Fall in Love with Maple

After a long and shivery winter, maple is a sweet reason to get excited about spring. When the days begin to lengthen is when maple syrup rises to top of mind, and we yearn for the steamy sweetness of a sugar shack tucked in the woods, and the sticky world of maple syrup.

Here in Ontario's Highlands we love to celebrate Canada’s iconic sweetener, in all its forms. Yes, maple syrup truly belongs on the breakfast table, smothering French toast, waffles, and more, but its usefulness doesn’t end with your steaming stack of pancakes.

When is maple season?

Maple season begins when the weather begins to transition from winter to spring, sometime between mid-to-end of February and the beginning of April. Sap will run when temperatures are above zero degrees Celsius by day, and below zero by night. Sap travels up from the roots into the trunk and branches when the weather is above zero, then travels back down into the roots when the temperature drops below zero.

How long is maple season?

The typical syrup season lasts about four-to-six weeks, but in some years this can change to as short as two weeks, or as long as eight or ten weeks, depending on the weather.

How can visitors find a sugarbush to explore?

The Ontario Maple Syrup Producers' Association's website features an interactive map to help you find a sugarbush in your area. Click here to access the map and enter your location. Many sugarbushes are closed in the off-season and only re-open from January or February until the end of April.