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The Blueberry Mountain trail is a fantastic spot in the middle of nowhere (in Lanark, ON). Which is probably part of the reason the views are so great, but don’t say I didn’t warn you about the drive!
I headed out there with my dog late in October. Some of the fall foliage was still clinging valiantly to the branches, and I could just imagine how beautiful the lookouts would have been just a few weeks earlier.
Beautiful view from the ridge on Blueberry Mountain.
Blueberry Mountain is considered one of the “seven wonders” of Lanark County. It’s actually on private land, which the owners generously allow the public to have access to. It took us about an hour and a half to drive there from Ottawa. Because the drive is so long, I think this one really calls for a day trip! We drove through the lovely Mississipi Mills (which is made up of Almonte, Pakenham, and Ramsey) in order to get there.
I think it would make for an awesome day if you were to drive out to Almonte for breakfast on Mill Street, then carry onto Blueberry Mountain. Another of the “seven wonders” is in Mississipi Mills, the Mill of Kintail, so a visit there on the way back (before stopping again in Almonte to shop on Mill Street) would be a lot of fun!
I love the colors that come along with fall hiking.
Getting There
The trailhead for Blueberry Mountain is right next to a private residence (I’m assuming the same people who own the land own this home), and the address to reach both is 502 Hills of Peace Road, Lanark, ON. The roads leading here changed as I traveled from Ottawa. First there were paved roads, then gravel roads, and then Hills of Peace Road which gets a bit skinny and feels more like a dirt road.
At the trailhead, there’s parking for about ten cars. Keep an eye out for the free range chickens when you get there! I also saw one free range dog- he was nice and friendly. The owners do request that if you bring your own dog, they’re kept leashed so as not to disturb the chickens. There was at least one rooster living there as well. I was under the impression that roosters were only supposed to crow first thing in the morning, but this guy seemed prepared to put in a full day!
Free range chickens 🙂
The owners request that you sign a waiver at the trailhead, essentially saying you won’t be holding them responsible for anything that happens to you while you’re on their land. Seemed like a fair trade to me.
The Blueberry Mountain Trail
After signing in at the trailhead, we set off along a two lane track. The trail started with a very gentle incline. This trail felt a lot like an ATV trail for almost the entire way. It made for very easy, gentle walking. There were signs on the way up to the lookout that provided information about the surrounding area, and two great little ponds that made nice spots to stop and relax for a bit.
ATV tracks crisscrossed the trail at some points, but it was very well signed and I was never worried that we would get lost.
There are no trail markers along the path, but these signs make it easy to follow.
Right before we reached the lookout, the trail turned into a single track that snaked uphill for a few hundred metres.
The ridge on Blueberry Hill is the highest outlook in Lanark County. The views are really what make the trip worthwhile. Because the trail itself had been unassuming and a really easy hike, I hadn’t expected the payoff to be quite so spectacular. But, I was wrong! There were two lookouts at the top of Blueberry Mountain. The trail lead us directly to the first one, and then we continued on to the right of where we had approached the first lookout, in order to get to the second.
These lookouts are only 2.5 kilometres from the trailhead (although my GPS tracked a shorter distance). It felt like I was there in no time.
Views from the lookout on Blueberry Mountain.
Getting Home
I spent quite a bit of time taking in the view. It was a beautiful day and we were in no rush.
Heading back towards the trailhead was even easier than hiking to the lookout, as it had us travelling downhill. Not including the time we spent relaxing at the lookouts, we were only hiking for an hour in order to reach the lookouts and return to the trailhead.
The Blueberry Mountain Trail is totally worth the road trip!
Trees on the trail.
Map and Elevation Gain
My map of the Blueberry Mountain Trail.
Elevation gain and loss on the Bueberry Mountain Trail. It looks like a lot, but it’s only about 100 metres.
Gear I Brought
- Hiking boots
- Small backpack
- Nalgene 32 Ounce Bottle
- Sunglasses
- Olympus TG-4 Waterproof Digital Camera
- Cell phone
- Snacks
- First aid kit with Tick Removal Tool
- Leash and harness
- Dog water bowl
- Waste bags
- Extra plastic bag
Do you know if this trail is maintained in the winter?
Hi, I don’t think it’s ever “maintained” so to speak. I can picture the roads up being a bit dicey, since there are a lot of dirt roads leading up to it. But, there’s private property right next to the trailhead so they’ll definitely be plowed.
This trail is pretty easy hiking, so if you bring snowshoes it should be manageable even if it’s not maintained. ☺
A beautiful uphill hike, quite steep near the top, leading to an “on top of the world ” lookout. Took my husband and I a little less than an hour to the top and , 30 min. downhill to the parking lot. Greeted by the land owner at the base of the hike as well as his chickens. Narrow road getting into the trails, well sanded however, take it slow.
Jan. 23, 2021
Agreed! I’ve only been in the summer but I’ve seen some GORGEOUS photos from the top in the winter. Thanks for the info about the roads!