Travel Like a Fox: Fall in The Kawarthas
There’s something about The Kawarthas that tends to draw in a few distinct types of travellers. Not by design, but by the experiences this place naturally offers – each one shaping how it’s explored.
The Bear prefers a slower pace and the comfort of returning to familiar places.
The Bee follows culture, connection, and conversation.
The Otter looks for meaning in their travels, often alongside family and friends.
And then there’s the Fox.
As the air cools and the landscape begins to change, The Kawarthas feels tailored to this daring and curious traveller. The Fox is drawn to new terrain, outdoor challenges, and the stories that come from pushing just a little farther. Travel is not about standing still. It is about movement, discovery, learning new skills, and finding the places that make you feel more alive.
That journey might begin at Harold Town Conservation Area in Douro-Dummer, where multi-use recreational trails wind through forested terrain and climb to scenic views from the top of the Meade Creek Drumlin. Here, a simple walk can become something more. Hike it, bike it, or take on the climb as the leaves change and the trails fill with colour. This hidden gem offers just enough challenge to make the view feel earned.
Those ready to venture deeper into the wild can head to Kawartha Highlands Signature Site, hugged between Trent Lakes and North Kawartha, one of the region’s most rewarding outdoor escapes. Its year-round backcountry campsites, paddling routes, quiet lakes, and rugged landscapes offer space to explore and the chance to rely on your own skills and sense of direction. Fall is an especially powerful time to visit: the bugs ease, the colours sharpen, and every paddle stroke and portage becomes part of a bigger story.
Outside the park, there are countless ways to keep moving. The Kawarthas is a cyclist’s playground, with road and mountain biking routes that cross rolling countryside, forested trails, and quiet rural roads. The Kawarthas’ Signature Paddling Routes lead across lakes and rivers, past wildlife, portages, and colourful shorelines. For those who would rather explore on four wheels, fall driving tours transform the journey itself into an experience, following scenic backroads through forests, farms, small towns, and lakeside stops. Learn more about these Signature Routes at www.thekawarthas.ca.
A little preparation can make a big outing much easier. Adventure Outfitters in Lakefield carries camping supplies and offers canoe and kayak rentals alongside trip-planning support. Kawartha Adventure Rentals helps visitors take to the water with kayaks, stand-up paddleboards, pontoons, canoes, and more. Camp Rentique makes camping more approachable by providing ready-to-go equipment kits – simply place your order, pack up, and hit the road. Whether you are an experienced explorer or trying something new, these local businesses can help turn an idea into a well-equipped fall escape.
The season also creates the perfect atmosphere for places steeped in mystery and folklore. Near Buckhorn, two massive glacial erratics known as the Adam and Eve Rocks rest quietly in the landscape. They tell a geological story shaped by forces much older than us, but local legend gives them a more romantic meaning: if two lovers hold hands while each touches one of the rocks, their lives will be blessed. It is an intriguing stop where natural history and local folklore meet, just minutes from the shops and small-town charm of downtown Buckhorn.
After a full day outdoors, Lakefield Park & Campground offers a comfortable base close to both nature and the village of Lakefield. Surrounded by water and near trails, fishing, a beach, shops, and restaurants, it provides the freedom of a camping getaway without feeling too far removed from local amenities. Spend the day paddling, hiking, cycling, or exploring, then return to the waterfront to rest before setting out again.
For those who travel like the Fox, fall is not something to watch from a window. It is something to step into – in the crunch of leaves beneath your feet, the quiet rhythm of a paddle, the curve of an unfamiliar road, or the view from somewhere you have never stood before. Because the best adventures do more than take you somewhere new! They show you what you are capable of!
How do YOU travel in The Kawarthas? Take the quiz at
www.thekawarthas.ca/quiz.
Ryley Gutoskie, The Kawarthas Tourism
