Opeongo Hills facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Opeongo Hills |
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Opeongo Hills near Boulter, Ontario.
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| Highest point | |
| Peak | Unmarked point |
| Elevation | 586 m (1,923 ft) |
| Geography | |
 Location in Southern Ontario
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| Country | Canada |
| Province | Eastern Ontario |
| Range coordinates | 45°30′N 77°40′W / 45.500°N 77.667°W |
The Opeongo Hills are a group of hills in Southern Ontario, Canada. They are sometimes called the Opeongo Mountains or Madawaska Highlands. These hills are located close to Algonquin Provincial Park.
The Opeongo Hills stretch from Opeongo Lake in Algonquin Park in the west. They follow the Madawaska and Opeongo Rivers. The hills reach towards the Opeongo Colonization Road and extend east to places like Killaloe, Ontario, Bonnechere, Ontario, and Dacre. East of the Opeongo Hills, you'll find the Madawaska River valley and the Mississippi River Valley. The hills also connect to the Laurentian Highlands and Laurentian Mountains in Quebec.
The tallest point in the Opeongo Hills is about 586 meters (1,923 feet) high. This makes it the highest spot in all of Southern Ontario! It is located about 7 kilometers northeast of Highway 60. The community of Foymount is one of the highest places where people live in Southern Ontario.
The Opeongo Hills are part of a larger landform called the Laurentian Highlands. This area stretches into Eastern Ontario and across the Ottawa River into Quebec. The land here has rolling hills, thick forests, and many streams, lakes, and small waterfalls. This type of landscape is common in the Canadian Shield, a very old and rocky part of Canada.
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History of the Opeongo Hills
The first European to explore this region was Samuel de Champlain in 1615. He explored the area with the Huron natives.
Later, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, settlers began to arrive. The Canadian Land and Emigration Company gave land to these settlers for farming. The soil wasn't perfect for large farms, but people were still able to do small-scale agriculture.
Today, many provincial highways cross the Opeongo Hills. A lot of these roads still follow the paths of the original Historic Colonization Roads.
Communities in the Opeongo Hills
Many towns and communities are located within the Opeongo Hills. Here are some of them, listed from west to east:
Frontenac County
- Frontenac County
- North Frontenac
Haliburton County
- Haliburton County
- Dysart, Bruton, Clyde, Dudley, Eyre, Guilford, Harburn, Harcourt and Havelock
- Highland East
- Algonquin Highlands
- Minden Hills
- Minden, Ontario
Hastings County
- Hastings County
- Bancroft
- Faraday
- Paudash
- Carlow/Mayo
- Hastings Highlands, Ontario
- Maynooth
Lanark County
- Lanark County
- Lanark Highlands
Lennox and Addington County
- Lennox and Addington
- Addington Highlands
Nipissing District
- Nipissing District
- South Algonquin, Ontario
- Madawaska
- Whitney
- South Algonquin, Ontario
Renfrew County
- Renfrew County
- Greater Madawaska
- Calabogie
- Madawaska Valley, Ontario
- Barry's Bay
- Combermere
- Killaloe, Hagarty and Richards
- Bonnechere, Ontario
- Wilno, Ontario
- Laurentian Valley
- North Algona-Wilberforce
- Bonnechere Valley
- Eganville
- Hyndford
- Balaclava
- Brudenell, Lyndoch and Raglan
- Craigmont
- Quadeville
- Greater Madawaska
Lakes and Rivers of the Opeongo Hills
The Opeongo Hills are home to many beautiful lakes and rivers, including:
- Bark Lake
- Bonnechere River
- Lake Clear
- Constant Lake
- Lake Doré
- Golden Lake
- Kamaniskeg Lake
- Little Mississippi River
- Madawaska River
- Meadow Lake
- Mississippi River (forms the eastern edge of the Hills)
- Opeongo Lake
- Opeongo River
- Papineau Lake
- Snake River (Renfrew County)
- Round Lake
- York River
Parks and Protected Areas
The Opeongo Hills region has many parks and protected areas where you can enjoy nature. These include:
- Algonquin Provincial Park
- Bell Bay Provincial Park
- Bon Echo Provincial Park
- 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
- 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
- Upper Madawaska River Provincial Park
Major Roads in the Hills
Several important roads cross through the Opeongo Hills, making it easy to explore the area:
Highway 28 (part of it)
Highway 41
Highway 60
Highway 62 (part of it)
Highway 127
Highway 132
Highway 532
Fun Places to Visit
The Opeongo Hills offer some unique and interesting attractions:
- The Balaclava ghost town is a cool place to explore.
- You can visit the Art Gallery of Bancroft.
- Discover the Bonnechere Caves, located near Fourth Chute.
- In Quadeville, there's a cottage that was once owned by the famous gangster Al Capone. It's still there today!
- Near the crossing of Highways 41 and Highway 132, you'll find a spot called "Magnetic Hill." Here, the road looks like it's going uphill, but your car might roll as if it's going downhill! It's a fun optical illusion.
- For winter sports, check out Mount Pakenham Ski Resort near Pakenham, Ontario.
- Another great ski spot is Calabogie Peaks Ski Resort.
