Charleston Lake Provincial Park is located on
Charleston Lake near
Athens
Athens ( ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Greece, largest city of Greece. A significant coastal urban area in the Mediterranean, Athens is also the capital of the Attica (region), Attica region and is the southe ...
,
Ontario
Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...
, Canada, in the township of
Leeds and the Thousand Islands
Leeds and the Thousand Islands is a township in the Canadian province of Ontario, located within the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville. The township is located along the St. Lawrence River, including most of the Canadian Thousand Islands, a ...
.
The park occupies in the
Frontenac Axis Frontenac may refer to:
People
*Louis de Buade de Frontenac, Governor of New France
Places Canada
Quebec
* Château Frontenac, hotel in Quebec City
* Frontenac, Quebec
* Frontenac County, Quebec
* Frontenac (Montreal Metro), Montreal Metro statio ...
region, a southern extension of the
Canadian Shield
The Canadian Shield ( ), also called the Laurentian Shield or the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), th ...
. The park's forests and animal life, therefore, include species normally found further north, yet the southern climate allows species more typical for the southern latitude to co-exist with the northern species. The park includes
hiking
A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time.
"Hi ...
trails, swimming areas and campgrounds.
There are four
yurt
A yurt (from the Turkic languages) or ger (Mongolian language, Mongolian) is a portable, round tent covered and Thermal insulation, insulated with Hide (skin), skins or felt and traditionally used as a dwelling by several distinct Nomad, nomad ...
s located in the Shady Ridge Campground; these yurts are not heated and do not have electricity. There is also a rustic cabin which is accessible by water and has lights and a small fridge which are solar-powered.
The lake includes a number of islands and has an irregular shoreline which makes it an interesting location for
canoe
A canoe is a lightweight, narrow watercraft, water vessel, typically pointed at both ends and open on top, propelled by one or more seated or kneeling paddlers facing the direction of travel and using paddles.
In British English, the term ' ...
ing and
kayak
]
A kayak is a small, narrow human-powered watercraft typically propelled by means of a long, double-bladed paddle. The word ''kayak'' originates from the Inuktitut word '' qajaq'' (). In British English, the kayak is also considered to be ...
ing. Blue Mountain, elevation , is also within the park. The summit was the highest point of the former
Leeds County, Ontario
Leeds County is a historic county in the Canadian province of Ontario. The county was first surveyed in 1792 as one of the nineteen counties created by Sir John Graves Simcoe in preparation for the United Empire Loyalists to settle here. The count ...
. The trail to Blue Mountain has two access points, by water from Huckleberry Hollow, and by land from the intersection of Warburton and Blue Mountain Roads.
Blue Mountain Trail Map at Friends of Charleston Lake Park
Accessed 2014-05-10
Blue Mountain can be reached via Blue Mountain Road from Highway #2. Hikers have permission to cross private land and a well-marked trail leads to the summit with a panoramic 360° view. The trek requires approximately 2 to 2.5 hours on foot or 1.5 hours on bike, although cyclists must carry their bikes in many places where hard granite jets out of the earth below which forms the mountain. A compass may be useful for inexperienced hikers.
This area was the site of a re-introduction program for the peregrine falcon
The peregrine falcon (''Falco peregrinus''), also known simply as the peregrine, is a Cosmopolitan distribution, cosmopolitan bird of prey (raptor) in the family (biology), family Falconidae renowned for its speed. A large, Corvus (genus), cro ...
. The park also provides habitat for the rare and harmless black rat snake Black rat snake may refer to:
*'' Pantherophis alleghaniensis'', the eastern ratsnake
* '' Pantherophis spiloides'', the central ratsnake
*'' Pantherophis obsoletus'', the western ratsnake
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