North Kawartha.
North Kawartha is a 685-square-kilometre Peterborough County township on the southern Canadian Shield, formed in 1998 by the amalgamation of Burleigh and Anstruther Township, Chandos Township, and the Village of Apsley. The bulk of Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park — a 37,587-hectare wilderness park designated under the 2003 Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act — sits inside the township, with backcountry-canoe access at Long Lake off Highway 28 north of Apsley, Anstruther Lake off Anstruther Lake Road, and Wolf Lake.
East of Woodview, Petroglyphs Provincial Park protects Kinomagewapkong — the Teaching Rocks — a white crystalline marble outcrop carrying more than 900 Indigenous rock carvings dating from roughly 900 to 1400 CE, co-managed with Curve Lake First Nation and enclosed in a glass-walled building since 1984. Eels Creek paddles south from Kawartha Highlands toward Stoney Lake; Chandos Lake's Sandy Beach is the township's marquee swim; the village of Apsley sits midway up the Highway 28 corridor a few hours north of the Greater Toronto Area.
Today's read.
Real-time conditions updated; AI field notes unavailable.
On the record.
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- 01Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park is a 37,587-hectare (375 km²) non-operating wilderness-class provincial park, designated under the Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act in 2003 and the largest provincial park in southern Ontario south of Algonquin Provincial Park.Source ↗
- 02Petroglyphs Provincial Park, "Kinomagewapkong" (the Teaching Rocks), protects more than 900 Indigenous rock carvings on a white crystalline marble outcrop, dating from approximately 900 to 1400 CE; the carvings have been enclosed in a glass-walled building since 1984 and the park is co-managed with Curve Lake First Nation.Source ↗
- 03The Township of North Kawartha was formed on January 1, 1998 by the amalgamation of Burleigh and Anstruther Township, Chandos Township, and the Village of Apsley; it covers approximately 685 km² in northern Peterborough County, with a 2021 population of 2,477.Source ↗
- 04McGinnis Lake within Petroglyphs Provincial Park is one of few meromictic lakes in Canada — a lake whose surface and deep waters do not mix — protected from disturbance and not open to swimming or paddling.Source ↗
- 05North Kawartha lies within Fisheries Management Zone 15 (Haliburton Highlands & Kawarthas), part of the Central Bait Management Zone; lake trout are open January 1 to September 30 (S-2 / C-1) and walleye January 1 – March 31 plus the 3rd Saturday of May to December 31 (S-4 / C-2, max 1 over 46 cm).Source ↗
6. activities
worth your time
Hiking
Petroglyphs Provincial Park's day-use loops and Marsh Trail surround the Learning Place visitor centre and the Teaching Rocks enclosure on a marble-and-mixedwood plateau east of Woodview. North and west of Apsley, Kawartha Highlands' Long Lake, Anstruther Lake, and Wolf Lake access points carry short walk-in and portage trails into the interior canoe-route network — most of the park is paddle-in country, but the access trails make for credible Shield day-walks. The McFadden Park trail in Apsley is the village-scale walking option.
Read field guide arrow_outwardCamping
Kawartha Highlands is a near-pure backcountry-camping product — a 37,587-hectare interior network of designated campsites accessed by canoe and short portage from Long Lake, Anstruther Lake, and Wolf Lake. The interior is reservation-only through Ontario Parks (advance and same-day), with backcountry permit fees applied per night per person. Petroglyphs Provincial Park is day-use only — no overnight camping inside the park. The township does not operate a frontcountry / drive-in campground; the camping product here is paddle-in or it isn't camping.
Read field guide arrow_outwardPaddling — Flatwater
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park spreads 37,587 hectares of interior canoe country across more than fifty interconnected lakes — designated under the 2003 Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act and the largest provincial park in southern Ontario south of Algonquin. Three main access points anchor the route network: Long Lake off Highway 28 north of Apsley, Anstruther Lake off Anstruther Lake Road, and Wolf Lake. Eels Creek paddles south from the park toward Stoney Lake on a documented day-and-overnight corridor. The interior is reservation-only backcountry — designated campsites and Ontario Parks permits — with put-ins from the township's Highway 28 corridor.
Read field guide arrow_outwardFreshwater Fishing
Chandos Lake on the township's east side and the deep Shield lakes inside Kawartha Highlands — Anstruther, Long, Wolf, Crab, and the rest of the interior network — carry lake trout, smallmouth and largemouth bass, walleye, and northern pike under Fisheries Management Zone 15 rules. FMZ 15 covers the Haliburton Highlands and Kawarthas and sits within the Central Bait Management Zone, so live or dead baitfish and leeches may not be transported into or out of the zone. Lake trout open January 1 through September 30 (S-2 / C-1); walleye January 1 to March 31 plus the 3rd Saturday of May to December 31 (S-4 / C-2, max one over 46 cm). Many waterbodies carry waterbody-specific overrides — confirm before fishing.
Read field guide arrow_outwardIndigenous Experiences
Petroglyphs Provincial Park is co-managed with Curve Lake First Nation, and the Anishinaabe Nation regards Kinomagewapkong — the Teaching Rocks — as sacred. The Learning Place visitor centre at the park entrance interprets Anishinaabe history and the carvings, and the protocol around the enclosure (no photography of the carvings, no rubbings, respectful conduct) is set by Curve Lake. Curve Lake First Nation's main visitor programming sits south of North Kawartha at Curve Lake Reserve; within the township itself, the experience routes through Petroglyphs Provincial Park and the Learning Place rather than a separately bookable cultural-tourism product.
Read field guide arrow_outwardHeritage & Culture
Petroglyphs Provincial Park east of Woodview protects Kinomagewapkong — the Teaching Rocks — a white crystalline marble outcrop carrying more than 900 Indigenous rock carvings dating from roughly 900 to 1400 CE. The carvings are sacred to the Anishinaabe Nation; the site has been enclosed in a glass-walled building since 1984 and is co-managed with Curve Lake First Nation. The Learning Place visitor centre interprets Anishinaabe history and the carvings; no photography of the carvings is permitted, and visitors are asked to follow the protocol set by Curve Lake. The park is day-use only and the enclosure runs on a seasonal schedule.
Read field guide arrow_outward18. more outings
surveyed.
Activities supported across North Kawartha without a featured write-up.
- 01
Trail Running
Petroglyphs day-trails - 02
Walking & Strolling
McFadden Park trail (Apsley) - 03
Horseback Riding
Available - 04
Nature & Discovery
birding · nature-interpretation - 05
Cycling
road - 06
Mountain Biking
Available - 07
Paddling — Whitewater
Eels Creek (small drops in spring high water) - 08
Sailing & Boating
motor-boating - 09
Swimming & Beach
lake-swim · beach-day - 10
Cross-Country & Nordic
classic-xc - 11
Snow Adventure
snowmobiling · snowshoeing - 12
Sky Watching
stargazing - 13
Seasonal Phenomena
fall-colours - 14
Wildlife Viewing
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park (boreal-transition wildlife) - 15
Motorized Touring
scenic-drive - 16
Food & Drink
Available - 17
Geology & Discovery
Petroglyphs Provincial Park (white crystalline marble outcrop — viewing only, no rockhounding) - 18
Outdoor Education
The Learning Place at Petroglyphs Provincial Park
Local operators.
Trusted outfitters, guides, and experience providers in North Kawartha.
Anstruther Lake Marina
Boat, pontoon, bowrider, canoe, kayak, paddleboard rentals
Visit website arrow_outwardBoatman Rental
pontoon boat rentals
Visit website arrow_outwardBuckhorn Narrows
boat rentals (pontoon, jon boats), seasonal trailer sites
Visit website arrow_outwardBuckhorn Riding Academy
Horseback trail rides, pony rides, riding lessons, children's camps
Visit website arrow_outwardComfortech Bike Rentals and Retail Store
Bike rentals (comfort bikes, e-bikes, beach cruisers, mountain bikes, tandems, child bikes/trailers)
Visit website arrow_outwardKawartha Adventure Rentals
Canoe, kayak, SUP, boat rentals with online booking
Visit website arrow_outwardLiftlock Cruises
Lift lock boat sightseeing cruises on Trent Severn Waterway
Visit website arrow_outwardPeterborough Carping Guides
Guided carp fishing tours
Visit website arrow_outwardR & R Houseboats
Houseboat rentals w/ slides & hot tubs, other watercraft rentals
Visit website arrow_outwardRock and Rope Climbing Centre
Indoor rock climbing, lessons, youth programs, camps
Visit website arrow_outwardRooted Heart
Guided forest therapy walks, sensory invitations, tea ceremonies
Visit website arrow_outwardThe Land Canadian Adventures
Guided backcountry canoe trips, camping, snowshoeing, wilderness education tours
Visit website arrow_outwardWild Rock Outfitters
Bike shop with rentals implied, paddling/camping gear, route library
Visit website arrow_outwardWilliams Outfitters
Guided fishing tours, full/half day charters targeting various species
Visit website arrow_outwardWoodland Camp Site
camping (seasonal/daily), kayak/canoe/paddleboat rentals, fishing, boating, beach activities
Visit website arrow_outward