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The smaller parks of central and eastern provincial parks are, for the most part, seasonal parks. While many of the area’s Provincial Parks are closed or limited for the winter, Silent Lake Provincial Park remains a hotspot for winter fun – a less-crowded winter hub for adventures.
The park is between Algonquin and another large park, Kawartha Highlands. Everything you need for a memorable winter getaway is found around the shores of Silent Lake, including a place to stay for your winter getaway.
Silent Lake Provincial Park’s Winter Trails
Get the most of winter and the season’s crisp fresh air with Silent Lake’s winter trails. These are open for day use visitors while also making a great way to spend the day for winter campers. The trails are open to hiking, cross-country skiing, and snowshoeing; plus, snowshoe rentals are available during the winter months.
- Explore over 30km of cross-country trails around Silent Lake Provincial Park. The large trail system encompasses the entire lake and then some to offer loops of 2.5, 5, 10, or 16.5km.
- Snowshoeing is permitted along two separate loops at Silent Lake: the Bonnies Pond trail, and half of the Yellow ski trail. Plus, snowshoe rentals are available from December to March.
- Hiking is permitted on the two snowshoe trails while there is more to explore behind the campground and along the shore of Silent Lake. This section of trail near the campgrounds, or the campground roads, keep your hiking off the groomed ski trails while providing great lakeside views throughout the hike.
Ice Fishing at Silent Lake
Silent Lake is home to a diverse fish population. With that, summer and ice fishing from Silent Lake both come with a few exceptions. During the winter season, ice fishing is open to Silent Lake’s trout only.
The Lake Trout of Silent Lake are abundant while the waters underneath the ice are much cooler over the winters. Ice fishing trips are especially easy to plan for Silent Lake Provincial Park as they offer camping accommodations all year.
Winter Camping at Silent Lake & nearby Accommodations
Choose between a rustic winter camping experience at Silent Lake or a more comfortable stay. During the winter, Silent Lake Provincial Park offers electrical hook-up sites for tents and RVs, while roofed accommodations are also an option! Those include rustic cabins or soft-sided shelters/yurts.
- The town of Bancroft is about 25km from Silent Lake Provincial Park, with a handful of options. Choose between Bancroft’s Inn & Suites, Sword Inn, or the Bancroft Bed & Breakfast.
- Get a wholesome getaway experience with nearby resorts like the Somerset Lakeside Resort or the Baptiste Lake Lodge.
- The next closest accommodation centre to Silent Lake is Haliburton, about 45km to the west. Here, there are dozens more options for all sorts of stay types like cottages and cabins, lakeside property, hotels, or B&Bs.
Winter Adventures in Ontario’s Highlands
The scenery around the Silent Lake area offers a wide array of scenery and landscapes to explore. This includes the forests, the cliffs, the rivers, waterfalls, and all the wildlife within those natural areas. While Bancroft and Hastings County have plenty to do in winter, Haliburton Highlands, which is around an hour from Silent Lake, is worth a trip for winter fun.
- The nearby town of Haliburton is certainly worth a visit if you’re in the Highlands region between the dining, places to stay, arts, culture, and scenery. Plus, the area offers more winter adventures through the Haliburton Sculpture Forest. The outdoor natural area is decorated with public art and open with winter trails. Explore the trails on foot, snowshoe, or cross-country ski.
- Glebe Park, also in Haliburton, offers a variety of difficulty levels of cross-country ski trails. There is also a 1.5km loop lit up for night skiing.
- The south part of Algonquin Provincial Park is about 60km north of Silent Lake Provincial Park. Here, the Algonquin Eco-Lodge offer a place to stay, as well as 60km of groomed ski trails, 3 separate snowshoe trails, and guided experience. Their guided tours include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and dogsledding!
Winter Getaway to Silent Lake Provincial Park
What: Silent Lake Provincial Park is a year-round outdoor destination near Bancroft. The camping and day-use areas of the park sit on the north side of Silent Lake, while winter and summer trails offer chances to explore all around the lake’s shores. Camping is available all year as well. Winter recreation in the park, on top of camping, includes cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, hiking, and wildlife viewing, with amenities for picnics as well.
Summer Adventures at Silent Lake Provincial Park
Location and how to get there: 1589 Silent Lk Pk Rd, Bancroft.
Use Highway ON-28 to access Silent Lake Park Road.
Silent Lake Provincial Park is located approximately 80 km (1 hr drive) from Peterborough, 225 km (2 hr 30 min drive) from Toronto, 210 km (2 hr 30 min drive) from Kingston and 250 km (3 hr drive) from Ottawa.
Best time to go: Year-round; December to March, for winter recreation
How much: Daily Vehicle Fees apply, Camping extra
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