Ferris Provincial Park is the perfect fall camping trip
Ferris Provincial Park is a short drive east from Toronto and a perfect fall escape. A very small park, its main draw is the Ranney Falls, suspension bridge and the exposed rock that provides some beautiful views. There aren't any exciting hiking trails here, though there is some history that can be learned about through a walk. We visited on an unusually warm weekend in September 2020 (Sept 26th - 27th)
Rating: 6/10
Our Campsite
Site 100, located at Bedrock campgrounds is perhaps one of the best sites at the park - it was large, fairly isolated, and very close to a (rather steep) trail that led to the other part of the campground. The bathrooms were a bit of a walk, but we didn't mind.
Activities
Our first night, after dinner, we decided to take an evening stroll to Ranney falls and the suspension bridge.
The stroll took us past historical sites, such as the old ruins of a cabin of British colonialists. Ferris Park is very prettily lined in stone walls that were built in the late 1800s when the area was a family farm. It seems that in 2009, then again in 2018, there was an initiative to restore the stone walls that had deteriorated over time - great effort, because the stone walls certainly gives the park its character - a reminder of days gone by and a sense of walking through history.
As the sun continued to set, we made it through the winding trail to Ranney falls. Lucky for us, it was a beautiful, full-moon night that made for some truly spectacular views.
We walked back to our campsite through the trail in the moonlight. I have to admit, I was a bit nervous, but luckily we didn't run into any animals or other mishaps.
We went back the next morning.
We attempted a short hike on the Drumlin trail, but there really wasn't anything spectacular to see.
Without the novelty of a perfect fall day, with the canopy of colour around us, including on the ground of fallen leaves, there would have been nothing especially calling us to this park. I don't think I'd want to spend a warm, humid summer day here.
