Field Guides/Loyalist
Field Guide / 057 / 134
RegionLoyalist, Ontario
Best Window
Drive · Kingston15 min
Verified2026-05-03

Loyalist.

44.25° N76.75° W22 activities 2 signature5 strong22 named places
Loyalist landscape
01 — Abstract

Loyalist Township sits at the eastern end of the Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33) on the north shore of Lake Ontario between Bath and Amherstview, the township that picked up Amherst Island, Ernestown, and Bath Village when the three amalgamated in 1998. The eastern gates of the parkway open in Amherstview at Fairfield House — the 1793 Loyalist-era home named in 2000 by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada to its 250-best Canadian architecture list — and the road runs west along the lake to the heritage village of Bath, settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1784 and home to the 1796 Fairfield-Gutzeit House (reopened in 2025 after a two-year restoration).

Three kilometres offshore, the M/V Frontenac II runs 365 days a year between Millhaven and Stella on Amherst Island — a globally and continentally significant Important Bird Area where Northern Saw-whet Owls, Long-eared Owls, Snowy Owls, Short-eared Owls, Rough-legged Hawks, and Northern Harriers concentrate on open farmland through winter. Inland, Parrott's Bay Conservation Area carries 6 km of woodland and wetland trails on the western edge of Amherstview.

Kingston is fifteen minutes east; Toronto and Ottawa are each within a few hours along the 401 corridor.

02 — Conditions

Today's read.

Air Quality
4
aqhi · moderate
UV Index
0.0
scale 0–11
Humidity
92%
relative
Wind
8 km/h
North
Temp
+17°
H 27° · L 16°
Sun
05:29 / 20:53
15h 24m daylight
A+
GOOD DAY TO BE OUTSIDE

Real-time conditions updated; AI field notes unavailable.

9-day high · 16° → 27°
03 — Claims

On the record.

Every claim sourced. Click through to the original.

  1. 01Bath was first settled by United Empire Loyalists in 1784, making it one of the oldest communities in Ontario.Source ↗
  2. 02Fairfield House in Amherstview was completed in 1793 and is among the first permanent structures built in Ontario in the decade following Loyalist settlement; in 2000 it was named by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada one of the 250 best examples of Canadian architecture over the last 1,000 years.Source ↗
  3. 03The Fairfield-Gutzeit House in Bath was built in 1796 by brothers William Jr. and Benjamin Fairfield and reopened in 2025 after a two-year restoration; new exhibits and guided tours run Thursday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., admission $3.Source ↗
  4. 04Amherst Island is internationally recognised as one of the largest gathering places of wintering owls and raptors in eastern North America; the Kingston Field Naturalists' site guide records Northern Saw-whet Owl, Long-eared Owl, Short-eared Owl, Snowy Owl, Rough-legged Hawk, and Northern Harrier among the species commonly seen in winter.Source ↗
  5. 05Parrott's Bay Conservation Area covers 75.6 hectares of woods and wetlands with 6 km of trails just west of Amherstview; the area is open daily from 7:30 a.m. to dusk.Source ↗
  6. 06The M/V Frontenac II runs 365 days a year between Millhaven and Stella on Amherst Island; the crossing takes about 20 minutes and the round-trip fare is collected on the Millhaven side.Source ↗
04b — Also available

15. more outings
surveyed.

Activities supported across Loyalist without a featured write-up.

  • 01

    Trail Running

    Parrott's Bay Conservation Area
  • 02

    Mountain Biking

    cross-country
  • 03

    Paddling — Flatwater

    kayaking · sup
  • 04

    Paddling — Sea & Coastal

    sea-kayaking
  • 05

    Surf & Wind

    windsurfing · kitesurfing
  • 06

    Diving & Snorkeling

    scuba-diving
  • 07

    Swimming & Beach

    lake-swim · beach-day
  • 08

    Freshwater Fishing

    smallmouth-bass · largemouth-bass · walleye
  • 09

    Cross-Country & Nordic

    classic-xc
  • 10

    Snow Adventure

    snowshoeing · ice-skating
  • 11

    Seasonal Phenomena

    fall-colours
  • 12

    Motorized Touring

    scenic-drive
  • 13

    Food & Drink

    brewery · farm-tour-u-pick
  • 14

    Geology & Discovery

    rockhounding
  • 15

    Arts & Craft

    artist-studio-tour
05 — Curated experiences

Local operators.

Trusted outfitters, guides, and experience providers in Loyalist.

0143 minPaddling Flatwater

Ahoy Rentals

Waterfront bike, paddle and sail rentals in downtown Kingston, on the St. Lawrence at the foot of the Rideau Canal

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0243 minSailing Boating

Ahoy Sailing Charters

Bareboat keelboat charters for experienced sailors exploring Lake Ontario and the 1000 Islands from Kingston.

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0339 minWildlife Viewing

Asio Adventures

Guided birding tours across Lennox & Addington, Prince Edward, and Frontenac counties for small groups and individuals.

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0441 minFreshwater Fishing

B Shad's Guide Service

Guided bass and pike fishing charters on the Rideau Lakes, Lake Ontario and St. Lawrence River

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0539 minFreshwater Fishing

Blue Rock Charters

Year-round Walleye, Pike, and Bass fishing charters on Lake Ontario, Bay of Quinte, and the Inverary backlakes

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0642 minSailing Boating

Kingston 1000 Islands Cruises

Family-run sightseeing and dining cruises through the 1000 Islands from Crawford Wharf in downtown Kingston, sailing since 1975

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0741 minCycling

Kingston Bike Tours

A leisurely 12 km guided cruiser-bike tour of Kingston's waterfront, Penitentiary, and Queen's University campus

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0834 minSailing Boating

Kingston Sailing Charters

Bareboat sailboat charters from Collins Bay Marina in Kingston, with cruising routes through Lake Ontario and the Thousand Islands

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0942 minHeritage Culture

Kingston Trolley Tours

Five seasonal trolley tours of Kingston — hop-on hop-off, ghost, fall colours, and Christmas lights — from 209 Ontario Street

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1027 minSailing Boating

Lake View Watersports

Jet ski, kayak, and paddle board rentals at Collins Bay Pier in Kingston, with free temporary boating license included

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1139 minSailing Boating

Limestone Sailing Co.

Sail Canada–certified private sailing instruction in Kingston — Eastern Lake Ontario and Thousand Islands

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1228 minSailing Boating

Napanee River Tours

Guided riverboat cruises on the Napanee River aboard a purpose-built accessible pontoon vessel.

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06 — Map

On the map.

Loyalistand the local operators we've mapped nearby.

Field Guides (1)Operators (12)