Haliburton: Lake, Art and Local History

Get to know Haliburton through three distinct highlights: Head Lake, outdoor art and local history. Head Lake Park is in the village, on the lakeshore. There are also outdoor sculptures, the trail network at Glebe Park and the historic buildings of the Haliburton Highlands Museum. When planning, consider which of these highlights you want to shape your stay: a picnic by the water, outdoor art or an exploration of local history. These destinations cater to different interests; they are not a set itinerary.

Head Lake Park: A Picnic by the Shore

Head Lake Park is in the village of Haliburton, right on the shore of Head Lake, and offers a scenic setting for a family picnic. This combines a visit to the village with a specific outdoor activity: the focus here is a picnic by the lake. If you’d like to include a family picnic in your stay, the park is an obvious choice. Its location in the village and on the shore makes its connection to Head Lake clear.

Outdoor Sculptures

The Haliburton Sculpture Forest is in Glebe Park, near the village of Haliburton. Its collection features outdoor sculptures by Canadian and international artists. Unlike the museum’s historic buildings, the focus here is on artworks in an outdoor setting. The Sculpture Forest trails are suitable for walking and cycling in spring, summer and fall. This lets you combine a visit to the collection with some exercise, with the trails themselves forming part of the experience. Free guided tours are offered on Tuesdays at 10 a.m. in July and August. If you’re planning to join a tour, check the specific date in advance, as seasonal tour details may change.

Glebe Park and Its Trails

Glebe Park covers 175 acres of woodland and gently rolling terrain. Its trail network offers opportunities for walking, mountain biking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. In contrast to the Sculpture Forest trails, which are suitable for walking and cycling, the park also offers cross-country skiing and snowshoeing. The two highlights therefore differ not only in their landscapes: the Sculpture Forest combines sculptures with trails, while Glebe Park offers a broader range of trail activities.

Historic Buildings at the Haliburton Highlands Museum

The Haliburton Highlands Museum is in Glebe Park, on the edge of the village of Haliburton. It comprises several 19th-century buildings that were relocated there from different places in the surrounding area. One of the historic buildings is Reid House, built in 1882. This specific year of construction provides a chronological reference point for this house within the collection of 19th-century buildings. The historic farm buildings illustrate what life may have been like for the first generation of European settlers in the Haliburton area. The museum thus connects the history of individual buildings with one possible interpretation of life among settlers at the time.

Discover more destinations: Oxtongue Lake, Minden, Highland Grove, Tory Hill, Cardiff, Carnarvon, Harcourt

For the broader travel overview: Haliburton County.