Algonquin Highlands is a great place to experience the spectacular show as leaves change colours and visitors come from all over the world to see it.
Here are a few tips to help you plan and enjoy your visit to the area:
- The view can make you stop in your tracks ... but if you're driving, please don't! Always find a safe place to pull off and if you see a line-up of traffic behind you, consider pulling off to let others move along.
- Have patience! As the fall colours get better, more people come to see them. Plan ahead, leave plenty of time, and make sure you have drinks and snacks to get you through the inevitable line-ups.
- Be respectful of private property: most land adjacent to the roadways you'll be travelling is privately owned and unless you have been specifically invited by the property owner to visit, please don't do so.
- Keep our lands and waters clean and free of litter and waste.
- Waste containers are not readily available in many locations throughout the area due to wildlife concerns, so be prepared to take your garbage home with you.
- Consider packing a "litterless lunch" - what's better than a picnic anyway?
- Please leave only footprints and take only memories.
- Public washrooms tend to be privy-style facilities, meaning they're fancy outhouses. They aren't abundant so it's best to freshen up when you can. If you wait to find indoor, flush-style facilities, you're likely to be disappointed.
- Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and / or Municipal Bylaw Officers will sometimes be helping guide visitors and ensure that everyone stays safe. Feel free to ask for information and directions.
Roadways can be very busy!
The Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower
New this year, tickets must be purchased in advance for weekends and Thanksgiving Monday from September 24 to October 16. Weekdays (excluding Thanksgiving Monday) remain first come, first served with tickets available at the gate. Tickets can be purchased at www.ahtrails.ca, if you just show up, you will likely be disappointed. The location includes a park with picnic tables, a gift shop and two look outs, along with the 100ft tall Tower.
Oxtongue Lake Area - Highway 60 corridor to Algonquin Park
Oxtongue Lake is a hamlet just 11km from the West Gate of Algonquin Park. It has a gas station, convenience store and small cafe so feel free to "fuel up" in preparation for your arrival at Algonquin Park.
Keep in mind that Oxtongue Lake isn't a town or village; it's home to a handful of private vacation resorts and numerous private waterfront cottages. There's no park, village square, restaurant chains, or shopping - and there's really no public place to see the fall colours.
In order to prevent confusion and to keep visitors moving on toward Algonquin Park, the little dead-end roads in the Oxtongue Lake area will be restricted to local residents only from Tuesday, September 13th to Tuesday, October 11th, 2022 (inclusive).
The roads that will be closed to through traffic are Oxtongue Lake Road; Blue Spruce Road; Algonquin Outfitters Road (after Algonquin Outfitters); Harris Road; Tom Paris Road and Elliott Road.
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) and / or Municipal Bylaw Officers will sometimes be helping guide visitors and ensure that everyone stays safe. Feel free to ask for information and directions.
Algonquin Provincial Park
The big draw is the famous and fabulous Algonquin Provincial Park!
There are a variety of ways to keep up with your fall colour experience options at Algonquin Provincial Park:
Fall Colours Blog: http://www.ontarioparks.com/parksblog/fall-colours-at-algonquin-provincial-park/.
Twitter: @Algonquin_PP with the hashtag #AlgonquinFallColours
Up-to-date Fall Colour Report: https://www.ontarioparks.com/fallcolour
Detailed information on where to go inside Algonquin Park here: http://www.algonquinpark.on.ca/visit/general_park_info/fall-colour-report.php#new
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there other places in the area with good viewing opportunities?
- Algonquin Highlands trails, particularly: Circuit of 5 Viewpoints, Crests of Kennisis, or James Cooper Lookout Trail. Visit http://algonquinhighlands.ca/visitors/hiking-trails.php for details and maps for each of these routes
- Skyline Park - off Highway 118, just East of the Village of Haliburton
- Panorama Park - Hwy 35 to South Lake Road, then to Panorama Park Road, just outside the Town of Minden
When are colours at their peak in Algonquin Highlands?
Every year it is different! Ontario parks has a great fall colours guide . The colours in Algonquin Highlands are sometimes a few days behind those of Algonquin Park and colours across the Highlands vary quite a lot.
The Dorset and Oxtongue Lake areas will show colours before some of the more southerly sections of the Township. Don't worry too much about catching the "peak." Fall is beautiful in the area no matter whether the trees are just beginning to show colour or when most of the leaves have fallen and are colouring the ground.
Is there a time when things are less busy?
Weekdays are always less busy than the weekend. Early in the day is also better. Don't discount cloudy or rainy days! Grey skies bring out amazing colour and contrast in the trees and tend to keep some people at home.
Where can I get information on places to stay and things to do in Algonquin Highlands?
The County of Haliburton website has lots of information for travelers to the area.
What is the best way to travel to Algonquin Highlands?
There is no easy answer to this question! It all depends on where you are coming from and where you'd like to go.
If you're coming up from the east side of the GTA, you'll likely come up the 404 to Hwy 48, to Hwy 35 and find yourself in Minden, directly south of Algonquin Highlands.
If you're coming up from the west side of the GTA, you'll likely come up the Hwy 400/11 corridor. From there, you can come across Hwy 118, Hwy 117 or Hwy 60.
If you're coming from the east, such as Ottawa, you can come via Hwy 118 through the village of Haliburton or via Hwy 60 through the East Gate of Algonquin Park. The County of Haliburton website has a great interactive map of the area.
There is no public transit available.