The park is situated in the heart of the boreal forest of northern Ontario. Among the most notable natural features in the park are the eskers -- long, winding ridges of gravel or sand, deposited by the melting waters under a retreating glacier. Several small lakes in the park are kettle lakes, formed when great blocks of glacial ice broke off and left deep impressions in the earth that soon filled with water.

A special feature of the park is an unusual "quaking bog" -- an old kettle lake overgrown with vegetation. Over centuries, the plant cover on the water has become sort of a floating mat. Visible from one of the nature trails, this unusual bog shimmies and shakes when disturbed. Hikers are encouraged to keep off the bog so that the fragile vegetation is not disturbed.

Unusual plants in and near the park include wild rice, and at least six varieties of orchid. The park provides good opportunities for wildlife viewing. Moose can be spotted feeding in the Ivanhoe River at dusk, and osprey can be seen soaring over the lake and plummeting downward in search of fish.