West Gate

West Gate is Algonquin's western entrance and gatehouse at kilometre 0.0 of the Highway 60 corridor. It is a practical arrival stop: the park office provides information and bathroom facilities, and two flagpoles with a large birch-bark sign mark the entrance. Buy your day-use permit online or by phone before you arrive; the park directs visitors to arrange it in advance, so don't count on a last-minute permit purchase here.

Fen Lake Ski Trail starts on the south side of the West Gate parking lot. Its four groomed and track-set loops range from 1 to 18 km and are rated easy to moderate, so this entrance stop can also start a short ski or a longer outing. Once groomed or track-set, the trail is for skiing: walking, snowshoeing, skijoring and pets are not allowed, and you need a valid park permit.

The gate is 43.6 km east of the Highways 11 and 60 junction in Huntsville. The park describes the entrance as open year-round, but that doesn't tell you when the office is staffed. Arrange your permit before the drive if you need to be sure it's sorted.