Hiking
Looking for a great hiking trail around South Frontenac? Below is a round-up of terrific resources providing information on area hiking trails, running trails, lake trails and more.
ALL-TRAILS
Offering hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers, and nature lovers.
K & P TRAIL TOUR
The K&P Trail is a recreational trail that runs along the old Kingston and Pembroke Railway bed. The K&P was abandoned by its owner, Canadian Pacific Railway, between 1962 and 1986, and ran from Kingston to Renfrew. Embark on a virtual tour of the beautiful Frontenac K&P Trail.
- View the Cataraqui trail system here
ONTARIO TRAILS
The Ontario Trails website offers an interactive map to help you find the perfect trail. Click below to access the Frontenac sub region:
FRONTENAC PROVINCIAL PARK
This provincial park offers over 100 km of hiking and backpacking trails in interconnected loops, including:
Starting at the Park Office, this trail features valley bottom vegetation, various ferns and a boardwalk with an accompanying interpretive brochure.
Doe Lake Loop - 3 km loop, 1 to 1.5 hour walk, easy to moderate
Hike along the shores of South Otter Lake and Doe Lake with a lookout over Doe Lake. An interpretive brochure is available. The trail starts at the Park Office.
This trail will lead you through a mature deciduous forest where you will see many beaver ponds and a ring bog complex along the way.
This walk is popular for its beaver ponds and scenic ridge. It bisects the Arkon Lake Loop and starts at the Arab Lake parking lot.
While hiking this trail along Doe Lake and the south shore of Big Salmon Lake you will encounter wetlands in various stages of evolvement.
This trail circles Big Salmon Lake. The north side of the trail runs through a forested landscape along some century old remains of homesteads. It offers scenic views at the east end and south side of Big Salmon Lake.
Start this trail at either the west end of Big Salmon Lake or the Arab Lake parking lot. The trail runs through mature bush and the south end of Moulton Gorge valley.
Most hikers start this trail at the west end of Big Salmon Lake, adding 4 km to begin the hike. The trail circumnavigates Little Clear Lake. Hikers will encounter mature bush and the remains of 19th century buildings.
Normally started from the west end of Big Salmon Lake (adding 7 km to get to the start of the Hemlock Loop), the trail goes through mature deciduous trees and old abandoned farm fields.
Most hikers start this loop at the north end of the Park, accessing at Kingsford Dam. The loop is fairly rugged in a mature deciduous bush setting and crossing the north end of the Moulton Gorge. Abandoned mica mines and a few 19th century homesteads remain.
This hike is often started at the north end of the Park (at Kingsford Dam) which adds 3 km each way to the hike. Walk by the Crab Lake mine and along mature forested ridges and hills and along a fen in the northeast corner of the park.
This loop is the longest and most rugged loop trail in the Park. Be prepared for a very challenging hike! The trail crosses many barren rock ridges and travels through several forests in various stages of succession. You will encounter granite ridges, lookouts, ponds and marshes while passing by Buck Lake, Slide Lake, Doe Lake and Big Salmon Lake.
This trail parallels Big Salmon Road starting at the Park Office and ending at the south shore of Big Salmon Lake.