The best walks and hikes around Gravenhurst

A.P. Cockburn Square is surrounded by historic buildings, local shops, and restaurants, and there are often community events, markets, and seasonal celebrations. Right in the middle of the square sits a gazebo with compass-like decorations around it. The square got its name from developer and steamboat pioneer A.P. Cockburn.

Muskoka Wharf in Gravenhurst sits on the shores of Lake Muskoka and is a great spot to learn about the area's history, eat, recreate, or just enjoy scenic views. The historic steamships RMS Segwun and Wenonah II offer cruises out of this wharf. Along the walking paths there are several docks, shops, and a discovery centre. There are three dining options, a mix of a café, a pizzeria, and a fine dining option.

The Children’s Memorial Gazebo sits on the northwest end of Gull Lake Rotary Park's peninsula. This bench is a fantastic lookout point and a spot for reflections. It is a wooden gazebo with benches built to memorialize the untimely passing of a young man in 2010.

The Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve protects a rugged landscape of granite outcrops, forests, and wetlands just south of Gravenhurst. Visitors can explore trails that wind past marshes, swamps, and bogs rich with rare plants and wildlife, while rocky viewpoints offer sweeping views across the patchwork of barrens and water. It’s a destination that blends the Muskoka region’s natural beauty with ecological significance, making it ideal for hiking, photography, and quiet nature escapes.

From these rocky outcrops in Kahshe Lake Barrens, you get a fantastic view over the wetlands before you. Marshes and swamps stretch out in a patchwork of colours, with winding water and pockets of forest breaking up the scene. It’s the kind of spot where you’ll want to pause, take a photo, and soak in the mix of rugged rock and quiet wetland beauty.

Kahshe Lake is one of Ontario's Muskoka region’s largest lakes, known for its tea‑coloured waters, rugged shoreline, and rich history. Located near Gravenhurst, the lake is dotted with islands and cottages, offering boating, fishing, and scenic views. Its name comes from a First Nations term often interpreted as “Lake of Many Ducks,” reflecting the area’s natural abundance.

Covering over 3,100 hectares north of Gravenhurst, the Kahshe Lake Barrens Conservation Reserve protects a mix of granite bedrock ridges, forested slopes, wetlands, and the distinctive Muskoka “barrens” landscape. It’s managed under provincial regulation to preserve natural and cultural features while allowing low-impact recreation.

This rugged trail system just off Highway 11 north of Gravenhurst features two loops through exposed granite bedrock, mixed evergreens and oaks, and natural barrens terrain. The trailhead is located at the Muskoka Tourism Centre in the Severn Bridge area. It offers a wild-feel despite easy access, with boardwalks in wetter parts, steep rock slabs, and views over beaver ponds and ridges. Ideal for hikers who want something more raw than manicured park paths, the Khashe Barrens Trail and Kadz Loop delivers a quietly impressive local wilderness experience.