Calabogie

Calabogie was originally named Madawaska for the Madawaska River system, on which Calabogie Lake is one of four reservoir lakes. The river runs from Algonquin Provincial Park down to the Ottawa River at Arnprior.
When the Kingston & Pembroke Railway reached Calabogie Lake from Kingston in 1883, the local station was named for the lake as a "Madawaska" station existed on the Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry Sound Railway Company line through Barry's Bay. The K&P was completed to the Canada Central Railway junction in Renfrew in 1884.
The village was founded a lumber camp; a dam on the Madawaska River had created the lake and the river was used to transport logs to Quebec City. Water power was used to power a sawmill and later the river was dammed at various points to generate hydroelectric power. The railway brought visitors and industry; by the end of 1912, the K&P became part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. As these were steam trains and stopped in every village on the 180-km (110-mile) journey from Kingston to Renfrew (they never did reach Pembroke), the "Kick and Push" was a slow means of travel which began to be dismantled in the 1950s as travellers increasingly took to the highways in motorcars.
While lumber and mining declined, the village kept its tourism role, with Calabogie Peaks ski resort opened on Dickson Mountain in 1970 and Calabogie Motorsports Park constructed in 2006.

The train no longer runs and the tracks have been removed. Access is by car, usually from Trans-Canada Highway 17 (east of Renfrew) by heading southwest on Calabogie Road (old Hwy 508).
The closest Greyhound bus stop is in Renfrew.

• Calabogie Highlands Golf Resort

  phone: +1 613-752-1234
  address: 981 Barryvale Road
  18 + 9 hole course, Fiddler's Green restaurant and event space, lodging.

• Calabogie Motorsports Park

  phone: +1 613-752-1252
  address: 462 Wilson Farm Road
  5-km (3-mile) track hosts events such as the IMSA GT3 Cup Challenge Canada and Canadian Touring Car Championship. +1-866-669-TRAK.

• Calabogie Peaks Resort

  phone: +1 613-752-2720
  address: 30 Barrett Chute Road
  Dicksons Mountain is a 232-metre (761-ft) ski hill with 29 runs, 3 lifts, a tubing hill, four terrain parks. Dickson Manor includes a spa, indoor swimming pool, outdoor hot tub and Canthooks fine dining restaurant. Beachfront, nine-hole Ironwoods Golf Course, mountain biking and climbing in summer.

• Madawaska Nordic Trails

  address: Crestview Drive (trailhead)
  Unattended cross-country ski trail.

Events

• Calabogie Blues and Ribfest

  address: Calabogie Peaks Resort
  Mid-August, three days (weekend).

• Calabogie Country Music Festival

  address: Calabogie Peaks Resort
  Late June, three days.

• Canadian Wake Surf Nationals

  address: Calabogie Peaks Resort
  Late July, three days.

• Calabogie ClassicMid-April, weekend cycle race held at Calabogie Motorsport track

• Calabogie and District Snowmobile Club

  address: Calabogie Highlands Resort
  Typically holds one event, mid-Feb, weather and trail conditions permitting. In 2015, there was a poker run. In prior years, this was one of the three province-wide Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs "Go Snowmobiling! Give-It-A-Try Tour" sites. Portions of the former K&P rail line are trails.

• Ice Fishing DerbyJamie Wright Memorial Ice Fishing Derby (Calabogie Fish & Game Club) annually, last Saturday in February, in Calabogie followed by an Ice Fishing Derby (Griffith & Matawatchan Fish & Game Club) on the first Saturday in March in Griffith/Matawatchan. A few huts are for rent from Calabogie Marine & Sports (12612 Lanark Road, ) or Joeballa's Bait, Tackle and Service (11602 Lanark Road, ).

• Bittersweet Gallery

  phone: +1 613-433-9990
  address: 5 Leckie Lane, Burnstown

• Blackbird Café

  phone: +1 613-432-3599
  address: 1694 Burnstown Road, Burnstown

• Calabogie Pizzeria

  phone: +1 613-752-1777
  address: 4983 Calabogie Rd
  Ice cream bar, pizza.

• Neat Coffee Shop

  phone: +1 613-433-3205
  address: 1715 Calabogie Road, Burnstown

• Polly's Li'l Shanty Restaurant

  phone: +1 613-752-1888
  address: 12603 Lanark Road (Hwy 511)

• Shooter's Bar & Grill

  phone: +1 613-752-1383
  address: 4988 Calabogie Rd

• Calabogie Lodge Resort

  phone: +1 613-752-2676
  address: 729 Mill St.
  In village, on north side of lake.

• Calabogie Motor Inn

  phone: +1 613-752-2468
  address: 5042 Calabogie Road (Highway 508)
  On west side of lake, beside snowmobile trail.

• Fans of Calabogie Bed and Breakfast

  phone: +1 613-752-1595
  address: 5174 Calabogie Road

• Jocko's Beach Resort and Motel

  phone: +1 613-752-2107
  address: 5253/5254 Calabogie Road
  Motel, cabins, boat rental.

• Renfrew and Arnprior
• Ottawa