From discovering stunning vistas and landscapes and learning about local history to testing yourself with challenging excursions, there’s much to be discovered during Hike Haliburton.
Canada’s largest free hiking festival is returning to the Haliburton Highlands from Thursday, September 17 to Sunday, September 20. The annual festival presents four days of guided hikes, paid excursions, and art and culture experiences just as the fall colours are reaching their peak. Registration for individual hikes is now open at myhaliburtonhighlands.com/hike-haliburton/.
“People really enjoy that they can sign up for something that’s free, and there’s something for every skill level and for a lot of different interests,” says Haliburton County Manager of Tourism Angelica Ingram. “We are continually evolving it so it’s not the same hikes every year. We’re trying to find new things and new experiences. Of course, we have tried and true ones that come back every year, which is great, but otherwise there’s a lot of different variety from year to year.”
The Haliburton Highlands is made up of a mix of Canadian Shield landscapes with more than 500 lakes and over 2,000 kilometres of developed trails. Hiking trails take visitors and locals through forests, past lakes and rivers, and through rocky hills.
What makes Hike Haliburton entirely unique from similar festivals is that the guided hikes scheduled throughout the weekend — more than 35 of them — will be led by local volunteers who know and love the land.
“I really do believe it’s the volunteers and the leaders who make a difference,” Ingram says. “They’re passionate about where they’re hiking and what they’re talking about.”
With the support of a tourism grant from the Federal Economic Agency of Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), the Hike Haliburton team was able to grow the festival in 2025 by updating its registration system and tying in more regional events and activities.
Earlier this year, Hike Haliburton was named one of the Top 100 Festivals & Events in Ontario by Festivals and Events Ontario (FEO) for the fourth year in a row, but the expanded programming in 2025 also earned the festival a second award.
The FEO Impact Award is given to a festival with an operating budget of $100,000 or less that embodies the best ideas to advance cultural diversity and inclusion. The 2025 fall edition of Hike Haliburton was recognized for two new hiking events hosted by Coldwater Ojibwe artist, entrepreneur, and healer Jared BigCanoe.
Both events are returning to the Hike Haliburton lineup again this year. On Friday, September 18 at 7 p.m. at the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve, guests can join BigCanoe, who is also the founder of Big Canoe Indigenous Market, around a cozy campfire as he shares Indigenous stories, song, drumming, and demonstrations.
Visitors can also join BigCanoe and Cameron Ferguson, who has been a part of the Haliburton Forest team for 17 years, on Chessel’s Pond Trail for a forest walk where they’ll discover sacred medicines in the forest and how they’re used for healing. This three-kilometre hike is being held on Saturday, September 19 beginning at 10 a.m.
“There’s such a natural fit between Indigenous history and culture and learning about the land,” Ingram says. “Both events were very well-received last year, and they both filled up really quickly. We got good reviews and people were very happy about it, so we were very happy that we were able to bring them back this year.”
Alongside well-loved favourites, this year’s festival will also introduce some all-new events, like “Wandering Folk: A Gentle Journey of Song, Nature, and Nourishment” being held at Abbey Gardens in Haliburton on Saturday, September 19 at 10:15 a.m. The walk is a twist on an event from last year’s program, with Devin Wilson performing original folk songs along a trail.
“He’s a lovely gentleman and his voice just blends itself to nature very well,” Ingram says. “You’re out in a forest listening to him and you could just stay there for hours. It’s the most perfect quintessential Canadian outdoor music experience you could imagine.”
Prefer something that really puts your outdoor skills to the test? One of the most challenging hikes that’s been on the roster for a long time is the Anson Mountain Amble, being held at 8:15 a.m. on Saturday, September 19. This advanced hike will take you from Devil’s Lake to Anson Mountain for lunch and back. The trail will include beaver dam crossings, the legendary birch tree scramble, views of ponds and the scenic Sheldon Lake, as well as rock barrens, and Anson Mountain, the highest point in the Queen Elizabeth Wildlands Provincial Park.
Other guided hikes on the roster will not only get you exploring new scenes around the Haliburton Highlands, but teach you about the region’s history. At the Haliburton Welcome Centre at 2 p.m. on Friday, September 18, Kate Butler, Executive Director of the Haliburton Highlands Museum in Glebe Park, will lead a relaxed two-kilometre stroll diving into the community’s past and sharing information about some of the historical buildings.
Other hikes will have participants learning about life on the farm, survivalist techniques, the flora and fauna of the region, and geocaching in Wilberforce, described as the geocaching capital of Canada. Some of the hikes even including paddling and portaging to get you immersed in the landscape from the perspective of the water.
If you are unable to join one of the free guided hikes or they are full, Ingram encourages adventurers to lead their own self-guided solo or group hike.
“There are so many trails in our area, and so much that people can do at no cost, that they don’t have to do a planned guided hike,” she says.
After you’ve finished hiking, you can extend your Hike Haliburton weekend by enjoying some local culture. From evenings of live music by local artists to celebrating the 25th anniversary at the Haliburton Sculpture Forest, there are many ways to discover the artistic talents of those living across the Haliburton Highlands.
“If you’re coming for a hike or an event, why not stick around and see what else we have going on?” Ingram says. “You can go over to a restaurant and catch some live music or go check out an art exhibit. These are great ways to expand your experience of Hike Haliburton.”
Hike Haliburton also falls on the same weekend at ColourFest, hosted by the Municipality of Dysart et al. The family-friendly festival held at Head Lake Park in Haliburton on Saturday, September 19 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. features music, scarecrow building contests, a scavenger hunt, face painting, and so many more family-friendly activities.
“It’s a great family festival that happens downtown with activities for kids, and a classic car show and some really cool games like a pumpkin-rolling contest down the main street of Haliburton,” says Ingram.
With so much to see and do throughout the weekend, why not turn Hike Haliburton into an overnight stay by booking a night in one of the many accommodations across the region? Whether you want to sleep beneath the stars by booking a backcountry site at Kingscote Access Point or opt for a more elevated experience at the Nomi Resort Club, there’s something suitable no matter the experience you are seeking in the Haliburton Highlands.
To learn more about accommodations available in Haliburton Highlands, visit myhaliburtonhighlands.com/where-to-stay/.
To learn more about the Hike Haliburton Festival and to register for a free guided hikes or a paid excursion, visit myhaliburtonhighlands.com/hike-haliburton/, and follow Hike Haliburton on Facebook and Instagram.
This branded editorial was created in partnership with the County of Haliburton. If your organization or business is interested in a branded editorial, contact us.
