Quinton Neufeldt
Ardberg’s series of diverse trails means wheeling is never boring here.
Words and Photos by Quinton Neufeldt
Ardberg, a small hamlet on the edge of Crown Land just north east of Parry Sound, ON, is known for its beautiful lakes, scenic views, and of course, it’s incredible four-wheeling opportunities.
Like visiting any 4x4 destination, a trip to Ardberg takes planning for all the outdoor action it offers – not to mention some keen navigation skills. While it’s a three-hour run (or 252 km (157 mi)) from my residence in Stoufville, it’s always worth the time, effort and anticipation of getting down and dirty among its meandering and skill-testing trails.
On the Saturday morning I departed (complete with my gear and even a paddle board), weather and traffic were on my side. Once I past Parry Sound, I turned east on Hwy 124, then north on Lorimer Lake Rd., which leads into Ardbeg. If you have the time (and as I have done in previous years), there’s a power line corridor with a rocky trail that makes for a great side trip. However, on this weekend, my sights were set on the trails in immediate Ardberg area.
As Ardberg is about as rural as you can get, the Loggers Station House makes for a great stop as it serves as a restaurant, convenience store, and gas station. The staff was friendly and very knowledgeable about the area. One local suggested I go North to Round and Bolger lakes for the scenic views. I also learned that summer is a busy time with all the wheeling enthusiasts, RVers, and cottagers who frequently visit the region.
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The rural and quiet campgrounds at Black Lake.
Lots of outdoor enthusiasts camp here every season, set up their RVs and enjoy a peaceful trip. I met a couple who gave me some advice about what to expect on the different trails, which led in all directions. Even though I resorted to Google Maps, Backroads Maps and my Garmin GPS and knew what to expect, I always consult with people in the area as conditions can often change fast.
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Looking south – notice the meandering trails in the background?
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The cottage association notices at the community boat docks.
Driving North along the Powerline Corridor past Round Lake and up to Bolger Lake, the latter encompasses many cottages, who use the park docks for their boats. Up until this point, the trail was quite smooth. I travelled approximately 15 to 20 km/h (9- 12 mph) as there were numerous rocky ledges to climb. In some cases, there were easier ways to go around, which may be ideal for the faint of heart or novices. Nonetheless, my Project Truck 99 Superduty had no issues, and there was plenty of room in every direction.
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Just one of my rocky climbs.
Once North of Bolger Lake, the trail was much more grown with some wet stretches, but nothing too challenging for my 40” tires. After another ½-hour, I reached a clearing at Littles Black Lake, which was a great place for a break. The lake was calm and quiet so I went paddle boarding to cool off. While refreshing and relaxing, I didn’t stay long since I wanted to explore other areas of the immediate region.
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The area is known for its plethora of outdoor activity. Here, I am taking a cool, refreshing break.
This was my first off-road trip with my Project 99 Superduty this season. So, I was paying attention to see if my rear-spring Install offered some improvements. A ¾-ton truck with leaf springs will never have great ‘flex.’ However, the ride and operation were definably better than before the install.
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My Project Truck 99 Superduty had no issues during my trip.
On my way North, I passed a camping area at Round Lake. This is a scenic spot where I took some pictures as well as tested my truck’s flex and traction over some rock crevasses. While driving around various rocks of different angles and ledges, a Jeep CJ drove past, then a Chev K20 Pickup. I quickly jumped out and flagged the driver down. After a short introduction to Brian and Andrea, we moved on to talk about their rigs.
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Fellow wheelers, Brian and Andrea, who I met on the trails.
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All three of our vehicles.
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Andrea’s 83’ CJ7.
Brian did all the work on his ‘77 Chevrolet 4WD pickup with a 400 engine and Kingpin 60 front axle. He also did all the work on Andrea’s ‘83 Jeep CJ7 – and both performed flawlessly on the rocks. Meeting other wheelers on the trails has to be one of my favourite things about off-roading. The beautiful scenery only made it that much better.
Since I wasn’t staying over and it was getting late, we went our separate ways. The rocky terrain in and around Black Lake is really a wheeling haven and serves as the ideal area to explore and test equipment under the powerlines on the open terrain for day trips or extended visit to enjoy everything the area has to offer.
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Just a portion of the rocky trails.
I didn’t get too adventurous this time around, but I did drive up to overlook the lake on the south side. After that, I reversed my course and headed home. Once past Ardbeg, the forest slips away as the 520 and 124 lead past narrow bands of farmland with sporadic rock ledges flanking the highway.
See you next time!