Adventure seekers know that spending a day pushing yourself on a road or trail, giving it all you’ve got on the water, and generally just thrilling at every moment of life is truly the reason for it all.  

This summer we invite you to relive those epic adventures from summers past – those wild rides, breathtaking discoveries – and really let loose and celebrate the joy of living. 

Gather your courage and step out of your comfort zone. Dive into summer headfirst in Ontario’s Highlands

Land, Water & Sky Adventures

Amp up the adrenalin this summer with unique adventures like parasailing with Ski-Mazing Watersports in Haliburton Highlands, where you can book waterskiing and wakeboard lessons, Flyboarding and Jetovator hydroflights and more. Take off and land right on the boat on beautiful Twelve Mile Lake!

If you want to learn how to embrace the thrill of whitewater every day on your own, consider a course from Madawaska Kanu Centre (MKC) and learn how to master whitewater kayaking or canoeing in a world-class whitewater setting. 

Accommodations for the Adventurous:

Red Umbrella Inn in Minden, Haliburton Highlands is a three-acre waterfront property and home to Ski-Mazing Watersports. They offer lakeside cottages with decks overlooking Twelve Mile Lake and an all-inclusive meal plan for that true resort feel. MKC also offers varying accommodations from camping to cabins or dormitory settings. 

Trail Riding Thrills

Ending the day where you look exactly the same as when you started is no kind of adventure for us! Picture yourself in a four-wheeler, gunning the throttle as you bump through puddles, mud splashing on your windshield (and in your face). ATV trail riding is something that must be experienced at least once in a lifetime and the folks to get you started are Tom Irwin Adventure Tours, Outdoor Adventure Rentals in Perth, Urban Sport in Calabogie, or Thrill Seeker ATV Tours. 

When you’re pedaling hard over challenging hills and down gravel trails you will really get your blood moving. In Frontenac County and Lennox & Addington, you’ll find off-road cycling experience that take you through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ontario. 

Accommodations for the Adventurous:

Rest up at the end of the day at Pleasantview Lodge in Plevna. Only steps away from the K&P Trail, this cozy lodge can be your home base for pedal-focused activities across the region. You can also book a stay in Pine Brae Wilderness Resort near Perth to get back to nature. 

Go Where You've Never Gone Before

Have you ever driven a real race car? Careened down a hill at full throttle? Ridden deep into the forest on the back of a horse? Discover the thrill of new adventures at Calabogie Motorsports Park while driving your own car around the track or rent a race-prepped Mustang to get a feel of the track. 

If two-wheeled excitement is more your thing, take advantage of the steep ski trails at Sir Sam’s Ski/RIDE and hurtle downhill on the back of a mountain bike, thrilling at every turn of the trail. Adventure will also call to you from the back of a horse at South Algonquin Trails as you wander deep into the forest on equine pathways. 

Accommodations for the Adventurous:

Keep the adventure vibe high with an overnight at Deacon Escarpment, in the Bonnechere Valley, and stay in a cozy cabin, pod, or pitch your tent on their vast wilderness property overlooking Golden Lake. South Algonquin Trails offers camping spots or for a little more luxury consider booking the remote Algonquin Eco-Lodge. 

Get Wild on the Water

If you really want to get your heart racing, whitewater rafting or paddling will be your jam. In the Ottawa Valley, there are two world renowned whitewater experiences to choose from, OWL Rafting on the Ottawa River and Wilderness Tours. Both providers will give you a heart thumping ride down the mighty Ottawa River, the chance to jump from a towering cliff, and the laughter and soaking wet clothes to remember the day afterwards. 

While at Wilderness Tours you can also amplify your adventure  by adding on a mountain biking experience on their network of mountain bike trails that feature single, double, and bermed flow sections.

Accommodations for the Adventurous:

OWL Rafting on the Ottawa River and Wilderness Tours offer on-site camping, glamping, or cabin rentals. You can also consider Deacon Escarpment in the Ottawa Valley for a remote cabin experience that will nicely complement the high adrenalin experiences.

Larger-than-life Guided Trips

If you crave adventure but want someone to help you find the way, consider a guided experience that will take you to all the best spots in Ontario’s Highlands. Deep Roots Adventure offers guided day trips like their popular High Falls Paddle, Explore & Dine that takes you on an epic paddle trip with a catered meal and hike. Their Paddle, Plein Air & Dine will help you release your inner artist and creativity in some of the same beautiful settings that inspired the Group of Seven. 

Yours Outdoors offers a variety of courses from Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve, including an intro to fly fishing, dinner with wolves, rock hounding, rock climbing, and an intro to wild edible mushrooms (and more). Book an on the water guided trip from Braiding Rivers like their Babes in Boats whitewater clinic on the Madawaska River. Finding Your Way Adventures offers backcountry canoe and hiking trips across Ontario’s Highlands (and beyond) as well as guided forest therapy walks.  

Accommodations for the Adventurous:

Most of these guided adventures will include accommodation options (usually camping that is part of your experience) but you could also consider booking a cottage at Haliburton Forest or one of their Cabinscape cabins, a minimalist micro-cabin that will maximize your outdoor time. 

Go Backcountry Camping

Say yes to the adventure of a backcountry experience in some of the most beautiful terrain in Ontario. Ontario’s Highlands’ varied topography ranges from rugged Canadian Shield to dense forests and deep lakes, many of which are remote, means you won’t run out of opportunities to find an epic camping spot.

  • Book a backcountry experience at Land ‘escapes where they will even provide you with the equipment you need for a phenomenal backcountry experience on their 27,000 acre property. 
  • Haliburton Highlands Water Trails is a backcountry canoe route system with 28,000 hectares of public lands boasting countless lakes, rivers, trails, forests, and campsites. 
  • At North Frontenac Parklands you can camp on one of the area’s 12 pristine lakes peppered with 184 campsites, accessible by either car or by water.  
     
Accommodations for the Adventurous:

No matter which backcountry experience you choose your adventure will include spending the night beneath a starry roof and surrounded by the beauty of nature. 

Paddling
Camping
Bicycling