Venturing, Vistas and Culinary Variety in Haliburton Highlands

While the Haliburton Highlands have long been known as a summer tourist hotspot, there are increasingly more reasons than ever to drive, bike or hike this expansive and alluring region across the seasons. Located south of Algonquin Park, Haliburton Highlands consists of four municipalities spanning over 4,000 square kilometres and boasts over 600 lakes. 

A two-and-a-half hour road trip from Toronto or a three-hour trip from Ottawa will get you access to numerous outdoor recreational activities and events, unique attractions, and an ever-evolving culinary scene that includes an array of delectable restaurants, high quality food trucks, and farmers’ markets.

Speaking of unique attractions, I am lucky to live about five minutes away from a sculpture forest. That’s right, a ‘sculpture forest’ – essentially, an evocative combination of art and nature. 

Located in Haliburton village on the north shore of Head Lake, the Haliburton Sculpture Forest in Glebe Park started in 2001 as a project of the Arts Committee of the Haliburton County Development Corporation and grew over the years to host over 40 unique sculptures. 

It’s become a one-of-a-kind marvel that tourists travel for hours to see, and that locals enjoy as a popular outdoor spot to rest, recharge, exercise and socialize.

While I’ve visited the Sculpture Forest and Glebe Park numerous times over the years – walking with visitors in the fall, taking my kids to Nordic ski lessons in winter, visiting the Haliburton Highlands museum, or just catching some sun on a work break – I recently decided to try biking the park one sunny spring day.

I enter Glebe Park and head to the Sculpture Forest Trail, which is only about 1.4 km. Interpretive signage dots the trail, so it’s easy to figure out where you’re going and what you’re looking at. I visit my favourite sculptures – Embracing Eos, I See a Wish and Redwing Frond.

It’s a relatively smooth bike ride on the multi-use trail, with the sculptures placed close together and plenty of space available for me to park and admire.

Seeking more forest adventures, I cycle uphill on the Homestead Trail, a climbing switchback trail leading out of the main section of the park, and onto the short but sweet #1 Trail – one of more than 10 km of dedicated mountain biking trails available to explore. 

The forest was finally coming to life after a particularly harsh winter, with thousands of leeks emerging from under the leaves, fiddleheads unfurling, and other refreshing signs of life on display. It may just be my imagination, but it feels like I’m able to breathe a little deeper as I glide along the trail. 

Another gem of Haliburton, Skyline Park, is just an 8-minute drive or a 30-minute bike ride from Glebe Park, or a couple of minutes from the center of town. Skyline Park has long been a designated rest stop, dedicated by Leslie M. Frost in 1958. 

It is best viewed in the dawn or dusk light, but if you’re looking for a lunch stop, picnic tables and washrooms are onsite. It’s a great view for minimal effort, and accessible through both cycling and driving. 

While this attraction is most majestic during the overwhelming colours of autumn, the panoramic views are worth visiting any time of year. 

I trade my bike for my car and park at the top of the hill. It’s rarely too crowded this time of year, and I’m able to stand solo at the lookout hundreds of feet above the village, beholding a familiar but always breathtaking vista stretching out for miles. 

A few days later, I drive approximately 25km southwest from the village of Haliburton to check out the grand opening of a new restaurant in Minden, conveniently located just off Hwy 35. Minden is historically known for its vibrant, high-quality restaurant scene and hardworking staff, and from what I’ve heard since its initial soft opening earlier in May, Lounge Espresso Café has so far held to that reputation. 

The café is currently open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I pop in for a late lunch and am seated at a newly renovated booth surrounded by intensely colourful local art pieces. I’m pleasantly surprised by the number of options available on the menu. 

My lunch date and I order the buttermilk pancakes, a lavender latte, the Lion’s Mane Cocoa latte, and a fruit smoothie. The pancakes were light and fluffy with just the right amount of fruit and whipped cream, and served with a side of real maple syrup. 

We found the lattes and smoothies to be both rich in flavour and visually appealing. 

Owner Brock Williamson and his partner Matthew Saage have clearly put great effort into making the space attractive, cozy, and affordable. I notice them frequently checking in on restaurant patrons to see how they are enjoying the experience.

“We wanted to give everyone the most beautiful place possible a

d still offer a friendly budget with high quality food, so it’s accessible to everyone,” said Saage. 

He was particularly proud of the art pieces and noted that Fernando Diaz De Leon Rendon, a multidisciplinary artist from the Haliburton School of Art & Design, assisted with lining the walls with art pieces from local artists.

All of them are available for purchase, with 100% of sales going to the artist. 

I end my week of local wandering with a lunch date at Juna, a new upscale Italian restaurant located in the centre of town in a beautifully retrofitted building on Highland Street in Haliburton. 

The ambiance evokes a slice of Europe, with the artfully decorated space feeling both cozy and spacious at the same time.

Annie Merrifield, a waitress in the restaurant and daughter of owners Christoph Carl and Terri Mathews-Carl, explained that the concept of Juna came from her family wanting to do something different – a modern, upscale Italian restaurant for people of all ages. 

Much like their other restaurant, the Rhubarb restaurant in Carnarvon, everything is made in house with as many local ingredients as possible.  

“We serve the community with what grows in the community,” she said.

Juna boasts an impressive drinks menu, but seeing as it’s only noon, I order a faux mocktail, and my lunch date gets a cappuccino, served small and tidy. Sipping on our drinks and window watching, we don’t have to wait long until our food comes – marinated olives with focaccia to start, then nduja pizza (with sausage, guanciale, and parmesan) and chicken panini with a side salad.  

Everything is filling, crunchy and fresh, and there’s enough pizza left to take home with us.

Service is prompt and friendly, and as much as I’d like to stay and lounge, the warm weather awaits. 

Stepping out onto the sidewalk, with spring spilling onto main street and summer promises ahead of me, I’m reminded of how lucky I am to be a tourist in my hometown of Haliburton Highlands.