Algonquin Park is the third largest park in Ontario and one of the largest in Canada, covering about 7,725 square kilometres. Highway 60 runs through the south of the park, while the Trans-Canada Highway bypasses it to the north. Over 1500 lakes and over 1200 kilometres of streams and rivers are located within the park, including Canoe Lake and the Petawawa and Nipissing Rivers. These were formed by the retreat of the glaciers during the last Ice Age. The park covers both the deciduous forests of southern Ontario and the coniferous forests of the Canadian Shield in northern Ontario. It contains thousands of species of plants and animals, including as moose, beaver, black bear, lake trout, maple, and spruce, and is an important site for wildlife research.
In the 19th century, the logging industry began harvesting trees in the area for shipbuilding. To preserve the land as a wildlife sanctuary, the province of Ontario designated it a Provincial Park in 1893. It quickly became popular with fishermen and hunters, as well as artists such as Tom Thomson and the members of the Group of Seven, who found the landscape inspiring. Thomson served as a guide in the park and died there in 1917.
Today Algonquin Park is a popular year-round camping site. There are designated campgrounds along the edges of the park, especially on Highway 60, but it is possible to camp further inside the park as well. Other activities include fishing, canoeing, hiking, snowmobiling and skiing.