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THE OPEONGO LINE TOUR
Barry's Bay is the final stop of the Opeongo Line Tour. The Opeongo
Line is a road that was developed in the 1800's to assist in the
colonization of the area between the Village of Castleford and the
Village of Barry's Bay.
In the Fall of the year, many folks enjoy the lovely ride
through the countryside, taking in the Celebration of the Flaming
Leaf while visiting many of the local artisans along the way. And if
you've the stamina and a good mountain bike, the trek is even more
enjoyable. Every year we find more and more folks doing the "Mountain
Tour".
You can begin or end your tour just outside Barry's Bay. The
trek starts (or ends) near Carson Lake Provincial Park (the Opeongo
Line signs are posted), go east on Highway 60 through Barry's Bay, turn
right onto Yantha Lake Road and follow the winding country road
through Hopefield, Brudenell, Foymount, Cormac, Clontarf and Esmonde. At
Highway 41 turn south to the 132 and go east to Dacre, Shamrock and
onto Renfrew. In Renfrew take County Road 20 north to Lac des Chats near
Castleford. According to the Ottawa
Valley Tourist Association the tour is about 150 kilometers and
takes approximately 2.5 hours to complete by automobile. But there
are many places to see along the way, so be sure to plan an entire
day. Don't forget to take your camera - no matter what time of year, there
are some spectacular scenes.
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The
railway station is symbolic of the development of Barry's Bay
from a small settlement into an economically viable town
and is of historical significance. From 1890 until the 1930's,
the rail line was the main transportation route between
Montreal and Toronto carrying lumber, wheat, soldiers,
liquor and passengers. By 1939, Great Lake Shipping had
become the dominant means of transportation in Ontario and
Quebec and resulted in a sharp decline in the use of the rail
line.
