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Valley Explore
WalkExplore the Ottawa Valley on foot. This guide offers walking trails through hamlets, towns and...
BikeThe Ottawa Valley offers excellent biking opportunities for the beginner and the sports enthusiast....
DriveThe following tours, designed for the independent traveller via car or bike, will escort you along...
XC SkiThe Ottawa Valley has a variety excellent cross-country trails for various skill levels. This guide...
CanoeThe Ottawa Valley offers a variety of interesting paddling excursions with rivers and creeks...
WaterfallsWaterfalls, large and thunderous or sleek and elegant, are fascinating natural formations. The...
Madawaska River  and  Highlands Tours

The Madawaska Highlands follow the Madawaska River from Algonquin Park to Calabogie. This is a beautiful, mountainous region with many wilderness and Crown land areas, hardwood forests, and hundreds of lakes. Following the northern edge of the Madawaska Highlands is the Opeongo Line.

This early settlement line is as well known for the abundance of log homesteads and outbuilding that are still in use today. Today the Opeongo Line is a favorite scenic area, particularly in the fall when the trees are changing colours.



1. Combermere - Craigmount
Combermere is a tiny hamlet that is home to Madonna House, an international Catholic lay organization. The Madonna House complex includes a gift shop, book store and pioneer museum. This tour takes you past the fork of the Madawaska and York Rivers, and the abandoned corundum mines of Craigmount. Craigmount, once a community of 600, has been abandoned since 1921. Respect private property on this tour and stick to the road. Part of the tour into Craigmount will be on a narrow road complete with small sections of corduroy road. From Craigmount, you will begin a gradual climb around the base of Craigmount Hill and begin the long descent back to Combermere.
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RATING:Moderate; hills for 4 km
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:21 km
2. Brudenell - Quadeville - Letterkenny
This paved tour takes you to some of the most spectacular views in the area. The route is hilly but well worth the climbs. The tour starts in Brudenell and allows a side tour to Foymount, the highest populated point in Ontario, where the dismantled radar base has been converted to a small community. The tour takes you through Quadeville and past the famous hideout area of Al Capone. You will travel through Letterkenney, and pass by Charlotte Lake. Finish your tour with a picnic and a swim at the public beach on Gorman Lake.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:46.5 km
3. Dacre - Mt. St. Patrick - Balaclava
This route follows the base of Mount St. Patrick Mountains to the village of Mount St. Patrick. The St. Patrick Church dates back to 1869 and is the oldest active Roman Catholic Church in the County. The route crosses Hwy 132 and winds up and down narrow dirt roads into the ghost town of Balaclava. The old abandoned mill, store and hotel in Balaclava give you a taste of days gone by.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:29 km
4. The Pinnacle - Renfrew
This is a favourite ride for many Renfrew cyclists. This ride starts in town and within a few km you are climbing up the Pinnacle to meander through farm country. This tour feels miles from town. This is a great ride for the whole family, or for a late afternoon training ride. Get out and enjoy this beautiful ride.
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RATING:Easy to moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:14 km
5. Renfrew - Calabogie on the Old KandP
The abandoned Kingston to Pembroke (K & P) Railway is a popular recreation trail. This tour travels down to Calabogie along the K & P and returns by some of the small back roads that are abundant in the area. There are some hills on the way back from Calabogie along the roads, so you have the option of returning along the K & P. This is a great day trip and you can easily include lunch and a swim at Calabogie.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:55 km
6. Burnstown - Stewartville
This ride offers everything from the quaint village and artist’s community of Burnstown, to the hydro dam at Stewartville, to the farmland of McNab Township. You can top this tour off at the popular swimming beach on the Madawaska River.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:21 km
7. Braeside - Lochwinnoch - Sand Point
This tour offers some excellent views of the Ottawa River and the Province of Quebec. Once you have climbed the hill out of Braeside the ride is along flat gravel and paved roads. The tour travels through Lochwinnoch and Sand Point before returning to Braeside. The small lighthouse at Sand Point is a wonderful stop to watch the river go by.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:26 km
8. Arnprior - Burnstown - White Lake
This tour is a training ride for the Men Against Flab in Arnprior (MAFIA) Bike Club. For other riders this is a great pavement tour with plenty of opportunities to take a break. The tour goes through a number of small communities, and passes by a riverside and a lake front park for swimming and picnicking. There are also a few galleries and two cafes on this tour. You may even see a few of the MAFIA on this ride.
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RATING:Moderate
TOUR TYPE:Loop
TOTAL DISTANCE:43 km
9. The Old KandP (South)
A popular recreation trail. This tour travels down to Calabogie along the K & P and returns by some of the small back roads that are abundant in the area.
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Distance:2/15 km
Trail TypeHard-Packed Dirt, Former Rail Bed
Difficulty:Easy