With towering forests, exposed slabs of granite and crystal blue lakes, Huntsville and Lake of Bays are the perfect destinations for outdoor adventure. Throw an axe, ride a wakeboard or even walk among the tree canopy to get your adrenaline flowing. If appreciating the solitude of nature or exploring a quiet waterway is more up your alley, there are operators and outfitters to make sure you enjoy a peaceful experience surrounded by nature. With additional amenities such as golf course, spas and even outdoor theatre, a trip to Huntsville and Lake of Bays is the perfect way to satisfy your inner adventurer
If you have signed up for the Cottage Country Spirit program, the adventures and experiences highlighted below are all ready to welcome you and your vouchers. Discover your “cottage country spirit” and our mutual love for this part of cottage country by supporting local tourism businesses in your own backyard as they recover from Covid-19 closures earlier this year.
Please note that, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, many outfitters and adventure providers have modified their services. We recommend always calling the business first to check their current status.
Algonquin Adventure Tours have been providing all inclusive guided canoe trips, and educational day tours in Algonquin Provincial Park since 1996. For those looking for an extended stay, try out a 3, 4 or 5 day Algonquin Park canoe camping trip or even a glamping extravaganza with two tours (canoe & bicycle), gourmet camp meals, and one night in a car based luxury waterfront tent. From May to October, you can also try out daily Algonquin Park paddle canoe, VIP motorized canoe, bicycle, trout & bass fishing, nature & wildlife photography, birding, hiking and fall colours tours. Check out their website or Facebook page to learn all about what Algonquin Adventure Tours has to offer.
Algonquin Outfitters (AO) operates six locations in Muskoka and Algonquin Park, including one in Huntsville and one at Oxtongue Lake. The Huntsville location is directly on the Muskoka River. With canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals you can explore the river and surrounding lakes at your own pace. They also rent on and off-road bicycles for exploring the town. The Oxtongue Lake store also rents canoes, kayaks and paddleboards and is located within a reasonable paddling distance from famous Ragged Falls. Both locations also have retail stores where you can purchase the gear you need for your adventure. AO is also a full-service outfitter, providing everything from food and gear rentals for your next backcountry adventure to guided trip packages in nearby Algonquin Park. Visit their contact page online for more details about booking and head to their Facebook page for additional details.
Back of Beyond Equine Centre provides a fun and safe adventure for the whole family. The centre has 14 retired and rescued horses and offers several experiences including a wagon ride and farm tour and horse meet and brushing sessions. Back of Beyond also offers half day horse camps for kids between the ages of 7-14. You can call the farm at 705-789-1605 or visit their Facebook page for more details.
Bush Poker Axe Throwing provides an outdoor variation of the wildly popular sport of axe throwing. Located just outside Huntsville, you will learn rules and different methods of axe throwing followed by games and challenges surrounded by their beautiful hardwood forest. Open to participants over 16 years of age, social circles are highly encouraged. Experiences come in one or two hour sessions and will be the most fun you will have in the bush this year! Contact them at 705-704-9838 or catch them on Facebook for more information.
Dot The T Productions Muskoka Theatre Company
Dot The T Productions has gotten creative and produced a line up of stage readings, stage performances and live music concerts for summer 2020. Located minutes outside Huntsville, Dot the T is a collection of artists, actors, writers and theatre producers dedicated to excellence in their field. All performances will be taking place outdoors, will be limited to 40 people and are by donation. Spaces can be reserved online. Check out their Facebook page to learn more.
Huntsville’s Find Your Wild provides a wealth of outdoor adventure activities for the whole family to enjoy. Taking advantage of the beautiful Muskoka scenery and with years of knowledge in backcountry guiding and touring, every trip is unique and tailored to your needs. Offering everything from guided paddleboard floats on the Big East River, backcountry bush challenges, axes and arrows and even their firefighter escape challenge, your next outdoor adventure awaits with Find Your Wild. Call “Hondo” at 705-380-4479 or visit them on Facebook for more details.
Located at Deerhurst Resort, MJD Paintball provides a vigorous mental challenge with team building outdoor activity in the Muskoka wilderness. No experience is necessary and all gear is provided. Participants must be aged 10 and up and the fields are open Thursday-Sunday. To book, call 1-800-461-4393. You can also check out their Facebook page for further info.
Huntsville’s Muskoka Heritage Place Museum and Village is the perfect place to merge your love of adventure with your interest in history. The Village is set amidst a mature forest beside the shore of Cann Lake. There are restored buildings on site from the years 1860 – 1901. Activities include candle-dipping, wool carding, rug making and children’s games. There is also a working blacksmith shop and the village is staffed by experts in full period dress. The museum offers a self-guided tour of history of the region with artifacts and a scavenger hunt. Call them at 705-789-7576 for more details or visit their Facebook page.
Deerhurst Resort’s Stoneleigh Farms offers the opportunity for individuals and families to meet the furry friends located at Deerhurst’s Riding Stables. There is a petting zoo with many farm animals including horses, donkeys, pigs, chickens, alpacas, llamas, goats, sheep, turkeys and ducks. Grab the kids and have a fun-filled farm adventure! Call 1-800-461-4393 to book your experience or see them on Facebook for more information.
SWS Watersports at Deerhurst Resort is waterfront fun for the whole family. They offer 30 minute and 1 hour sessions for waterskiing, wakeboarding, wakesurfing and tube rides. Muskoka’s favourite ski show team, SWS offers experienced waterski and wakeboard instructors who will have you up on the water and having fun in no time! They also offer a cable park for wakeboarding and jet ski rentals. Call 705-789-7113 ext. 4367 to book your personal water experience.
Huntsville’s Treetop Trekking is the ultimate way to see the forest up close and personal. Feel like Tarzan while you climb, swing and zip through the forest canopy in a huge aerial game and zip line park. With activities for ages 12 and up, Treetop Trekking provides a thrilling adventure for couples, families and groups. They also offer a unique night trek where you will discover the trails under a starry sky by headlamp. You can book your aerial adventure online, or visit their Facebook page for more information.
Deerhurst Resort provides guided tours on ATV’s and side-by-sides at their Yamaha Riding Adventures. Located on over 200 acres of scenic private trails, individuals, couples and families can receive a lesson and then test themselves over the forested Muskoka terrain. Individuals can pilot their own machines while families of up to four can ride together in their new Yamaha side-by sides. Call 705-789-8008 to book your adventure or head to their Facebook page.
If a round of golf is your favourite way to enjoy the outside and get some exercise, we’ve got you covered.
Deerhurst Highlands & Lakeside Golf
Deerhurst Resort has two courses to suit every golfer’s needs. The iconic Highlands course is a par 72 championship course that winds its way over and through acres of forest and exposed Canadian Shield granite. Every natural feature of the Muskoka terrain has been used to create a gorgeous but challenging course, including the white sand bunkers that ring the multi-level greens. The Lakeside course is open for nine holes this summer. True to its name, the course follows Deerhurst’s bay on beautiful Peninsula Lake before winding through a mix of elevation changes, deep bunkers and strategic water hazards. Walking the course is recommended, providing brisk exercise while allowing for immersion in the classic Muskoka landscape. You can book tee times by calling the resort at 1-855-249-8391. You can also visit Deerhurst’s Facebook page for more information.
A member of the ClubLink family of golf courses, Grandview Golf Club’s Mark O’Meara course opened in 2001. From the very first tee you can tell that this course was designed to integrate the unique landscape. Granite outcroppings reach skyward through lush fairways while white sand bunkers lie in wait. The course mates spectacular views, terrain that ranges from deciduous forest to wetlands and the opportunity to spot a variety of wildlife. As a ClubLink course, golfers must purchase a membership to play. Members can book tee times by calling 705-788-9978.
For some, an adventure takes the form of luxury and pampering in a calm, soothing oasis. Huntsville and Lake of Bays has you covered in that area as well – sometimes literally!
Deerhurst Resort’s Amba Spa provides an intimate and private setting for your wellness escape. They offer a selection of soothing body treatments, massage therapy, facials, manicures and pedicures and have a swimming pool, whirlpool and couple’s massage room on site. An excellent way to enhance your stay at the resort, you can book online or call them at 705-789-7113 ext. 4488.
Nestled among 86 acres of pristine forest with a semi-private lake and waterfall, Trillium Resort and Spa provides luxury within a true wilderness setting. The spa offers three floors with services including massage, exfoliation, skin nourishment, manicures and pedicures and more. You can call the resort at 705-385-1212 of visit their Facebook page for more information.
Whether you are looking for an activity to get your heart pumping or seeking to experience the classic Muskoka landscape, you can find the perfect activity in Huntsville and Lake of Bays. Enjoy our wilderness, paddle our waters and take some time for yourself to explore everything the region has to offer. Find a new adventure in your own backyard and see a side of cottage country you never knew existed.
If you have Cottage Country Spirit vouchers to redeem, make the trip to Huntsville and Lake of Bays and redeem them by participating in one of these incredible experiences. Help support the local tourism industry while enjoying the wild outdoors in your own backyard.
