Fun things to do in Calabogie and Eganville, Ontario

2.3K

Disclosure: I travelled to some of these locations in Calabogie and Eganville as a guest of the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association (OVTA), which neither reviewed nor approved this post. Hotel links in this post are affiliate links.

Photo at top courtesy of the OVTA.

On my most recent visit to Calabogie and Eganville, Ontario, I was startled to discover that the homey Ottawa Valley communities I remembered from past trips had started to acquire a faint yet unmistakable new sheen.

I noticed it in Calabogie in the shelf of scented candles at the Oh-el-la Café, the vintage postcards clipped to the walls at the Somewhere Inn and the photogenic cocktails at On the Rocks. In Eganville, I spotted a pop-up art gallery at Fifth Chute Coffee and sleek pendant lamps at the Axe and Paddle restaurant.

Could these two Renfrew County villages be going…Instagram?

If so, I’m all for it. The businesses I just mentioned are lovely, and you’ll read more about them in this post.

But don’t be afraid that these quintessential Ottawa Valley towns—about a 45-minute drive apart—have been gentrified beyond recognition. You can still snowmobile along a vast network of trails. You can still drive a car really, really fast around the 5.05-kilometre track at Calabogie Motorsports Park (462 Wilson Farm Road). You can still go ice fishing on Lake Clear or explore one of the many scenic motorcycle routes suggested by Ride the Highlands.

In short, you can enjoy this region as wildly or as genteelly as you like. You’ll find a huge range of things to do in Eganville and Calabogie, Ontario. Read on for details!

Outdoor adventures

Looking for some help to explore your wild side? The team at Calabogie’s Mad River Paddle Co. can set you up with a kayak, canoe, stand-up paddleboard, e-bike, kicksled or snowshoes. You can go out on your own, sign up for a guided tour or take a lesson. (Wondering what a kicksled is? It’s a Scandinavian-style gadget that looks a bit like a walker with runners. You propel yourself with your feet and hang on tightly when going downhill. I tried one for the first time with Mad River and it was a hoot—even though I did wipe out spectacularly on my first hill.)

If motorized sports are more your style, Tom Irwin Adventure Tours (636 Mill Street, Calabogie) runs half-day and full-day off-road guided tours by snowmobile and ATV. They provide everything, including the machines and clothing. You can also bring your own motorcycle for a guided tour.

Outdoor fun of all sorts is also available at the four-season Calabogie Peaks Resort (30 Barrett Chute Road). In summer, the amusements include hiking, cycling, swimming, paddling and fishing, as well as teeing off at the resort’s Ironwoods Golf Course. In winter, you can try snowboarding, snowshoeing, skating, and downhill and cross-country skiing.

The Manitou Mountain Trail is a roughly nine-kilometre hiking and snowshoeing route that almost encircles the resort. The western trailhead is on Calabogie Road, 2.7 kilometres west of the resort, while the eastern trailhead is on Barrett Chute Road, 1.6 kilometres east of Calabogie Peaks. One of the best-known parts of the trail is the photogenic Eagle’s Nest Lookout, perched on a rocky outcrop 120 metres above the forests below.

One word of warning: Eagle’s Nest has seen a huge surge in visitors over the last few years. In particular, parking near the trailheads has been problematic. If you can visit at off-peak times (weekdays, early mornings), and arrange for someone to drop you off and pick you up, that would help keep these trails pleasant and accessible for all.

More hiking, biking and snowshoeing

Hikers and snowshoers might also be interested in the trail network at Shaw Woods in Eganville. In addition, two major off-road trails in the region are open to hikers, snowshoers, cyclists, snowmobilers and ATV users: the K&P Trail, a rail-to-trail conversion that provides a 21-kilometre connection between Calabogie and Renfrew; and the Algonquin Trail, part of the longer Ottawa Valley Recreational Trail.

A key event in the area for cyclists is the annual Tour de Bonnechere fundraising ride (August). You can choose from routes of various lengths that all start and end at the Bonnechere Caves. And you can take your time to enjoy the sights, as this isn’t a race.

Delve into a museum

Finally, if you’d rather be indoors for a bit, drop into the Bonnechere Museum (85 Bonnechere Street, Eganville) to learn about the history of Eganville and the Bonnechere River. The river is a noted source of fossils from the Ordovician Period (443 to 485 million years ago), so you’ll find lots of information about those in the museum, as well as exhibits related to railways, the lumber industry and more.

Restaurants in Eganville

Here are a few Eganville restaurants worth checking out.

The Granary Schnitzel Haus Restaurant (57 Bonnechere Street West) has been an Eganville fixture since the 1980s. It serves its namesake breaded pork cutlets in just about every way imaginable (with mushroom sauce, filled with spinach and bacon, or served on linguine, among other options). If schnitzel’s not your scene, you could order a Cobb salad, a smoked meat on rye, a BLT or another classic dish instead.

Over at the Axe and Paddle (291 Bridge Street), Steve and Meredith Berry serve comforting-yet-contemporary dishes—think meatloaf with caramelized onion and tomato jam, or parmesan-crusted chicken with a lemon-basil drizzle. Appetizers include pan-fried shrimp cakes and an assortment of flatbreads (the spicy chicken and peanut flatbread is delicious). Light wood floors and tables, white walls accented with photographs of canoes, a pressed tin ceiling, and an open kitchen give the restaurant a modern cottage vibe.

In the same building, you can fuel up with a latte, tea or other warm beverage from sunny Fifth Chute Coffee, which also sells honey, jam, ketchup, hats and other items by local makers. If you spot salted chocolate chip cookies behind the counter, snap one up, as they are chewy, not-too-sweet delights. The shop also hosts exhibitions by regional artists. 

OK, this isn’t a restaurant, but before leaving Eganville, swing by the nearby Rusty Lantern Barn Boutique (111 Bonnechere Street West) to browse for furniture, home décor, food, clothing and accessories made by Renfrew County artists and artisans.

Restaurants in Calabogie

Looking for places to eat in Calabogie?

It’s hard to beat the food and the location of On the Rocks, the restaurant at the Calabogie Lodge Resort (729 Mill Street). Huge windows and a big deck overlook Calabogie Lake. Inside, velvety, Art Deco-style chairs and sofas make it feel like a really chic living room. But on the night I visited, it was the seafood special—salmon on a bed of chai risotto, with a citrus sauce—that really had me smiling. Or perhaps that was the effect of my Greyhound cocktail, made with Paper Bag gin from Cobden and festooned with fresh mint leaves, orange slices and a candy heart.

For something a little more casual, head to the Calabogie Brewing Company (12612 Lanark Road). If the weather’s nice, try to nab a table on the deck overlooking the Madawaska River, where you can enjoy a house-brewed pint or two (try the Valley Light pale ale) while noshing on tacos, sandwiches, fresh pretzels with house-made K&P mustard, salads or pizza.

Across the road, the Redneck Bistro (12609 Lanark Road) has a wide-ranging menu with a sense of humour; garlic toast is known as Hillbilly Bread, a stir-fry with three kinds of meat is dubbed the Camp Stove Creation, and salads are filed under The Stuff Deer Eat.

For beverages, light meals and sweet treats, the Oh-el-la Café (636 Mill Street) is a sleek white space with a green vine feathering its way across most of the ceiling. It’s a lovely spot to sip a cappuccino while nibbling on one of the café’s buttery croissants. Sandwiches, muffins and breakfast items are available, too.

Driving from Eganville to Calabogie

Want to get off the beaten path? Take the following backroads route between Eganville and Calabogie. It winds through forests, up and down hills, and around some curves straight out of a car commercial.

Note that on the most scenic stretch, between Highway 132 and Route 508, some of the roads are a little bumpy; if you’re not in a truck or SUV, you might want to drive a little more slowly than usual. And, personally, I wouldn’t try this route in a blizzard.

Follow Highway 41 south from Eganville for about 24 kilometres, then turn left onto Highway 132. Take it for 2.5 kilometres, then turn right onto the somewhat misnamed Flat Road. After about eight kilometres, turn right onto Mount St. Patrick Road, which quickly becomes Kennelly Mountain Road after a long bend. After less than a kilometre on these combined roads, turn left onto Ferguson Lake Road. Take it for almost nine kilometres, then turn left onto Calabogie Road (Route 508), which you’ll follow about 10 kilometres into the village.

I’m no genius for figuring out this scenic drive, by the way. This is the route Google Maps suggested. If you plug “Eganville to Calabogie” into your mapping app, you’ll likely get the same result.

Local attraction: Bonnechere Caves, Eganville

Remember those Ordovician fossils I mentioned when talking about the Bonnechere Museum? You can see more of them at the Bonnechere Caves (1247 Fourth Chute Road, Eganville), which often hosts fossil-hunting events in conjunction with the museum.

Scientists believe that acidic water carved through the limestone floor of an ancient sea over 400 million years ago to create these caves. (Four hundred million years. Think about that for too long and your head might just explode.) Today, you can enjoy this prehistoric marvel in all kinds of ways.

The most common choice is to take one of the frequent tours, when guides explain the history and geology of the site. They’ll point out stalagmites, stalactites, fossils and other features, and warn you when to duck your head in the often-tight spaces.

The caves also serve as a unique stage for all sorts of special events, including underground dinners and concerts. Those are crazy popular, so check the caves’ website and social media regularly for information, and snap up tickets quickly if you’re keen.

Whenever you visit, make sure to bring a jacket, as the caves can be chilly on even the hottest summer days. Due to stairs at the entrance and exit, and slippery surfaces elsewhere, the caves aren’t accessible to people using strollers, walkers and other mobility aids. If you’re claustrophobic, the narrow underground site probably isn’t for you. And if you’re afraid of bats, avoid the caves in late September and early October, when the little winged creatures arrive to hibernate.

The caves are generally open from the May long weekend until Canadian Thanksgiving.

Hiking near Eganville: Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre

Shaw Woods Outdoor Education Centre (2065 Bulger Road, Eganville) is a wonderful place to learn about forest ecology, as a 14-kilometre network of year-round trails winds through two distinct ecosystems.

The east side of the forest is a 160-hectare (395 acre) expanse of wetlands, rocky scarps and mixed forests that rewards those with keen eyes. Bring binoculars to observe the bald eagle nest atop a white pine near Shaw’s Pond, where a family of birds has been nesting for over a decade. The pond is also a good place to look for bullfrogs and tree swallows.

The jewel of the woods, however, is the 50-hectare (124 acre) old-growth forest on the west side. One of the few areas in the once-heavily logged Ottawa Valley to escape the saw and axe, it gives modern visitors a clue what the area looked like before European settlement. Don’t miss the Hemlock Cathedral, where some of the namesake towering trees are over 200 years old.

You can download detailed visitor guides to both the east and west sides of the reserve on the Shaw Woods website. If you’re visiting between late spring and early fall, don’t forget the bug spray; the mosquitoes here can be almost demonically determined. Parking and admission are free, but donations are appreciated.

Hotels in Calabogie

The Somewhere Inn (5254 Calabogie Road) is a one-time motel that’s had a millennial makeover to become a hipster haven. Perks in each of the spacious, bright rooms include an Endy mattress, Nespresso coffee maker, Bodum kettle and Malin + Goetz bath products. Most also have what looks like a woodstove but is actually a gas fireplace. What you won’t find in your room is a TV, and the wi-fi isn’t the strongest. That’s OK, because the owners want you to get out and recharge in nature—including Calabogie Lake, right across the road.

You can book activities of all sorts in advance or in the separate lobby building. It doubles as a chic gift boutique and bottle shop where you can buy s’mores kits, cozy socks, local craft beers, and Canadian and international wines. (Insider tip: It’s usually open later than the local LCBO.) And the icing on the cake? The inn is dog friendly.

Other accommodations in Calabogie include the Calabogie Lodge Resort (729 Mill Street) and Calabogie Peaks Resort (30 Barrett Chute Road).

You can use the map below to find and book these and other hotels in and around Calabogie. Note that the map is an affiliate link, meaning that I’ll earn a small commission if you book a place to stay after clicking on one of the map links (and you’ll earn my thanks).

If you go

Calabogie is 102 kilometres west of Parliament Hill. Take highways 417 and 17 west to County Road 508 (Calabogie Road), between Arnprior and Renfrew, and follow the signs into Calabogie.

Eganville is 133 kilometres west of Parliament Hill. Take highways 417 and 17 west to Renfrew, then pick up Highway 60 west, which will take you right into Eganville.

You’ll find visitor information centres in Calabogie (12517 Lanark Road) and Eganville (46 Bonnechere Street West, AKA Highway 60). More details are available from the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association.

Looking for more tips on things to see and do in Eastern Ontario, the Outaouais, northern New York state and beyond? Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter or pick up a copy of my book, Ottawa Road Trips: Your Weekend Getaway Guide, from which this post is adapted.

As the owner of Ottawa Road Trips, I acknowledge that I live on, work in and travel through the unceded, unsurrendered territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg Nation. I am grateful to have the opportunity to be present on this land. Ottawa Road Trips supports Water First, a non-profit organization that helps address water challenges in Indigenous communities in Canada through education, training and meaningful collaboration.