The Opeongo Hills (sometimes called the Opeongo Mountains or Madawaska Highlands, particularly for the easternmost hills) are a range of hills in

Southern Ontario Southern Ontario is a primary region of the province of Ontario, Canada, the other primary region being Northern Ontario. It is the most densely populated and southernmost region in Canada. The exact northern boundary of Southern Ontario is disp ...

, near

Algonquin Provincial Park Algonquin Provincial Park is a provincial park located between Georgian Bay and the Ottawa River in Ontario, Canada, mostly within the Unorganized South Part of Nipissing District. Established in 1893, it is the oldest provincial park in Cana ...

. The hills stretch from Opeongo Lake in Algonquin Park in the west, along the Madawaska and

Opeongo River The Opeongo River is a river in the Saint Lawrence River drainage basin in Nipissing District in northeastern Ontario, Canada. The river is entirely within Algonquin Provincial Park and Opeongo River Provincial Park, except for a small portion ar ...

s, towards the Opeongo Colonization Road, and extending towards the Deacon Escarpment (north of

Killaloe, Ontario Killaloe is a town located in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada in the township of Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards. Geographically it is located in Eastern Ontario. The shores of Golden Lake are located to the east, which is well known for quali ...

Renfrew County Renfrew County is a county in the Canadian province of Ontario. It stands on the west bank of the Ottawa River. There are 17 municipalities in the county. History Bathurst District When Carleton County was withdrawn from Bathurst District in 183 ...

Bonnechere, Ontario Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards is an incorporated township in Renfrew County in eastern Ontario, Canada, created on July 1, 2000, as a result of an amalgamation of the Township of Hagarty and Richards with the Village of Killaloe. Communities ...

, and Dacre in the east. To the east of the Opeongo Hills lie the Madawaska River valley, the

Mississippi River Valley The Mississippi embayment is a physiographic feature in the south-central United States, part of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain. It is essentially a northward continuation of the fluvial sediments of the Mississippi River Delta to its conflu ...

, and the

Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben The Ottawa-Bonnechere Graben (also known as the Ottawa Graben) is a geological structure that coincides with a wide topographic depression extending from near Montréal through Ottawa. It is part of the Saint Lawrence rift system that also includ ...

along the

Ottawa River The Ottawa River (french: Rivière des Outaouais, Algonquin: ''Kichi-Sìbì/Kitchissippi'') is a river in the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec. It is named after the Algonquin word 'to trade', as it was the major trade route of Eastern ...

. Its tallest peak is roughly 7 km northeast of

Highway 60 The following highways are numbered 60: International * AH60, Asian Highway 60 * European route E60 Australia * Bruxner Highway * Dawson Highway (Rolleston to Gladstone) - Queensland State Route 60 Brazil * BR-060 Canada * Alberta Highway 60 ...

. At roughly 586 meters, it is the tallest point in

. The community of Foymount (along the former Highway 512, the

Opeongo Line The colonization roads were created during the 1840s and 1850s to open up or provide access to areas in Central and Eastern Ontario for settlement and agricultural development. The colonization roads were used by settlers to lead them toward areas ...

) is one of the highest settlements in Southern Ontario. The Opeongo Hills are a continuation of the

Laurentian Highlands The Laurentian Upland (or Laurentian Highlands) is a physiographic region which, when referred to as the "Laurentian Region" or the Grenville geological province, is recognized by Natural Resources Canada as one of five provinces of the larger ...

, which extend into

Eastern Ontario Eastern Ontario (census population 1,763,186 in 2016) (french: Est de l'Ontario) is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario which lies in a wedge-shaped area between the Ottawa River and St. Lawrence River. It sh ...

, towards

Gananoque Gananoque ( ) is a town in the Leeds and Grenville United Counties, Leeds and Grenville area of Ontario, Canada. The town had a population of 5,383 year-round residents in the 2021 Canadian census, 2021 Canadian Census, as well as summer resident ...

, and across the

Valley A valley is an elongated low area often running between Hill, hills or Mountain, mountains, which will typically contain a river or stream running from one end to the other. Most valleys are formed by erosion of the land surface by rivers ...

into

Quebec Quebec ( ; )According to the Canadian government, ''Québec'' (with the acute accent) is the official name in Canadian French and ''Quebec'' (without the accent) is the province's official name in Canadian English is one of the thirtee ...

, and the

Laurentian Mountains The Laurentian Mountains ( French: ''Laurentides'') are a mountain range in southern Quebec, Canada, north of the St. Lawrence River and Ottawa River, rising to a highest point of at Mont Raoul Blanchard, northeast of Quebec City in the Laurentid ...

, which continue parallel to the

St. Lawrence River The St. Lawrence River (french: Fleuve Saint-Laurent, ) is a large river in the middle latitudes of North America. Its headwaters begin flowing from Lake Ontario in a (roughly) northeasterly direction, into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, connecting ...

, north of

Montreal Montreal ( ; officially Montréal, ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, second-most populous city in Canada and List of towns in Quebec, most populous city in the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian ...

Trois-Rivières Trois-Rivières (, – 'Three Rivers') is a city in the Mauricie administrative region of Quebec, Canada, at the confluence of the Saint-Maurice River, Saint-Maurice and Saint Lawrence River, Saint Lawrence rivers, on the north shore of the Sain ...

and

Quebec City Quebec City ( or ; french: Ville de Québec), officially Québec (), is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Quebec. As of July 2021, the city had a population of 549,459, and the Communauté métrop ...

. The geography in this area of

Central Ontario Central Ontario is a secondary region of Southern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario that lies between Georgian Bay and the eastern end of Lake Ontario. The population of the region was 1,123,307 in 2016; however, this number does not in ...

is dotted with rolling hills and

forest A forest is an area of land dominated by trees. Hundreds of definitions of forest are used throughout the world, incorporating factors such as tree density, tree height, land use, legal standing, and ecological function. The United Nations' ...

s with

stream A stream is a continuous body of water, body of surface water Current (stream), flowing within the stream bed, bed and bank (geography), banks of a channel (geography), channel. Depending on its location or certain characteristics, a stream ...

lake A lake is an area filled with water, localized in a basin, surrounded by land, and distinct from any river or other outlet that serves to feed or drain the lake. Lakes lie on land and are not part of the ocean, although, like the much large ...

s, and small

waterfall A waterfall is a point in a river or stream where water flows over a vertical drop or a series of steep drops. Waterfalls also occur where meltwater drops over the edge of a tabular iceberg or ice shelf. Waterfalls can be formed in several wa ...

s, typical of a place in the

Canadian Shield The Canadian Shield (french: Bouclier canadien ), also called the Laurentian Plateau, is a geologic shield, a large area of exposed Precambrian igneous and high-grade metamorphic rocks. It forms the North American Craton (or Laurentia), the anc ...

. The first European

explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...

to visit the region is

Samuel de Champlain Samuel de Champlain (; Fichier OrigineFor a detailed analysis of his baptismal record, see RitchThe baptism act does not contain information about the age of Samuel, neither his birth date nor his place of birth. – 25 December 1635) was a Fre ...

, in 1615, while exploring the area with the Huron natives. When settlers first started arriving in the area in the late 1790s and early 19th century, land areas were given to settlers by the Canadian Land and Emigration Company for settlement and farming. The soils of the area were not perfectly suited for farming, but

small-scale agriculture A smallholding or smallholder is a small farm operating under a small-scale agriculture model. Definitions vary widely for what constitutes a smallholder or small-scale farm, including factors such as size, food production technique or technology ...

was able to be conducted on the land. Today, the Opeongo Hills are crossed by many provincial highways, many of which still follow the original Historic Colonization Roads.

Municipalities located in the Opeongo Hills

Below is a list of communities and municipalities located in the Opeongo Hills, from west to east

Frontenac County

Frontenac County Frontenac County is a county and census division of the Canadian province of Ontario. It is located in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario. The city of Kingston is in the Frontenac census division, but is separated from the County of Fron ...

North Frontenac North Frontenac is a township in Frontenac County in eastern Ontario, Canada. History North Frontenac was created in 1998 by the amalgamation of three municipalities: the Township of Barrie; the Township of Clarendon and Miller; and the Townshi ...

Haliburton County

Haliburton County Haliburton is a county of Ontario, Canada, known as a tourist and cottage area in Central Ontario for its scenery and for its resident artists. Minden Hills is the county seat. Haliburton County and the village of Haliburton are named after Tho ...

** Dysart, Bruton, Clyde, Dudley, Eyre, Guilford, Harburn, Harcourt and Havelock *** Haliburton, Ontario ** Highland East **

Algonquin Highlands Algonquin Highlands is a township located in Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada. It has a population of 2,351. The northeastern section of the township is included in Algonquin Provincial Park. The township was formed through the amalgamation of ...

Minden Hills Minden Hills is a township in and the county seat of Haliburton County, Ontario, Canada. It is an amalgam of the townships of Snowdon, Lutterworth, Anson, Hindon and Minden. It is usually referred to as Minden, after its largest community. The to ...

*** Minden, Ontario

Hastings County

Hastings County Hastings County is located in the province of Ontario, Canada. Geographically, it is located on the border of Eastern Ontario and Central Ontario. Hastings County is the second-largest county in Ontario, after Renfrew County, and its county sea ...

** Bancroft **

Faraday Michael Faraday (; 22 September 1791 – 25 August 1867) was an English scientist who contributed to the study of electromagnetism and electrochemistry. His main discoveries include the principles underlying electromagnetic induction, ...

*** Paudash **

Carlow/Mayo Carlow Mayo is a township in northern Hastings County in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It was formed in 2001 by the amalgamation of the townships of Carlow and Mayo. Historically, the economy in the area was based on timber and mining. The Little Mi ...

** Hastings Highlands, Ontario ***

Maynooth Maynooth (; ga, Maigh Nuad) is a university town in north County Kildare, Ireland. It is home to Maynooth University (part of the National University of Ireland and also known as the National University of Ireland, Maynooth) and St Patrick's ...

Lanark County

Lanark County Lanark County is a county located in the Canadian province of Ontario. Its county seat is Perth, which was first settled in 1816.Brown, Howard Morton, 1984. Lanark Legacy, Nineteenth Century Glimpses of on Ontario County. Corporation of the Cou ...

Lanark Highlands Lanark Highlands is a township in eastern Ontario, Canada in Lanark County. The township administrative offices are located in the village of Lanark. History The current township was incorporated on July 1, 1997 by amalgamating the former town ...

Lennox and Addington County

Lennox and Addington Lennox and Addington was a federal electoral district represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1904 to 1925. It was located in the province of Ontario. This riding was first created in 1903 from Addington and Lennox ridings. It consist ...

Addington Highlands Addington Highlands ( 2016 population 2,323) is a township in central eastern Ontario, Canada, in the County of Lennox and Addington. Bon Echo Provincial Park is located primarily in Addington Highlands. History Addington Highlands was formed in ...

Nipissing District

Nipissing District Nipissing District is a district in Northeastern Ontario in the Canadian province of Ontario. It was created in 1858. The district seat is North Bay. In 2016, the population was 83,150. The land area is ; the population density was , making it o ...

South Algonquin, Ontario South Algonquin is a Township (Canada)#Ontario, township municipality in Nipissing District, Ontario, Canada. Located south of Algonquin Provincial Park, it is the sole populated portion of the district that lies ''south'' of the traditional divi ...

*** Madawaska ***

Whitney Whitney may refer to: Film and television * ''Whitney'' (2015 film), a Whitney Houston biopic starring Yaya DaCosta * ''Whitney'' (2018 film), a documentary about Whitney Houston * ''Whitney'' (TV series), an American sitcom that premiered i ...

Renfrew County

Greater Madawaska Greater Madawaska is an incorporated township in Renfrew County in eastern Ontario, Canada, created on January 1, 2001, through the amalgamation of the Township of Bagot and Blythfield; the Township of Brougham; and the Township of Griffith and M ...

***

Calabogie Greater Madawaska is an Township (Canada)#Ontario, incorporated township in Renfrew County in Eastern Ontario, eastern Ontario, Canada, created on January 1, 2001, through the amalgamation of the Township of Bagot and Blythfield; the Township of B ...

Madawaska Valley, Ontario The Township of Madawaska Valley is a township municipality in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It was formed in 2001 through the amalgamation of the village of Barry's Bay and the townships of Radcliffe and Sherwood Jones & Burns. It includes the ...

***

Barry's Bay Barry's Bay is a community in the township of Madawaska Valley, Ontario, Canada, located two hours west of Ottawa on the shores of Kamaniskeg Lake, with a 2016 population of 1,259. History The Algonquin people named the area Kuaenash Ne-ishi ...

*** Combermere ** Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards ***

***

Wilno, Ontario Wilno is a settlement in the Township Municipality of Madawaska Valley, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Geography Wilno is nestled in the rolling, picturesque terrain of the Madawaska valley which was largely shaped during the demise of the L ...

Laurentian Valley Laurentian Valley is a township municipality in Renfrew County in eastern Ontario, Canada. It borders on the Ottawa River, the city of Pembroke and the town of Petawawa. This township was created on January 1, 2000, from the former townships o ...

** North Algona-Wilberforce **

Bonnechere Valley Bonnechere Valley is a township municipality in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It had a population of 3,674 in the Canada 2016 Census. It was established in 2001 by amalgamation of the village of Eganville and the townships of Grattan, Sebastapo ...

***

Eganville Eganville is a community occupying a deep limestone valley carved at the Fifth Chute of the Bonnechere River in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Eganville lies within the township of Bonnechere Valley. Eganville is also known as the Ordovician ...

*** Hyndford *** Balaclava **

Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan is a township in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. It was formed on January 1, 1999, through the merger of Brudenell and Lyndoch Township with Raglan Township. Communities The township comprises the smaller communiti ...

*** Craigmont *** Quadeville

Lakes and rivers

* Bark Lake *

Bonnechere River The Bonnechere River is a river in the Saint Lawrence River drainage basin in Nipissing District and Renfrew County in eastern and northeastern Ontario, Canada. Shows the river course highlighted on a topographic map. The river flows from Algonqui ...

Lake Clear Lake Clear is a hamlet and a lake in Franklin County, New York, United States. The area is named for Lake Clear, part of the original Seven Carries canoe route. It is located in the town of Harrietstown. In the late 19th century, Lake Clear was ...

* Constant Lake *

Lake Doré Lake Doré is a freshwater lake in the township of North Algona-Wilberforce, Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada, about north of the community of Eganville in the neighbouring township of Bonnechere Valley. Geography The lake is about long an ...

Golden Lake Golden Lake is a body of water located in Renfrew County Ontario, located on the Bonnechere River approximately 25 km (15 miles) southwest of Pembroke, Ontario. It is bounded by the Township of North Algona-Wilberforce, the Township of B ...

Kamaniskeg Lake Kamaniskeg Lake is a lake in the municipalities of Hastings Highlands, Hastings County, and Madawaska Valley, Renfrew County, in Southern Ontario, Canada. It is part of the Ottawa River drainage basin and is located in the Madawaska River Valle ...

* Little Mississippi River * Madawaska River * Meadow Lake *

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

(eastern boundary of the Hills) * Opeongo Lake *

* Papineau Lake *

Snake River (Renfrew County) The Snake River is a river in Renfrew County, Ontario, Canada. Course The river begins at Lake Doré in North Algona-Wilberforce township. It flows east under Ontario Highway 41, then south past the community of Lake Dore. It then turns east, ta ...

* Round Lake * York River

Parks

Below is a list of

Conservation areas Protected areas or conservation areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognized natural, ecological or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the ena ...

Provincial Provincial may refer to: Government & Administration * Provincial capitals, an administrative sub-national capital of a country * Provincial city (disambiguation) * Provincial minister (disambiguation) * Provincial Secretary, a position in Can ...

and

National parks A national park is a natural park in use for conservation purposes, created and protected by national governments. Often it is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual ...

located in the Opeongo Hills *

Bell Bay Provincial Park Bell Bay Provincial Park is a non-operating provincial park about west of Barry's Bay, Renfrew, Ontario, Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Paci ...

Bon Echo Provincial Park Bon Echo Provincial Park is a provincial park in southeastern Ontario, Canada, approximately north of Cloyne within the township boundaries of both Addington Highlands and North Frontenac. Bon Echo features several lakes, including part of Mazi ...

* Bonnechere Provincial Park * Bonnechere River Provincial Park * Centennial Lake Provincial Park * Conroys Marsh Provincial Conservation Reserve * Constant Creek Swamp and Fen Provincial Conservation Reserve * Deacon Escarpment Provincial Conservation Reserve * Dividing Lake Provincial Nature Preserve *

Foy Provincial Park Foy Provincial Park is a provincial park on Round Lake in Ontario, Canada. Since it is non-operational, camping is prohibited, but day-use activities such as swimming and hiking are permitted. The park property includes facilities used by the O ...

* Egan Chutes Provincial Park * Lake St. Peter Provincial Park * Little Mississippi River Provincial Conservation Reserve * Matawatchan Provincial Park * North Frontenac Park Lands * Opeongo River Provincial Park *

Silent Lake Provincial Park Silent Lake Provincial Park is a provincial park located on Silent Lake in eastern Ontario, Canada, near Bancroft. The park occupies an area of . Silent Lake is located in the Canadian Shield. Recreational activities include swimming, hiking, c ...

* Upper Madawaska River Provincial Park

Roads

Roads that cross the Opeongo Hills include: * Ontario 28

Highway 28 (part) * Ontario 41

Highway 41 * Ontario 60

Highway 62 (part) * Ontario 127

Highway 127 * Ontario 132

Highway 132 * Ontario Highway 532

Highway 532

Notable attractions

* Balaclava

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...

* Art Gallery of Bancroft
Opeongo Mountains Resort
in

* Bonnechere Caves, near Fourth Chute * Quadeville is home to a cottage once owned by famed

gangster A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Most gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from ''mob'' and the suffix '' -ster''. Gangs provide a level of organization and ...

Al Capone Alphonse Gabriel Capone (; January 17, 1899 – January 25, 1947), sometimes known by the nickname "Scarface", was an American gangster and businessman who attained notoriety during the Prohibition era as the co-founder and boss of the ...

. It still stands to this day north of the

hamlet ''The Tragedy of Hamlet, Prince of Denmark'', often shortened to ''Hamlet'' (), is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1599 and 1601. It is Shakespeare's longest play, with 29,551 words. Set in Denmark, the play depicts ...

near a ghost town called Letterkenny. * Near the intersection of Highways 41 and Highway 132 is a spot known as "

Magnetic Hill A gravity hill, also known as a magnetic hill, mystery hill, mystery spot, gravity road, or anti-gravity hill, is a place where the layout of the surrounding land produces an optical illusion, making a slight downhill slope appear to be an uph ...

", where the road slopes uphill but appears to be going downhill. *

Mount Pakenham Mount Pakenham is a ski hill to the south-west of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, near the town of Pakenham. See also * Calabogie Peaks – nearby ski resort * Camp Fortune * List of ski areas and resorts in Canada This is a list of ski areas and ...

Ski Resort, near Pakenham, Ontario *

Calabogie Peaks Calabogie Peaks is a ski resort in the municipality of Greater Madawaska, Renfrew County in Eastern Ontario, Canada. It is located west of Ottawa, and was founded in . Although the resort is named after the nearby community of Calabogie and C ...

Ski Resort

External links

Opeongo Hills at Roots and Rivers.ca

TheKingsHighway.ca

OntHighways.com
Mountain ranges of Ontario Landforms of Renfrew County Landforms of Hastings County Landforms of Nipissing District