**Updated August 2023 – brand new dog exercise area opened summer 2023** Click here to read all about it
Looking for the perfect day trip from the GTA, the historic town of Campbellford is well worth the trip! Searching for a place to stretch your legs, Campbellford is home to Ferris Provincial Park, with over 10 km of hiking trails and the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge. In addition, a brand new fully fenced off leash dog exercise area opened summer 2023!
Hiking trails – 2022 visit
This absolutely stunning park is open from May to October for both day use and camping. We arrived at the main gatehouse and followed the road around to the main parking lot. We headed south through the forest on the River Gorge Trail along the edge of the Trent River.
Our first stop was a beautiful overlook over the gorge and waterfall.
We continued south to the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge and the spectacular views of the Trent River. Unfortunately, our puppy, about 10 months old, didn’t seem to like the metal grate of the bridge on her feet. I will admit, stepping past the edge isn’t for the faint of heart, as the gorge is quite a drop.
Looking north from the middle of the bridge gives one of the best views of Ranney Falls. Ferris park is also accessible to pedestrians over the bridge, as many visitors park their vehicle at the parking lot off 4th line East.
It was pretty warm, so we hiked back north towards the parking lot to check out the river and the Ranney Falls Trail.
Being a lab, Nala loves the water, so I couldn’t resist bringing her down towards the river for a quick dip and cool off before we checked out a few more sights around Campbellford.
We spent about 2 hours at Ferris Provincial Park before heading into town to cool off with an ice cream from The Ice Cream Café, who offered a free “pup cup” of whip cream for Nala. Campbellford is also home to the Giant Toonie, located just across the river next to the Service Ontario and Visitor Information building. We also took a quick drive over to the scenic Healey Falls.
If you have some extra time, world’s best chocolate and the locks are always worth a stop too!
Off Leash Dog Exercise Area – Opened Summer 2023
I learned that Ferris Provincial Park built a brand new off leash dog exercise area, and had to check it out. Recently completed, this is an amazing addition to the park and the Campbellford area, as this is their only off leash area.
The new dog exercise area is located at the north end of the park between the main parking lot and the river. It is easily accessed a short walk from the parking lot. In addition, pedestrians to the park can easily access the dog area just north of the suspension bridge.
The fully fenced area is about 200 meters from the parking lot. There are several picnic tables outside the fenced area under the shade trees. In addition, there are also trash bins in this area too.
The exercise area has a double gate corral style entrance. In addition, beside the entrance are poop bags and a bin for waste.
Inside the exercise area, there are several large shade trees and a water tap. Nala had a great time playing fetch and running around.
This off leash dog exercise area is a welcome addition to Ferris Provincial Park. We’ll definitely be back for another visit! If you are looking for some other nearby provincial parks with a dog beach and off leash hiking trails, check out our visit to Bon Echo Provincial Park.
