Eco Friendly Trips

There are many fun things to do around Haliburton / Muskoka

Historical adventures

Dorset Heritage Museum (13km from Firehouse)

Dorset Heritage Museum officially opened on July 1st, 2001 and is located in Dorset Ontario at the crossroads of Muskoka & Haliburton featuring museum exhibits of early pioneer life, local settlers, traditional logging practices, and historic information pertaining to pioneer settlement of the Dorset area. Please enjoy our Photo Gallery that gives you an exciting glimpse into our communities past and future! Events Calendar will keep you informed of great events that the Dorset Heritage Museum will host. As well as preparing information and exhibits for adults, we feature exhibits for our youth. With the closure of our school, our community is very committed to sharing ‘the way it was’ with our children. Our summer residents also want to treasure and respect the importance and uniqueness of their adopted community, and safeguard its future development.

Dorset Scenic Lookout Tower

The original land for the tower and trails to it was purchased in 1922 for $25. 30 meters 100ft high. The observation deck is 465ft above lake of bays. 60000 vehicles pass will pass through the gates to climb Muskoka treasured historical land mark in peek autumn. Average 630 vehicles including 4 to 6 tour busses will visit the tower per day.

Stanhope Heritage Discovery Museum (8km from Firehouse)

The Stanhope Museum located in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario is home to more than 140 years of records and artefacts. This Ontario museum specializes in local pioneer history and is home to the historic Hawk Lake Log Chute. Hawk Lake Log Chute is the only remaining log chute of its kind in Ontario. The log chute has been painstakingly repaired and reconstructed. The log chute is an excellent example of typical logging practices in Ontario when logs were boomed down the Highlands’ lakes in the spring after a winter of cutting and hauling logs from logging stands south of Algonquin Provincial Park. The log chute was the way to get logs down the rocky rivers that ran between the different lake elevations. If you are looking for information on Ontario heritage or history, Ontario pioneers, pioneer settlement, early settlers or genealogy the Stanhope Museum staff can help. Our volunteers are knowledgeable about Stanhope and Haliburton history and we are proud to be one of five Haliburton museums dedicated to collecting and preserving the heritage of our region. Our seasonal exhibits rotate annually and have included topics like logging, farming, settlement and homesteads and have featured census data, patent land records, bylaws, land grants and other fascinating records as well as interesting artefacts, antiques, tools and equipment. The Stanhope Museum is one of Ontario’s smaller museums but it has one of the largest archives of Ontario pioneer history and records available to the public for viewing or research purposes. A veritable wealth of Ontario history, the museum is only a two hour drive from Toronto just north of the town of Minden in the scenic Haliburton Highlands of Ontario.

Log Chute Historic Park

A log chute is a man-made trough that was used to carry logs over rough river landscape to a sawmill. The log chute was developed in Canada in 1829 to circumnavigate the Chaudière Falls in Quebec. In the late 1800s there were thousands of wooden chutes around the province and dozens in the county of Haliburton, but they're all gone now. There’s been a log chute on this site since 1861 and this chute is now the only one of its kind in Ontario. This historic site is a testament to the tenacity and perseverance of the tens of thousands of men who made their living in the logging industry, and whose courage helped forged the communities of rural Ontario

Minden Culture Center (Aprox. 35km fro Firehouse)

The Minden Hills Cultural Centre is a vibrant, 4 acre complex that houses the Agnes Jamieson Gallery, the Minden Hills Museum, R.D. Lawrence Place and the Minden Hills Branch of the Haliburton County Public Library. Explore over 150 years of Minden’s history inside the Cultural Centre’s heritage buildings, join live original theatrical performances, experience art exhibitions, adventure into a centre featuring the work of Canadian artist Andre Lapine and international award-winning writer R. D. Lawrence. Enjoy a labyrinth, gift shops, walking trails and tours.

Haliburton Highlands Museum (35km from Firehouse)

The museum is situated in Glebe Park on the north Shore of Head Lake overlooking Haliburton Village. It was started by a local committee as a Canadian Centennial project to commemorate the early pioneers of the area. Originally housed in the Reid House, a historic village home, the collection soon outgrew the confines of this little house. A much larger facility was constructed in Glebe Park in order to meet the museum's growing requirements. Reid House was picked up and moved to its new location and was refurbished as a typical village home reflecting life at the turn of the century. In subsequent years a log barn, house and small building housing our forge were added to the museum grounds in order to depict life in a more rustic & rural setting. The main gallery facility houses numerous thematic exhibits relating to the first inhabitants of the region, the native peoples, who were followed by the first influx of lumbermen and settlers. It seems difficult to believe today the area was promoted for its agricultural possibilities by the Canadian Land and Immigration Company who purchased ten townships in the surrounding area. Unable to wrest a living from the poor soils the settlers turned to logging and trapping to supplement their meagre lot. The coming of the railway in 1878 was supposed to be a boon to the area facilitating commerce with larger centres further to the south. It was not to be. With the opening of the West many settlers left for greener fields. Later yet, many were relocated to the Clay Belt of northern Ontario.

Haliburton Wild Life Reserve & Wolf Center

In recent years an awakening concern for the environment has made large forest reserves like Haliburton Forest more important than ever. A wide variety of scientific and recreational activities have been attracted to the site because of the uniquely large size of the protected wilderness,, its location close to urban centers and the goals the owners have set for the property. They intend that Haliburton Forest be preserved in its present, undeveloped state.

Haliburton Forest... the Early Days:

The northern townships of Peterborough County in the British North-American Province of Upper Canada were first surveyed during the winters of 1862/63. Two years later ten of those townships, basically the present municipality of Dysart et al, were sold to the London based "Canadian Land and Emigration Company" under the leadership of Thomas Chandler Haliburton. The company planned on subdividing its extensive holdings into 100 acre lots and selling them to European and American immigrants as farmland. Those plans crumbled as soon as it became obvious that the lands in question, with the exception of small parcels, were unsuitable for agriculture. The company went into receivership and was renamed the "Canadian Land and Immigration Company", with headquarters in Toronto. By the 1930's 70,000 acres still remained in the hands of the repeatedly renamed Algonquin Corporation. It's main objective was the exploitation of the extensive forests on its holdings in Havelock, Eyre, Harburn, and Guilford Townships. This represented the second generation of timber harvesting, after the lands had been stripped of its vast white pine stands before the turn of the century. Over a period of 40 years, from 1870 to 1910, at different locations on what is today Haliburton Forest, winter logging camps were established. Local residents were hired by lumber companies, who had acquired cutting rights to log the valuable virgin white pine stands and float the logs to the south and east. Today only faint remains suggest the location of old camps, dams or log-shoots. The plateau between Little Redstone and Kennisis Lakes served as a base for one of the early logging companies. Approximately 70 acres had been cleared on either side of the traditional portage between the two lakes and a farm was established. The field pine at the present Base Camp as well as the stone piles, the remains of an old roothouse, and the decayed logs of an old blacksmiths shop, remind one of the pioneer past. From this first base at the top of Redstone Lake supplies were forwarded by horsedrawn sleighs to Depot Lake - the name indicating the existence of a depot - from which the individual logging camps picked up their food and equipment. After Algonquin Corporation had been acquired by Hay and Co., a veneer mill from Woodstock, Ontario in 1942, the farm clearing between Redstone and Kennisis Lakes was converted into a sawmill yard. Here, between 1944 and 1971 more than 150 million boardfeet of lumber were sawn. Additionally, several million boardfeet of veneer left northern Haliburton bound for the mother mill in Woodstock. Most of the timber contained in these volumes was cut on the land that today makes up Haliburton Forest. By 1960 two detailed forest inventories suggested that the harvestable volume of timber was rapidly declining on Hay and Co. lands, which had been taken over in the meantime by Weldwood of Canada. The decline caused by high-grading and over harvesting during the past seemed so detrimental to future production, that the sale of the land was decided on. In 1962 German Baron von Fuerstenberg acquired the Welwood property and renamed his holding: "Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd.". Previously the lakeshores of Redstone and Kennisis Lakes had been sold off to a development company. The timber rights were to remain with the Weldwood mill until 1967 before being turned over to the new owners. A few years later, in 1970, the sawmill at Kennisis Lake closed down. The traditional activities on which Haliburton Forest has always depended and which have prevented development from destroying this wilderness treasure are still underway. Logging is conducted on an extensive scale and in a way that actually improves the quality of the forest, a major reversal of past practices. Rather than taking the best wood, the company's foresters mark and take out the low quality and mature trees. The result will be a very high quality, healthy forest for the future. Haliburton Forest's management practices have attracted international acclaim, resulting in the awarding of Canada's first FSC environmental certification More recently a sawmill has been constructed, which is milling the timber from the extensive holdings. Haliburton Forest is returning to its roots

Dog Sled Tours

Dog sledding at Haliburton Forest - Dog sledding at its Best Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve Ltd consists of 60.000 acres of forested, rolling hills interspersed with more than 50 lakes and hundreds of wetlands. Winding through the forest are more than 300 kilometres of groomed trails making this a dogsledder’s paradise. Hidden along the trails are a number of small camps and shelters providing scenic locations to have a snack, warm up or stay overnight. The Dogs Over one hundred and thirty Siberian Huskies, known for their exuberant friendliness, await your arrival. Docile and lovable, these dogs enjoy a run and work out pulling sleighs. Once harnessed up and on the trail there is nothing that compares to experiencing winter with the sound of snow rustling under the runners of your sleigh and the panting of your dogs. The Trails Over the last 40 years Haliburton Forest has prided itself in creating one of the best trail systems in Canada - and our dogsled trails are no exception. With state-of-the-art grooming equipment, professional staff and a location on the Algonquin Dome, we can guarantee incredible winter conditions.

Yours Outdoors Nature Art & Culture Tours

Contact: Barrie Martin Telephone: 705-754-3436 Fax: 705-754-3436 E-mail: info@yoursoutdoors.ca Web Site: http://www.yoursoutdoors.ca Yours Outdoors offers unique learning vacations and outdoor adventures that explore the rich natural and cultural heritage of Haliburton County. Yours Outdoors provides a variety of fully-guided themed adventures scheduled year-round on the Yours Outdoors' website calendar. Packages are half day, one day and multi-day experiential learning opportunities for singles, couples, and groups from 4-14 people. Custom packages and art workshops are also available. Yours Outdoors also provides consulting services in outdoor and environmental education, tourism, and recreational trail management.

Geocaching - We are KOM 1J2

While geocaching in the Haliburton Highlands make The Firehouse your start and end point for a day of adventure. After a long day searching for the numerous caches in the area, come back to The Firehouse and relax on our deck, enjoy a fantastic dinner have a swim, Take a dip in Lake Kushog. The Firehouse is conveniently located within the major Geocaching area in the Haliburton Highlands . We are no more than 10 – 30 minute hike to the closest Geocaching treasure and it only starts there. Haliburton welcomes you to explore the natural beauty of our area and enjoy treasure hunting at its best. Deep in the Haliburton Highlands and at the southernmost edge of Algonquin Park, the Geocaching Capital of Canada has it all. The whole year is full of excitement as the seasons change and lead into new adventures. An abundance of pristine lakes are excellent for boating, fishing and swimming. The thousands of kilometres of groomed snowmobile trails are popular in the winter and the splendor of the autumn colours attract many people in the fall. Bring your GPS and stay awhile!

Haliburton Sculpture Tours

The Haliburton Sculpture Forest, in Glebe Park near the village of Haliburton in the Haliburton Highlands of Ontario, Canada, is a unique outdoor collection of sculptures by Canadian and international artists. The trails in the Sculpture Forest—for walking and bike riding in spring, summer and fall and skiing in the winter—provide changing perspectives of the forest and the sculptures in each of the seasons. The Sculpture Forest experience, which is unstructured and unscripted, is ideal for families looking for an interesting outing, for those who enjoy outdoor trails, and for people looking for a unique artistic experience. A Sculpture Forest map is available on this website and at the entrance to the Sculpture Forest. A free guided tour of the Sculpture Forest is offered at 10:00 am on Tuesday each week in July and August. Guided tours for groups are available by special request throughout the year. We invite you to tour through this website for more information about the sculptures, the artists, and new additions to the Sculpture Forest and for current programs. Visit our photo gallery to see pictures of the sculptures in all four seasons. The Sculpture Forest shares the park with the Haliburton Highlands Museum and the Haliburton Campus of Fleming College, home to the Haliburton School of The Arts; great places to visit after you tour the Sculpture Forest.

Haliburton Highlands Water Trails

The HHWT consists of approximately 28,000 + hectares of provincial and municipal public lands comprised of countless lakes, rivers, trails and continuous forest. Specifically, the HHWT manages two areas known as the Frost Centre and the Poker Lakes. These areas serve as year round destinations for thousands of canoeists, campers, day trippers, fisherman and hunters and cottagers providing significant backcountry recreational and conservation values. The Haliburton Highlands Water Trails is dedicated to the protection and improvement of the canoe routes and camping environment throughout the Haliburton Highlands.

Hiking

The Firehouse offers a hiking trail that consist of a hiking trail that is suited to experienced hikers seeking challenging day of scenic hiking. Access from the parking lot of The Firehouse. The area offers 10 other hiking trails that offer a wide range of trail hiking difficulty. We have all the trail maps and information on each trail. You can select the trail that suits your ability level.

Ski & Snowshoeing

Ice Fishing Huts

Ice Climbing

Rock Climbing