Central Ontario is full of fun and colourful fall scenery, no matter where you visit for the season.
Credit:David Zhang/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
At the heart of the region is Algonquin Provincial Park, known around the world for its fall beauty. The massive park is also surrounded by dozens of much smaller provincial parks that share scenery, foliage, and beauty similar to Algonquin.
Arrowhead Provincial Park provides all the same fall fun and activities as Algonquin with the same colourful foliage, outdoor activities, and camping opportunities. Also near Arrowhead is the town of Huntsville with its own list of reasons for a fall visit. Combined, these two destinations create the perfect fall getaway.
Contents:
- Fall Activities
- Easy Fall Colour Hikes
- More Challenging Fall Hikes
- Paddle Mayflower or Arrowhead Lake
- Mountain Biking Trails
- Camping A Few Ways
- Fall in Huntsville
- Trip Planning – Fall at Arrowhead Provincial Park
- Why You Should Visit During Fall
- If You Have One Day
- If You Have a Weekend
- Best Time to Go
- Best Hikes and Activities
- Where to Eat
- How much
- How to Get There
Fall Activities at Arrowhead Provincial Park
Easy Fall Colour Hikes
These hikes around Arrowhead Provincial Park are under 3km and don’t have the steeper climb sections that some of the moderate hikes in the park have. These can all be completed in under two hours.
- Big Bend Lookout trail is very short, but it is one of the best views in the park for fall colours. Big Bend is part of the Big East River, which also serves as the park’s southern boundary.
- The Stubb’s Falls Trail follows the shores of the Little East River from the dog beach area. The trail follows the river for about 1km on either side and creates a 2km loop with the crossing near the Stubb’s Waterfall.
- The Homesteaders Trail is a level, easy 3km loop located on the west side of the park. Signs of the farms that once stood in the area will be scattered along the loop.
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More Challenging Fall Hikes
These Arrowhead trails are slightly longer or include a few steeper sections. Overall, none are too strenuous and still offer great views as a reward.
- The longest trail in the park is the full Beaver Meadow loop at 7km. This hike is as great for wildlife viewing as it is for fall colours.
- The Mayflower Lake Trail is about 2km, but includes a few steeper climbs along the way. This hike may take about as long to complete as the Meadow loop. The portion which passes the lake is covered in foliage of bright reds, greens, and golds.
Top Things to Do in Arrowhead Provincial Park During Winter
Paddle Mayflower or Arrowhead Lake
One of the most peaceful ways to enjoy the autumn foliage and wildlife, including birds, around Arrowhead Provincial Park is by paddle. Both Mayflower and Arrowhead Lake are open to canoes, kayaks, or SUPs, while rentals may also be available at the Visitor Centre.
Fishing is also permitted on both lakes! Mayflower is stocked with trout, while Arrowhead offers bass fishing opportunities.
Mountain Biking Trails
Both the Arrowhead Lake Trail and Lookout Trail permit cycling. In addition to the great views, these trails offer cyclists plenty of challenges and climbs along the route.
The Arrowhead Lake Trail is a 4.5km loop around the Lake, while the Lookout Trail is a 3km loop.
Camping A Few Ways
The Arrowhead Provincial Park campgrounds are open year-round! Those three campgrounds include Roe, East River, and Lumby. Each area offers spaces for tents, trailers, or RVs, with electricity, while East River is best suited to trailers and RVs.
- Rustic cabin rentals are also available year-round at Arrowhead Provincial Park! These provide enough room for up to five people, electricity, a kitchenette, beds, a barbecue, a heater, and a picnic table.
Fall Fun in Huntsville
The historic and picturesque town of Huntsville is on the west side of the Lake of Bays Region, near the Georgian Bay, and within the scenic Muskoka cottage country of Ontario. Additionally, the town offers a great deal of fall fun within its picturesque scenery.
- More great views and trails await in Huntsville on the 13km The Hunter’s Bay Trail, or the Lion’s Lookout area.
- One can easily find additional paddling under the autumn colours around Huntsville. Use the Avery Beach Boat Launch to access Lake Vernon or Fairy Lake.
- Celebrate the fall and harvest fun with the Fall Fair in Huntsville, the Huntsville Farmers’ Market, open every Thursday), The Peca Farm petting zoo, or The Sandhill Nursery’s Fall Festival.
- Huntsville’s Muskoka Heritage Place has various fall activities planned for all ages this season! These notable events and experiences include a Heritage Fall Fair, Fall Train Rides, a Fall Art Walk in the Pioneer Village, and the Great Pumpkin Trail trick-or-treating event.
Fall Colours Getaway – Make the Best of Your Trip to Huntsville
II. Trip Planning – Fall at Arrowhead Provincial Park
Arrowhead Provincial Park works particularly well as a fall trip because you do not need an ambitious hiking schedule to see its signature scenery. Big Bend Lookout takes only a short walk to reach, Stubb’s Falls can be done in under an hour, and longer trails are available if you want most of the day outdoors. Huntsville is only about 7 km away, so a visit can easily include dinner, shopping or another attraction rather than ending when you leave the park.
Why You Should Visit During Fall
- You can see the signature view without a long hike. Big Bend Lookout overlooks the winding Big East River and is reached by a very short trail. It is the obvious first stop for fall colour photographs.
- The hikes fit different schedules. Stubb’s Falls is 2.6 km and about 45 minutes, Mayflower Lake is 2.1 km, Homesteaders is 2.8 km, and the Arrowhead Lake Trail is 5.1 km and takes roughly 1.5 to two hours.
- It works as more than a day trip. Arrowhead has campsites and 13 heated rustic cabins. Lumby and Roe campgrounds remain open until October 12, 2026, while East River stays open until November 8. Seven electrical pull-through campsites and the cabins are available year-round.
- Huntsville is close enough to become part of the trip. Downtown, Muskoka Heritage Place and Lion’s Lookout are only a short drive from the park. Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls Provincial Park is roughly 30 minutes away if you want to extend the drive east.
- Fall programming gives you another reason to choose particular dates. Arrowhead currently has naturalist programs scheduled through late September, including guided paddle.
If You Have One Day
For a Toronto day trip, allow roughly 2.5 hours each way, so leave early. Start at Big Bend Lookout, before moving to Stubb’s Falls. If you still want a substantial walk, add the 5.1-km Arrowhead Lake Trail rather than trying to fit every trail into one visit.
Have a packed lunch in the park, then spend late afternoon in Huntsville. This avoids turning the day into a checklist while still giving you the park’s lookout, waterfall, forest and town.
One current caveat: construction is underway on Stubb’s Falls Trail. The trail remains open, but the detour includes an uphill section.
If You Have a Weekend:
Use the first day primarily for Arrowhead. Do Big Bend, Stubb’s Falls and one longer hike, then stay at the park or in Huntsville.
On day two, choose something that complements the hiking. Muskoka Heritage Place is open through October 10, with fall train service continuing into October and Thanksgiving train rides scheduled for October 10 and 11. Its Fall Art Walk on September 20 offers free admission to Pioneer Village.
Another option is to drive toward Oxtongue River-Ragged Falls rather than spending a second full day inside Arrowhead.
Best Time to Go:
Arrowhead Park is open year-round for camping and day-use.
Do not assume mid-September means peak colour. It is always best to check Big Bend, Beach Area 1 and Arrowhead Lake Trail are the places to be early in the season.
If fall colour is the main reason for your trip, check the provincial fall colour report before 5 days of your trip than choosing a weekend weeks in advance. You can also only book park admission 5 days in advance.
Check park alerts and the current event calendar. That matters more than trying to pick a “perfect” weekend weeks ahead.
Best Hikes and Activities:
For maximum scenery with minimum walking, choose Big Bend Lookout. For a waterfall, do Stubb’s Falls. Choose Arrowhead Lake Trail if you want a longer forest-and-lake outing, or Beaver Meadow if wildlife habitat is more important to you.
Mayflower Lake is shorter but includes climbs and descents and can become muddy, so it is not necessarily the easiest choice despite being only 2.1 km.
Paddling can also be part of a fall visit, but do not count on late-season rentals without checking first. Ontario Parks describes canoe, kayak and paddleboard rentals as summer-season services. The Park Store itself remains open year-round.
Where to Eat:
There is no food concession inside Arrowhead, so either bring lunch or build a Huntsville stop into the day.
For an early start, Windmill Bakery And Bistro at 99 Hanes Road is useful for baked goods, breakfast and lunch items.
For a sit-down meal after hiking, Main St. Local Kitchen is downtown at 24 Main Street East and serves breakfast through dinner Monday to Saturday.
How much:
A daily vehicle permit ($21 per day). Buy a Parks Pass in Advance.
Rentals are available at the Visitor Centre.
How to Get There:
451 Arrowhead Park Rd, Huntsville
7 km from downtown Huntsville.
Arrowhead Provincial Park is located about 2.5 hours drive (~ 24o km) from Toronto, 3.75 hours drive (380 km) from London, 1.5 hours drive (110 km) from Barrie, 4 hours drive (~390 km) from Kingston, and 4 hours drive (~345 km) from Ottawa.