Huntsville Lakes / North Muskoka Row Tour Weekend

Highlights

Fall colours, lakes and highlands, steamship history, and locking mark this two day tour on waterways in North Muskoka.  This tour is through the scenic connected lakes around Huntsville.

This is a two day tour.  You have the choice of going for both days or either Saturday or Sunday.

Day 1, Saturday, September 21

We start at Hutcheson Beach on Lake Vernon and row the narrows through downtown Huntsville.  We stop at a beach for lunch and to visit the historical display at the Steam Museum, including viewing the Portage Flyer Train which was the world’s smallest commercial railway from 1904 to 1959.  We then row on Fairy Lake, pass the Deerhurst Resort, the site of the G8 Conference in 2010, to the canal cut.  After traversing the canal, we scull on Peninsular (Pen) Lake to the North Portage where the Portage Flyer train used to take passengers to Lake of Bays.  Finally we finish on a sandy beach of a hotel on the north side of Peninsular Lake.  The distance is about 22 km.

Day 2 Sunday, September 22

We start from the Colonial Bay Cottages and Motel on Peninsular Lake and row through the famous canal ‘cut’ which enabled steamboat service to Peninsular Lake.  We veer south on Fairy Lake to the Muskoka River and descend to the historic Brunel Lock where we have lunch.  After locking through, we continue down the lovely, winding Muskoka River to Mary Lake.  Hopefully we will manage to pass Deadman’s Island.  We end the tour at Port Sydney Beach.  The second day distance is roughly 25 km.

General Information

Level tour:  intermediate; must have at least one year of sculling experience

Start time :  at Hutcheson Beach:  9:30 AM, Saturday;

                     at Colonial Bay Cabins and Motel: 9:30 am on Sunday

Cost:  $80 for the weekend; $45 per day; Inclusions: boat fees, packed lunch

Accommodation on Friday and/or Saturday nights will be at the Colonial Bay Cottages and Motel where we finish the first day and start the second day.  Please reserve the accommodation by yourself.

Restaurant:  Muskoka on the  Rocks is a very good restaurant right across from Colonial Bay Cottages and Motel where those who are staying will eat on Saturday evening.