Hello hello, friends! This may be an unpopular opinion, but I absolutely adore winter. I especially love winter in the Ottawa Valley. There are so many activities to do, it makes it hard not to love this season. In this blog post, we are focusing on the towns of Deep River, Laurentian Hills and the United Townships of Head, Clara and Maria. These townships are the furthest west and north sections of Renfrew County and are filled with such a bounty of nature. This blog post was created in collaboration with the Ottawa Valley Tourist Association. I hope you enjoy this blog post because I really enjoyed writing it.
Where to Stay
Rolphton Motel and Restaurant – located in Rolphton on Highway 17, the Rolphton Motel and Restaurant is open year-round. The rooms are clean, cozy and the perfect respite spot for a snowmobile adventure. There is a restaurant connected to the motel that serves a variety of home-cooked meals, which also includes all-day breakfast. One of the recurring themes from the reviews is that the staff are extremely nice and really go the extra mile. The Rolphton Motel and Restaurant is truly a quintessential Ontario motel. It is charming, well-maintained and oozing all of the appeals of a small-town.
Deep River Motel – This charming hotel is located on Highway 17 in Deep River. This motel is open year-round and is very close to the snowmobile trails. This motel boasts 14 rooms and it offers high-speed internet access. One of the features of this motel that I really enjoy is that they offer a free restaurant shuttle service for snowmobilers.
Pine Valley Resort – a four-season cottage resort located near Stonecliffe on the Ottawa River.
Morning Mist Resort – which is a sister company to Pine Valley Resort, is a four-season cottage resort located next to Pine Valley Resort on the Ottawa River. Both properties offer housekeeping cottages ideally suited for families, snowmobilers, fishing and winter enthusiasts. Located directly off the OFSC TOP A snowmobile trail and a regular overnight stop for snowmobilers doing the Round Algonquin Park Tour.
Anupaya Cabin Co – while it is not open this winter, I would be remiss if I didn’t include the Ottawa Valley’s newest cabin resort. You should absolutely put this resort on your 2023 winter bucket list for a quiet and secluded winter retreat on the stretches of the Upper Ottawa River. Also, I should add that owners Shan & Pete are the best kind of people and pour their hearts and souls into Anupaya Cabin Co.
Things to Do
Did you know that Rolphton is considered a ghost-town? The town was initially settled in the 1940s as a community for the hydro workers and eventually the nuclear workers. The town has been declared a ghost town in the 1980s and some reporting states that what remains of the former settlement are paved roads, overgrown yards and the nuclear demonstration site. There is something so intriguing and interesting about towns like these that are a bit of a nod to the past and modernization. The ghost town is approximately 1.5km from the townsite. I am not convinced that Hydro Colony Road is maintained in the winter, so this may be the prime spot to snowshoe.
NPD Lookout – I absolutely love a good spot for a photo opportunity or a spot to take in the sunset (let’s be honest, I’m not a morning person and will not be up early enough to take in the sunrise). Looking for a spot for family photos, this is your spot! You just need to hire one of the many very talented photographers in the Ottawa Valley. This lookout is located on Highway 17 at the specific google maps coordinates of 58G6+69 Laurentian Hills, Ontario.
Mosquito Trail Picnic Area – This respite spot is located in the United Townships of Head, Clara and Maria right on Gibson Lake. The best part about going to this picnic area during this time of year is the lack of bugs. Make the most of those warmer winter days, where the temperature is above -10 and go for a picnic. You could even grab some food in the Town of Deep River at one of the restaurants mentioned below and take it for your picnic. As this picnic area is located on Gibson Lake, you can make the most of your time and go ice fishing while you are there! Seriously, the possibilities are endless with this picnic area.
Winter Equipment Lending Hub – Did you know that the Town of Deep River has a gear lending hub? This means that you can borrow things like snowshoes, GT snow racers and snow scooters for free. This winter equipment lending hub is located at the Deep River Library and is open to residents of the Town of Deep River. For more information check out the link here.
Mount Martin Ski Club – Located in Deep River, Mount Martin Ski Club is a perfect location to do one of the most quintessential winter activities – downhill skiing. The hill boasts 12 runs that you get to through the use of a T-bar rather than a chair lift. Mount Martin Ski Club really strikes me as a community environment and a family-friendly business. I should also mention, lift passes for adults are only $20 for most days (except for Saturday, which is $25).
Deep River Skate Trail – I am absolutely in love with skating trails. I recently had the privilege of skating at the Deep River Skate Trail, located at Grouse Park. I should say that this skating trail is so well maintained and is open every day of the week until 21:00. The total length of the trail is just under 1km, but it is a loop, which makes it easy to rack up the kilometres in a fun way. My favourite part of the trail is the forest section at night. This section is whimsical and has the most enchanting lighting. Just go check it out and you will see what I mean!
rĒCo Refillery & Zero Waste Lifestyle – This store, located in Deep River, is a personal favourite of mine.
The store sells items that help promote and encourage a zero-waste lifestyle.
They sell refillable products from laundry detergent, fabric softener, stain remover, dish soap, dishwasher tabs, soaps, bubble bath, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, household cleaners and all-purpose soap Castile.
Every time I visit the store, I discover something new and a new way to be more eco-friendly.
One of these ways is through wool dryer balls, eliminating the need for dryer sheets. We only have one planet earth, which is why we should treat it right.
Hiking
Welches Bay Loop – This hiking and snowshoe spot is located in the Town of Deep River. The Welches Bay Loop trailhead is located on Balmer Bay Road, just past the Deep River and District Hospital. The loop is 3.7km total and is a heavily trafficked four-season trail. In the winter, this is the perfect spot for snowshoeing and winter hiking. If you have been following the blog for any length of time, you know that I love winter exploration. A few of the big reasons for my love of these two activities are you do not have to be concerned about the heat and there are no bugs…which is huge.
Petawawa Research Forest – Contrary to its name, the Petawawa Research Forest is located in Chalk River. The Petawawa Research Forest is maintained by the Friends of the Petawawa Research Forest. This group was established to “support, promote, and protect the Petawawa Research Forest for continued scientific study, environmental education, and public recreation.” (Source: Friends of the Petawawa Research Forest website).
The Research Forest is open year-round and has a variety of hiking and snowshoe trails. I also find it super interesting how the forest is indeed used for research in such areas as silviculture and tree genetics.
It is truly a natural gem that is located within the Ottawa Valley.
Restaurants
Santa Fe Grill and Bar – This restaurant, located in Deep River in the Shemron Suites Hotel, is serving up Tex-Mex style cuisine. On their menu are mouth-watering fajitas, enchiladas, burritos and chimichangas. For those who are not fans of Tex-Mex, Santa Fe also has a variety of wraps, burgers and sandwiches on their menu. A customer favourite is “The Knife and Fork Burger.” This is a sirloin chuck patty, topped with chilli con queso, guacamole, chill, bacon, jalapeños, onions and peppers – hence you need a knife and fork to eat it. This is the type of food I would want to eat after a day of exploring outside in the winter. It will warm your soul and your belly.
The Bean House Cafe & Quite the Slice Deli – Looking for a delicious coffee or a thick delicatessen-style sandwich? Look no further than this humble cafe located in Deep River. This cafe is open Monday to Friday 08:00 – 15:00 and Saturdays 09:00 – 14:00. On top of their delicious sandwiches, they also serve up a soup of the day and a variety of desserts. I also love that they sell a variety of freezer meals. These include things like Mac n’ cheese, penne chicken Alfredo, teriyaki beef, turkey dinner, lasagna and chicken pot pie.
Long Shot’s Sports Cafe – Are you in the mood for a trivia night or want to watch sports on a 110” screen? You are in luck with Long Shots Sports Cafe. They serve up classic sports bar fare from wings to burgers to a plethora of sandwiches. I should mention that they also sell my personal favourite – deep-fried dill pickle spears, can you say yum?! I love that this restaurant has different events including live music and trivia nights. These types of events help to create a bit of levity. We all know that the world could definitely use a bit more of that these days!
Conclusion
The towns of Deep River, Laurentian Hills and the United Townships of Head, Clara and Maria are rich in natural beauty. There are countless places to explore regardless of the season. In the winter this is snowmobiler’s paradise. For more information on the status of snowmobile trails, check out the interactive map here. This map is maintained by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs. Happy exploring, friends.