Quiet villages, rugged farmland and acres upon acres of sugar bush draw strength from the Mississippi River which has fuelled the growth of this corner of Lanark County for over 200 years. Mills, timber, agriculture and now recreation have tapped into the Mississippi as it gathers steam, travelling across the breadth of Lanark County before emptying into the Ottawa River.

The tour starts and finishes in Almonte, approximately 90 km.

Points of interest: Downtown Almonte, Mississippi Valley Textile Museum, Blakeney Rapids, Pakenham Five-Span Bridge, sugar bush, village of Clayton, Mill of Kintail, Mississippi River.

Mississippi Tour Printable Guide

Follow quiet roads to clean lakes and unspoiled rivers – this is true cottage country – and take the time to play a round of golf, satisfy your sweet tooth at a sugar bush or tackle one of the many well-groomed ATV/snowmobile trails, including the former line of the legendary “Kick & Push” Railway. Or just relax and enjoy the view.

Tour starts and finishes in Lanark Village, approximately 65 km.

Points of interest: Village of Lanark, Blueberry Mountain lookout, heritage architecture, Flower Station, Joe’s Lake, Robertson Lake, Purdon Conservation Area, geological features, golf course, sugar bushes.

The Highlands Printable Guide

Smooth roads that often cross paths with the Clyde River and Mississippi River and Lake provide a relaxing drive through bustling towns and quiet villages in the Heart of Lanark. Follow this route to visit most of the stops along the maple trail.

The tour starts and finishes in Carleton Place, approximately 125 km.

Points of interest: Downtown Carleton Place, Mississippi Lake, Mississippi River, Downtown Almonte, village of Clayton, Clayton Lake, Middleville & District Museum, village of Lanark, Downtown Perth, maple sugar bushes, maple features, trails, heritage architecture.

Maple Supreme Printable Guide

The ruggedness that characterizes much of Lanark County gives way in the south to the Limestone Plain, once part of the floor of the prehistoric Champlain Sea, now a mainly flat region of exposed limestone and shallow soils. Transportation dominates the history of this region, from the Rideau Canal, a World Heritage Site built in 1826–32 as a military supply route linking Montreal and Kingston, to the railway, which took people and businesses to places water couldn’t.

The land is more open here, the roads straighter, the discoveries delightful—whether it’s antiques, golfing, a fine meal, or just a leisurely afternoon spent exploring in good company.

Tour starts and finishes in Smiths Falls, approximately 100 km.

Points of interest: Downtown Smiths Falls, Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario, Heritage House Museum, industrial history, geological features, Rideau Canal lockstations, Port Elmsley, Rideau Ferry, Yacht Club Beach, downtown Perth, Franktown, Ashton, brewery, Jock River, heritage architecture.

Limestone Tour Printable Guide

Following the War of 1812, a group of Scottish emigrants took advantage of government incentives to leave the impoverished lowlands and start a new life in the British military settlements of Upper Canada. These settlers maintained links to the old by naming communities and landmarks after familiar places back home, and by using their skills to build substantial mills, fine homes and tidy farms.

Tay Valley became the cradle for much of this Scottish – and Irish – industriousness, much of it lovingly preserved under the careful stewardship of subsequent generations.

Tour starts and finishes in Perth; approximately 120 km.

Points of interest: Downtown Perth, Perth Museum, Stewart Park, village of Balderson, Mississippi River, heritage architecture, Silver Lake Provincial Park, maple sugar bushes, , Maberly, Tay River, heritage architecture, Christie Lake, winery.

Tay Valley Printable Guide