The best-selling book of Ontario wildlands now features 15 additional destinations. This reader-friendly guide explores the remarkable splendor and diversity of the province, from its soaring clifftops, subterranean caves and thundering cataracts to the province's tallest white pine, the oldest rocks on Earth and the warbler capital of North America.

The guide is organized by region, and each destination includes a descriptive profile illustrated with color photographs and at-a-glance information about special features and contact details. Regional maps showcase locations. Some of these hot spots are surprisingly close to towns and cities, some are hidden urban treasures, and many are ideal for a day trip.

The new hot spots include the following:

• Kopegaron Woods is a 1.3-kilometre loop buffered by farm fields that is a quiet haven for naturalists, botanists and bird lovers.
• SC Johnson Rail Trail offers a beautiful vista of a large oxbow on the Grand River.
• Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail follows the Grand River and is studded with river overlooks.
• Rock Point Provincial Park features a limestone shelf embedded with 350-million-year-old fossils.
• Barnum Creek Nature Reserve is mosaic of habitats from hardwood, mixed wood, grassland, marsh and swamp that attracts wildlife and birds.
• Redbridge Mountain View Trail guides hikers to a gorgeous vantage point of the wilderness surrounding North Bay.
• Parrott's Bay Conservation Area features excellent bird and wildlife viewing opportunities.
• Point Petre provides an impressive glimpse into the geological history of this part of the Lake Ontario shoreline.
• Great Lakes Waterfront Trail through Kingston offers a peek into the city's history.
• Gould Lake Conservation Area is 589 hectares of Canadian Shield wilderness.
• Charleston Lake Provincial Park has excellent trails with good wildlife viewing and a vantage point from the highest peak in the county.

These family-friendly destinations will appeal to naturalists, budding botanists and biologists, photographers, hikers, campers and paddlers.

Chris Earley is a zoologist and environmental biologist He is the Interpretive Biologist and Education Coordinator at The Arboretum, University of Guelph His previous books include Falcons in the City, Warblers of the Great Lakes Region and Eastern North America, and Birds A to Z He lives in Guelph, Ontario

Chris Earley's profile page

Tracy C. Read is an editor and writer who has a special interest in nature and the environment. She lives in Kingston, Ontario.

Tracy C. Read's profile page

[Review of previous edition:] The nature guide provides interesting text, beautiful photographs, "What Makes This Hot Spot Hot?" and icons for available activities for each nature area in the book... Most of us need to get into nature more and receive the health benefits that wilderness provides and this guide provides lots of good suggestions. This is a good resource to help you plan your next nature outing or to take with you when you go on vacation!

Simcoe.com

[Review of previous edition:] Mother Nature has blessed Canada with lots of forests and majestic views... [The authors] focus on describing the natural scenery and regional geographical features... The authors also outlined reasons why travellers should visit each location, making the book engaging and practical.

Culture Magazine

[Review of previous edition:] A beautiful and useful new volume... Provides inspiring descriptions of our province's best parks natural places and conservation areas... The book is a real pleasure to page through.

London Free Press

[Review of previous edition:] Nature Book of the Year

London Free Press

[Review of previous edition:] Featuring Ontario's best parks, conservation areas and wild places, this guide will inspire adventures near and far... Colour photos, at-a-glance information, and regional maps showcase a vast array of family-friendly destinations. Some are urban gems that can be found close to towns and cities, making them ideal day trips any time of year.

City Parent

[Review of previous edition:] This expanded and updated edition is definitely a book that will be opened often, and it should be pointed out as well that just because it is Summer, does not mean you cannot use the information inside for the other seasons of the year... You have 110 reasons to travel in Ontario, and one very big reason why you should own this book: because it is information packed!

Shelf Life Magazine

[Review of previous edition:] An update of Chris Earley and Tracy Read's excellent bestselling guide to natural hot spots across the province. 110 Nature Hot Spots in Ontario includes new locations and updated details for naturalists, photographers, families, and hikers. The photo-rich entries are arranged geographically, so locations close to home or further afield are easy to find.

London Free Press

[Review of previous edition:] Maps out the province's best natural sites with details about why they are must-see attractions.

Guelph Mercury Tribune

A colourful field guide to the best places in Ontario to connect with the natural world.

Sarnia Observer

[Review of previous edition:] Recommended.

American Reference Books Annual

[Review of previous edition:] You will have fun perusing the photo-filled guide while deciding on your next wilderness adventure... Whether you want to go somewhere local to spend a few hours or travel to a more distant part of the province for a vacation this guide makes it easy as it is divided into six areas of the province: Southwestern Ontario, Central Ontario South, Niagara Region, Eastern Ontario, Central Ontario North, Northern Ontario. For each of the areas there is information about activities you can do there, if it is open year round or not and what makes the nature spot special. Helping you decide where you want to go are numerous, beautiful photographs that are throughout the book (there are more than 250 photos in the 224-page book). Ontario is blessed with an incredible number of wilderness areas and this book highlights 100 of them. 100 Nature Hot Spots in Ontario would make a thoughtful gift for those who enjoy getting out into the natural world.

DurhamRegion.com

[Review of previous edition:] Required reading. This reader-friendly guide explores the remarkable splendour and diversity of the province, from its soaring clifftops, subterranean caves and thundering cataracts to the province's tallest white pine, the oldest rocks on Earth and the warbler capital of North America. The guide is organized by region, and each destination includes a descriptive profile illustrated with color photographs and at-a-glance information about special features and contact details, while regional maps showcase locations.

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