A 16-kilometre trail network in Vanderwater Conservation Area leads through old-growth forests to the Moira River, where water flows over a series of limestone steps. The changing landscape of forest, river and limestone gives this natural area a distinct character. McGeachie Conservation Area highlights different features: hiking trails, a creek, beaver dams, wildlife and extensive wetlands, as well as an original farmhouse that is nearly 150 years old. Together, these two conservation areas showcase different facets of the Hastings County landscape.

Journeys Between Communities and Landscapes

Hastings County is located between Toronto, Ottawa, the Bay of Quinte and Algonquin Park. From Ottawa, travellers can reach many of the county’s small towns by car in under two hours, heading west on Highway 7. From Toronto, the route heads east along Highway 401: Belleville is within a two-hour drive; from there, continue by car along the highways to Hastings County’s communities. Travel times may vary depending on conditions.

For a scenic drive, take Scenic Route #8 Weslemkoon Lake Trail. It runs from Gilmour to Weslemkoon Lake and invites you to stop along the way for a swim in Wadsworth Lake. The route pairs a drive to a lake with a specific opportunity to pause by the water.

Water, Rocks and Trails

At Lake St. Peter Provincial Park, you can rent a canoe or kayak for the day and explore Lake St. Peter. The park also has two sandy beaches. The lake is also the northern terminus of the Hastings Heritage Trail. This spot brings together a day trip on the water, beaches and a notable endpoint of the Heritage Trail.

For those interested in rocks and minerals, the Princess Sodalite Mine Rock Shop offers a search where you can discover almost 100 different types of finds. In Bancroft, the Rockhound Gemboree puts a greater focus on the same subject: every summer, it hosts Canada’s largest annual gem and mineral show, featuring more than 100 dealers. If you’d like to include the Gemboree in your travel plans, check the specific event dates.

Explore History and Culture

The Bancroft North Hastings Heritage Museum is located in the former headquarters of the Bronson-Weston Lumber Company. Ten galleries explore the community’s history. At Eagles Nest Park, an interpretive trail covers further topics: early Indigenous presence in the region, early European settlement, and the park’s geology, flora and fauna.

In Stirling, Farmtown Park is home to the Hastings County Museum of Agricultural Heritage. It shares the culture of rural Ontario and the history of farming and farmers, including cheese and butter making. The Heritage Village depicts a unique rural small town from the 1930s. Together, these areas range from specific topics in food production to a picture of rural life at the time.

Tyendinaga Cavern and Caves offers a guided tour of Ontario’s largest known cave. The experience is available seasonally. For those interested in the region’s geology, this provides another way to explore, alongside its trails, rivers and rock finds: a guided cave tour.

Discover more destinations: Belleville, Quinte West, Bancroft, Gilmour, Tweed, Coe Hill, Madoc, Marmora, Stirling, Maynooth, Lake Saint Peter.

For the broader travel overview: Ontario.