Road Trip Kawartha Lakes – Peterborough, Fenelon Falls, Bobcaygeon

Peterborough Fenelon Falls
80
km
1h30
drive
Summer
season

The Itinerary

The Kawartha Lakes — a chain of 14 glacial lakes linked by the Trent-Severn Waterway — have been Torontonians' aquatic playground for 100 years. 90 minutes east of Toronto, it's classic "cottage country": log cabins, marinas, microbreweries and historic locks.

Peterborough hosts the Peterborough Lift Lock — the world's largest hydraulic boat lift (19.8 m drop in a single stage, opened 1904, National Historic Site). 30 minutes away, Lakefield and Buckhorn offer lake access. Bobcaygeon (immortalised by The Tragically Hip's song "Bobcaygeon") is known for the Kawartha Settlers' Village and Lock 32.

Fenelon Falls is a charming gateway town between Sturgeon and Cameron lakes, with a 24 m waterfall downtown. Indian Point Provincial Park on Balsam Lake offers a beach and camping. Also worth seeing: Petroglyphs Provincial Park (Anishinaabek rock carvings, North America's largest site).

Points of Interest

  • ✦
    Peterborough Lift Lock
    World's largest boat lift, 1904, 19.8 m drop.
  • ✦
    Bobcaygeon Lock 32
    Trent-Severn lock, summer vibe, Tragically Hip lore.
  • ✦
    Fenelon Falls
    24 m downtown waterfall, lock between two lakes.
  • ✦
    Petroglyphs Provincial Park
    North America's largest petroglyph site.

Fishing Spots Along the Route

🎣
Agate Lake
Lake
🎣
Anstruther Lake
Lake
🎣
Apsley Lake
Lake
🎣
Balsam Lake
Lake
🎣
Bass Lake
Lake
🎣
Beaver Lake
Lake
🎣
Beech Lake
Lake
🎣
Bicelow Bay
Lake

Protected areas along the route

🌿
MARK S. BURNHAM PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
INDIAN POINT PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
BALSAM LAKE PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
SERPENT MOUNDS PROVINCIAL PARK (CULTURAL HERITAGE CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
EMILY PROVINCIAL PARK (RECREATIONAL CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Forest Reserve
Forest Reserve
🌿
Kawartha Barrens
Enhanced Management Area
🌿
WOLF ISLAND PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
General Resource Management
General Use Area
🌿
CARDEN ALVAR PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
PETER'S WOODS PROVINCIAL PARK (NATURE RESERVE CLASS)
Provincial Park
🌿
KAWARTHA HIGHLANDS SIGNATURE SITE PARK (NATURAL ENVIRONMENT CLASS)
Provincial Park

Take this route offline

Cell coverage thins out fast once you leave Peterborough. Export the map as a geo-referenced PDF before you go and open it in BorealMaps — your GPS position shows on the map with no signal at all.

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Practical info
  • Departure Peterborough
  • Destination Fenelon Falls
  • Distance 80 km
  • Duration 1h30
  • Category Short (< 100 km)
  • Best season Summer
Themes
lake cottage lock trent-severn Family ontario kawartha Indigenous

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