Words by Wes Branson
Prince Edward County is a region of Southern Ontario that’s known for its wineries, B&B’s, antique stores, and scenic countryside. But there are also a few areas that are a calling for 4x4 enthusiasts.
A group of friends and I recently went for a day-run out to the “county” to see if we could get our tires muddy, body panels dusty and share a few laughs. I was driving my 2018 Power Wagon with my buddy Shawn riding shotgun, Jay was running his 2016 Subaru Outback, Cody took his 2018 Ram 1500 and Sean and Tori were in their 2020 Jeep JL.
Wes Branson
Just one of the scenic stops along Lake Ontario
After driving from Kingston, ON, along the Loyalist Parkway, we took a ferry from Glenora to the county proper. We arrived at the popular trails of Point Petre (pronounced ‘peter’ by locals), which is a scenic area that juts out into Lake Ontario and popular among all types of outdoor enthusiasts.
We hit the first section of the trail system and trekked towards the shoreline. Even though the trail was relatively easy, it was tight and my ¾-ton Power Wagon and Cody’s Ram 1500 had to carefully negotiate the brush and low-hanging trees. We stopped, walked down to the rocky shore and took in the view. Shawn scoured the beach for military artifacts as the area was once a missile testing ground and gunnery range for years. With no luck, we pressed on along the trail.
Cody Fendley
The water crossings provided enough challenges during the day.
As the route became just too tight for Cody and I, we retraced our tracks to find an alternate route, while the smaller Subaru and JL proceeded on the existing trail - swiftly and nimbly maneuvering under branches and around tight corners. We met up a few minutes later at another scenic spot on the lake along a higher promontory. Following a short break, we continued on the trail and through the forest and a bit of mud before turning onto Army Reserve Rd.
We blasted down the rough dirt road going east along a variety of trails and while they weren’t technical, there were some deep water crossings. It wasn’t a problem for my Power Wagon but when I looked back, I saw Jay in his Subaru almost disappear beneath the wave caused by the front of his rig as he drove through one of the deeper spots. He and the rest of the group made it through and we emerged into a wide-open area, surprising some unsuspecting deer. Further down the track, we encountered another water crossing. This time it was deep and disappeared around a corner. I did a bit of a test drive but decided it may be too much of an unknown risk.
Wes Branson
The vehicles and the group during the day-long run.
Back on the road, we found another route down to the water and checked it out. It was tight with thick brush, but what’re a few little scratches and an afternoon of some fine buffing? The trail meandered through a mixture of swampy areas, open fields and some nice mud before turning towards another water crossing, which looked deep with an uncertain bottom. Cody bravely volunteered to test it with his Ram. He drove into the water and made it out the other side without a hitch, making it look easy. We all followed suit without any issues and found ourselves once again on the beach looking out across the lake. The sun was shining with clear blue skies with the only sound of the waves lapping against the pebble-laden shoreline.
After deciding to leave, those same pebbles proved too much for Jay’s Subaru in one area and it got stuck. We conducted a mild recovery effort and easily pulled it out. Calling it a day, we found a county road to Waupoos and stopped in at a local pub to round out the day’s events. It was a good outing and just goes to show you don’t have to travel all that far to enjoy a little adventure.
Shawn Rumbolt