Dorset, Ontario: The Fall Foliage Gem You've Probably Never Heard Of

When I told people I was headed to Dorset for a long weekend, I got a lot of blank stares. "Where?!" was the response from at least five different people. And I totally get it.

Dorset is not a place that announces itself. It is a quiet, unhurried little village tucked into the lakes and forests in a hidden corner of the Ontario Highlands.

But Dorset is near and dear to my heart. Growing up about an hour away in a small town, hour-long road trips on a Saturday afternoon were quite frequent. My family used to drive here for dinner, or watch the snowmobiles run the open water under the bridge in early spring when the ice was just beginning to give way. And we almost always climbed the old Dorset fire tower.

How the Trip Came to Be

I am so fortunate to have won the Capture Small Town Ontario photo contest with Ontario's Highlands! The prize was a two-night stay in a small town of my choice within the region, and I knew immediately what I wanted: fall colours and waterfront. Dorset sits right on the most western edge of Ontario's Highlands boundary, and it delivered on both counts.

We found a stunning Airbnb called Bellavista on Kawagama Lake, and Scott and I set off on a wonderful three-day escape.

The Cottage

Bellavista cottage is perched on a gorgeous lot overlooking a narrow canal between Minden Bay and White Trout Bay on Kawagama Lake. We had grand plans to take the kayaks out on this massive lake, but the October weather had other ideas. Instead, Scott tried his hand at fishing off the dock (sadly, he had no luck), and we sat by the water and dreamed of warmer days. We will most definitely head back to Bellavista during the summertime!

Inside, the cozy cottage is everything a good Airbnb should be. You can tell the family who owns it actually uses it themselves, which I truly love. The kitchen was beautiful, with granite countertops, a gas range, and a dishwasher. There is a washer and dryer on site, a full walkout basement with a ping pong table and foosball table that we somehow never made it down to, and a wood stove on the main level that quickly became the focal point of our evenings. Scott played guitar. I read old issues of Cottage Life magazine. The fire crackled. It was like something out of a nostalgic dream, and it couldn’t have been more relaxing!

Into Dorset

The village is only about a ten-minute drive from the cottage. I will be upfront: in October, Dorset is fairly quiet. A lot of the seasonal businesses have closed up for the year, and the summer tourists are mostly gone. But having fewer crowds is always a win in my books!

Our first stop was Robinson's General Store, and if you know anything about this area, you already know that Robinson's is a must-visit. From the outside, it looks like a small general store. Step inside, and it is something else entirely: a well-stocked supermarket with a bakery and deli, an apparel shop upstairs, a full-on hardware store, an extensive giftware section toward the back, and a small café attached to the side. We picked up a few gifts for our daughter and grabbed groceries for dinner, and I was genuinely impressed by the selection. You won’t want to skip this place!

From there, we wandered down toward the water. In the summer months, the SS Bigwin is docked here, offering boat cruises on the stunning Lake of Bays, which I have done before and wholeheartedly recommend. This time of year she was up on land for maintenance, and the little ice cream shop nearby was closed for the season, but the views of the lake were just as beautiful as ever. The fall colours reflected on that water were worth the stop on their own. We plopped ourselves down in the Muskoka chairs and sat and looked out at the water for a while. 

My favourite restaurant in the area, the Trading Bay Dining Company, has a stunning waterfront patio that I love in the warmer months. It too was closed on this visit, so that one will have to wait for next time.

We also walked over to Dorset Beach Park, a lovely rest area with picnic benches and public washrooms overlooking Lake of Bays. Perfect for lunch with a view!

The Dorset Heritage Museum is located at the bottom of the hill where the Dorset Tower is located. We were excited to check out the museum, but sadly, it was also closed. We still enjoyed walking the property, surrounded by maple trees absolutely ablaze with colour. A beautiful backdrop, even with the doors locked.

The Dorset Tower

Since we were already at the foot of the trail, we decided to hike up rather than drive, and made our way to the trailhead for the Dorset Fire Tower.

The Dorset Lookout Tower has been watching over Lake of Bays since 1922, when it was built by the Ontario Department of Lands and Forests as part of a provincewide network of fire detection towers. At its peak, fire rangers would spend entire summers stationed up here scanning the horizon for smoke. The tower was decommissioned from active fire watch duty decades ago but has been preserved as a heritage landmark and one of the most rewarding viewpoints in the Ontario Highlands. For me, climbing it again after all these years, this time with Scott beside me, felt like coming full circle to something I did not even know I needed.

The hike itself is only 2.5 kilometres and takes roughly an hour for the full loop, but do not let the short distance fool you. The terrain is uneven in places and requires careful footing at the best of times. In October, with a layer of damp fallen leaves covering the path, it demands even more attention. That said, the views along the way are spectacular, with Lake of Bays appearing through the trees as you climb and the fall colours wrapping around you on all sides.

At the top, there are porta-potties (thank goodness), a small gift shop, and the tower itself. 

I will be honest: your first reaction when you see it might be “this looks a little rickety, will it even hold my weight?” But get a little closer and you will see that the entire structure is built from solid steel beams. Nothing is bringing this sucker down. Is it safe? Well, they sent fire watchers up it every single day for decades, so I am going to assume yes. I went in completely blindly and lived to tell the tale, so here we are.

As Scott and I climbed the metal stairs, we noticed several people making their way back down looking rather wide-eyed. I understood why the moment I looked out from the top. It is high. It is open. And on the way back down, it is a little humbling, even if you are not particularly afraid of heights. If heights are not your thing, this one might not be for you. But if you can handle it, the view from the top during peak fall foliage is nothing short of breathtaking. It might just be Ontario’s best viewpoint in autumn!

We hiked back down to the car admiring the lake as we descended, and then made one final detour over to Baysville to visit Lake of Bays Brewing Company for a cold pint and something from their chip truck. Technically outside Ontario's Highlands, so I will leave it at that, but it was a very good way to end an afternoon.

The Drive Home

The next morning we packed up and made our way home through Algonquin Park, which I always recommend if the route works for you. We did not see a moose, but the possibility of seeing one never stops being exciting. The colours inside the park were stunning, and if you stop at the Visitor Centre, the short hike up to the Algonquin Park Fire Tower Lookout is absolutely worth it. The views are wonderful and the trail is right there attached to the building itself.

The Lesson Dorset Taught Me

This trip was quieter than most of my adventures. There was no packed itinerary, no rushing between stops, no checking boxes off a list. And somewhere between the fire in the wood stove and the view from that tower and the drive through the park, I realized that was exactly right.

Sometimes you do not need to be busy to have a good time. Sometimes a slow morning, a nostalgic trail, and a sky full of colour is everything.

Dorset, Ontario should 100% be added to your bucket list. You will wonder why it took you so long.