hemlock bluff trail - algonquin provincial park

My wife and I walked five of the trails in Algonquin Provincial Park, and this one was the most disappointing. It’s a 3.5 km loop trail that isn’t that strenuous, and it does have a nice view of Jack Lake. However, it was the most overgrown of the trails that we hiked, and between that and all the exposed tree roots and loose rocks (all the trails had at least some of that); we spent the vast majority of the time ducking branches and watching our footing to keep from tripping or sliding. Other than the view of the lake, we really didn’t see much else because we were literally looking down all the time. There are far better trails to take, such as Booth's Rock Trail in particular, or the Hardwood Lookout Trail.NOTES: There are free guide books for each trail that you can pick up when you start and drop off at the end of the trail. There are guideposts along the route that correspond with sections of the book. There are also blue reflectors on trees every so often, to let you know you are on the correct path. You will need a park permit to park in the trail parking lot. Finally, BE SURE TO TAKE BUG SPRAY! We had two kinds, a "natural" spray that didn't seem to even phase the mosquitos, and wipes with 30% Deet that kept them off for the most part. Since we used wipes, we couldn't really do anything for our clothes and the little buggers would bite through your shirt. We were there in mid-June and they were pretty bad; I can't speak for the rest of the year. Just be prepared!