It was the week preceeding "Mother's Day" (May 14th, 2000), while drive-in camping at Rock Lake, that I decided to hike the Centennial Ridges Trail. This particular week on the calendar is generally noted for two advantages. Normally, the spring bug hatches are barely started. And, the spring flowers are usually in full bloom. This year, the former was quite true. I started the hike in slacks and sweater, but soon changed into the shorts and T-shirt I had in my day-pack. The fact that the ridges' deciduous trees were not yet in leaf meant that almost the entire trail was open to the day's sunshine. While there were a few lethargic black flies about, I didn't have to resort to the insect repellant. However, the winter of 2000 had been extemely dry and the wildflower bloom was next-to-absent.

The access to Centennial Ridges Trail is off the south side of Highway 60, at a point 37.6km from the West Gate. A 2km dirt road takes you to the parking lot. The tail is a 10km loop, marked to be hiked in a clockwise direction. This trail was opened in 1993. It involves much climbing, with an overall combined vertical rise of about 1200 feet. It includes many dangerous open cliffs, requiring care and control of children. On average, it takes about 6 hours to complete. Points of interest along the trail have been named after individuals who played key roles in the life of the park.

Founder's Ridge (the first ridge) provides almost a 180 degree view to the south, west and north. Here you can see Whitefish Lake to the south. The edge of the cliff is visible in the foreground. The deciduous forest areas below are pale green with their still-opening leaves.

The trail heads north to Bartlett's Bluff. From here you can see Lake of Two Rivers, far off in the west. The light coloured patch at the left is a portion of Highway 60, which runs parallel to the north shore of the lake. The pair of central smaller light patches is site of Killarney Lodge, located between the highway and the lake's north shore.

This beaver dam holds back a sizeable beaver pond midway between the two lines of ridges. The trail descends down from the foreground, to 'S-curve' its way in front of the actual dam. Once past the dam, the trail skirts the edge of the lake and finally rises toward the second line of ridges.

From MacDougall 'Mountain', this telephoto shot of Lake of Two Rivers was taken from an even higher perspective. From here, the highest section of the trail, you can see the highway approaching the lake from the southeast (right). It's from heights like this, one quickly realizes how the colours of Algonquin can shift from hour to hour.

After hiking southward, up and down the eastmost sections of ridge, you come across another beaver dam. This one is covered with grass, indicating it has been here for quite a time. In the background, the forest changes abruptly from deciduous to coniferous.

A backdrop of conifers and rock encircles the south end of Cloud Lake. The combination of impermeable rock and industrious beavers has produced this peaceful lake high up on the ridge formation, far above Whitefish Lake.

This shallow body of water is called Pilmott's Pond. Park naturalists describe this clearing as typical of "rendezvous sites" where wolf pups are left while the adult wolves hunt for food in the surrounding area. After the trail skirts the north edge of this clearing, it heads west to the last ridge.

The final ridge provides the best views of all. This photo captures a scrubby pine growing from a crack in the ridge's rock, the top of a tall pine growing up from the cliff face below, Whitefish Lake's large island and the far west shore beyond.

Crawling to the ridge's edge on one's stomach provides a look downward. This photo takes in the entire cliff, from its edge to the lake below. Make sure you have an accurate impression of your angle relative to the horizon. If you slip here, there's no second chance!

This photo was taken later in the year, looking east from the "Old Railway Bike Trail" that runs along the west shore of Whitefish Lake. Taken with a 200mm telephoto lens, its perspective is 'flattened'. The lower bright area is the large island while the ridge behind is in the shadow of passing clouds.

Back on the trail's final ridge, this view is to the south, down the length of Whitefish Lake. Its from cliff-top vantages like this, that the vast scope and beauty of Algonquin draws you to sit back, rest, relax and enjoy!

Walking along the final ridge, I knew my hike would soon be ending. But down below on the lake, a group on canoeists had left their island camp and were paddling north. Two questions came to mind. "Could they see me on the cliff?" And, "Where would they be camping tonight?"