contrast to the region's ancient granite and deep-green forest backdrop throughout the summer months.
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If you are already planning to see Kinomagewapkong (The Teaching Rocks), giving yourself an extra two hours to tackle the Nanabush loop to Minnow Lake is entirely worth it to experience the quiet, spiritual nature of the landscape.
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
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Petroglyphs Provincial Park, North Kawartha, Peterborough County, Central Ontario, Ontario, Canada
The Nanabush Trail at Petroglyphs Provincial Park is a gorgeous 5.5 km loop that takes you right into the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield.
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
taken in
Petroglyphs Provincial Park, loop trail, North Kawartha, Peterborough County, Central Ontario, Ontario, Canada
As you approach Minnow Lake, the terrain transitions into classic granite rock outcrops, wetlands, and thick stands of white pine and birch
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
Minnow Lake is a peaceful spot to take a break and admire the beauty of Petroglyphs Provincial Park
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
taken in
Petroglyphs Provincial Park Visitor Centre, loop trail, North Kawartha, Peterborough County, Central Ontario, Ontario, Canada
The trail is named after Nanabush (also known as Nanabozho), a prominent trickster figure and culture hero in Anishinaabe storytelling.
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
Along the rugged trails of Petroglyphs Provincial Park, Devil’s Paintbrush (Pilosella aurantiaca, also known as Orange Hawkweed) provides a striking, fiery burst of color against the deep greens and gray granite of the Canadian Shield.
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
The boardwalk spans a wide, low-lying meadow basin that acts as a vital ecological sponge for the park. Instead of hiking through mud or dense brush, the raised wooden path allows you to walk completely dry-footed right through the heart of the...
The boardwalk spans a wide, low-lying meadow basin that acts as a vital ecological sponge for the park. Instead of hiking through mud or dense brush, the raised wooden path allows you to walk completely dry-footed right through the heart of the marshland.
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The trailhead for the Nanabush Trail (and the overlapping Marsh Trail) sets a beautiful, anticipation-filled tone right from the parking lot near the Learning Place visitor center.
1 July 2026
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1 week ago
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