The first day of summer was also the launch of Parkbus, a new non-profit express service from Ottawa to Algonquin Provincial Park. Algonquin-bound campers and hikers boarded the bus either downtown or at MEC, 366 Richmond Road, on June 21, returning June 23.
Parkbus co-founder Alex Berlyand says the service is an alternative to car travel for people who want to enjoy hiking, canoeing and camping in Ontario’s wilderness. The service is also designed to encourage those new to camping and Ontario’s wilderness to give it a try.
While there isn’t capacity to transport canoes or kayaks on Parkbus, there are stops at outfitters within the park. A limited number of bikes are allowed on the bus, but space for your bike should be reserved at the time you book your ticket. If you are interested in bringing a pet with you, please contact Parkbus to discuss the options available.
While Parkbus runs a Toronto-Algonquin Park schedule every weekend, this year there are three pilot weekends between Ottawa and Algonquin Park. Tickets for Parkbus – which stops at multiple locations within the park for pick-up and drop-off – are on sale for the weekends of August 9-11 and September 20-22 from MEC.