Public Transport: Family Camping, the Better Way

Here is an article from Mike Funston, in the Toronto Star, dated Saturday, October 6, 2007, from the "Living Green," "Making Changes" section of the newspaper, page U2:

Gideon Forman of Toronto always uses public transit -- even when he goes camping with his 13-year-old son.

"I don't own a car. In fact, I don't even have a driver's licence. But I'm an avid hiker and want to instill a love of wilderness in my kids.

"Each summer for the past few years, I've taken my son camping. We've gone to Algonquin Park, the Bruce Peninsula and Point Pelee."

Their trip, camping gear and all, starts with a TTC ride to the bus or train station.

For Algonquin, they take the train to Huntsville, then a shuttle bus into the park. For Bruce Peninsula National Park, they take a Greyhound bus to Owen Sound, then a "tiny" bus up Highway 6, get dropped off on the side of the road, then hike six kilometres into the park. For Point Pelee, they took the train to Windsor, a taxi to a campground 1.5 kilometres outside the park, then hiked into the park.

"Going camping by public transit isn't just environmentally better, it's also more of an adventure. Not having a car around gives the trip more of a wilderness feel."

-- Mike Funston