Explore the Great Outdoors in Frontenac County & Kingston

Frontenac County and Kingston offer diverse places to hike, cycle and swim. In Kingston, the landscape rolls gently toward the Lake Ontario shore. North of the city, the rocky Canadian Shield is home to wooded hiking trails, some overlooking pretty lakes where you can swim, fish and paddle.

You can experience two very different sides of Eastern Ontario in one trip. Start along Kingston's waterfront, where cycling paths and scenic trails follow the shores of Lake Ontario, then venture north or south into Frontenac County, where quiet country roads, forests and sparkling lakes invite you to slow down and explore. These landscapes provide opportunities to be active while connecting with the natural beauty and rural character that define the region. 

• Big Sandy Bay: Go birdwatching and swimming on this Wolfe Island beach.
• Cataraqui Trail: The 103-kilometre Cataraqui Trail—a multi-use rail-to-trail conversion—cuts through several Frontenac County communities, including Harrowsmith, Sydenham and Perth Road Village. It is part of the Trans Canada Trail.
• Elbow Lake Environmental Education Centre: Hike eight kilometres of interpretive trails at this centre in Perth Road Village.
• Frontenac Arch Biosphere: This rocky area of the Canadian Shield stretches across most of southern Frontenac County and offers lots of options for hiking, paddling and diving.
• Frontenac County: Visit Frontenac has information on cycling routes, parks, and places to fish, kayak, camp and golf.
• Frontenac Provincial Park: Head to Sydenham to enter this preserve, which stretches across 22 lakes and features some 100 kilometres of hiking trails. Fishing, camping, paddling, swimming, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are also available at this year-round park.
• Gould Lake Conservation Area: This Sydenham site features 20 kilometres of rugged hiking trails, as well as a beach where you can slide your kayak or canoe into the water.
• Great Waterfront Trail: This 1,600-kilometre trail hugs the shore of Lake Ontario as it passes through Kingston, and across Wolfe Island and Howe Island.

• K&P Trail: The K&P Trail is a rail-to-trail conversion that stretches for 22 kilometres through Kingston and then continues north through Frontenac County. The multi-use trail is open for cycling, e-biking, hiking, and horseback riding; some sections are also open for ATVing and snowmobiling.
• Lemoine Point Conservation Area: This wooded site in Kingston’s west end has an 11-kilometre network of hiking trails and a rocky beach on the Lake Ontario shore.
• Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area: This site in Glenburnie has an outdoor centre where you can rent equipment. Other amenities include hiking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing trails, fishing areas, and picnic tables.
• Visit Kingston: Kingston’s tourism office has developed a perfect cycling weekend itinerary in Kingston and a list of top hiking spots in and around Kingston. Visit Kingston also has an extensive guide to outdoor adventures in the city, including kayaking, sailing, scuba diving, snorkelling, hiking and cycling.

The same landscapes that make Kingston and Frontenac County ideal for outdoor adventure also shape the farms, villages and local food experiences found throughout the region. You can spend the morning hiking a forest trail or cycling along the waterfront and then reward yourself with a stop at a farm stand, brewery, café or local market. It's an easy way to experience both the natural beauty and the rural charm that make this corner of South Eastern Ontario so appealing.