By the end of October the Pinery has started to prepare the park for its winter season. Unlike many provincial parks, the Pinery is not only open during the winter, they also continue to keep one of their campgrounds open for year round camping.
The 12 kilometre, one way road to all the beaches is closed and therefore several trails are not accessible by car. Other trails have been set up to accommodate cross-country skiing, skate skiing, snowshoeing and hiking. Check out the Winter Map to see what’s available.
Even if there isn’t snow on the ground, there is still a lot to see and do at the Pinery. On Christmas Eve, 2015, after spending some time walking the Ipperwash Beach, we drove out to the Pinery for a short hike along the river. If there was snow on the ground we wouldn’t have been able to walk this trail because it would be groomed for cross-country skiing.
The trail was covered with dried leaves while the oaks trees still hung onto their foliage. Coniferous trees showed off their winter greens as they remain covered in needles year round.
All along the river we found evidence of beaver activity, some from the past, others in the process of being taken down.
The sun was shining, creating lovely shadows across the trail as we meandered along the upper edge of the Old Ausable River. We had the trail all to ourselves and we took our time looking around to see what changes the season brought to one of our frequent hiking areas.
Too often many of stay inside during the winter and during holidays. On such a perfect day, we couldn’t think of a better way to spend our Christmas Eve than walking through the woods with our family. Maya always enjoys the feel and sound of crispy leaves under her paws and treats in her belly.
Bracket fungi can be found all year round and they continue to grow throughout their lifespan, which could be weeks, months or even years, depending on the species. This one is called Phellinus igniarius and it was one of several growing on the same tree trunk. The upper surface is black and almost appears charred while the underside is brown and looks smoother. 
Plants had all gone to seed, which can make them difficult to identify, but no less beautiful and interesting.
Black-capped Chickadee
After we turned around and walked back to the vehicle, we then drove to the Visitor’s Centre, which is still open on Saturdays and Sundays during the winter season. We sat outside and enjoyed the antics of the winter birds around the feeders. The Pinery has two feeding stations setup, one you can view from outside and the other you can enjoy through a large glass window inside. The is another station that you can view from the window in the Friends of the Pinery store.
American Goldfinch
The park tries to keep both of their feeder stations filled for the birds so that visitors can get a glimpse of the species that call the Pinery home. You will also see squirrels, and chipmunks helping themselves to the seeds.
Tufted Titmouse
The Tufted Titmouse, which is a close relative to the chickadee, thrives in the Pinery. You can hear their distinct calls throughout the park. They are one of my favourite birds but are sometimes difficult to photograph since they rarely sit in one place for long.
White-breasted Nuthatch
The Pinery has both the White and Red-breasted Nuthatch which can be found here year round. They are often found creeping up tree trunks or along branches. They will visit the feeders, fly off into the forest to jam the seed into the bark of the tree either to eat it later, or to ‘hatch’ it open to eat immediately.
Blue Jay
Blue Jays are another common bird that stay in Southern Ontario year round, although you can find flocks of them migrating through in the spring and fall. The Blue Jay is a vibrant bird and is vital to the propagation of oak trees since they have a special fondness for acorns. Did you know that they have a special pouch in their throat to transport food to other locations?
The Pinery is a special place and shouldn’t be forgotten in the winter time. There are also several other hiking trails to visit in the area, if you find they do not offer enough variety in the winter time.
