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Best Lake Hikes near Kingston

15 routes near Kingston qualify, ranked below by how much walkers rate them. They average 9.5 km and 209 m (686 ft) of ascent.

That is 50 percent of the 30 routes we map near Kingston. They are shorter than the local average, 9.5 km against 19.1 km, which is what makes this a practical shortlist for a half day. They also climb less than the area average, 209 m (686 ft) against 420 m (1,378 ft), so they suit a recovery day or a group with mixed fitness.

Lake routes give you a natural halfway point, somewhere to swim in summer, and the calmest reflections of the whole week if you get there before the wind picks up. The mix is broad: 4 are rated easy and 1 are hard or harder, so there is something here whether you have two hours or a full day. A good share of them are loops, so you can park once and finish where you started.

Trails

Easy

Arab Lake Gorge Trail

Ontario · Canada

Distance
1.2 km
/ 0.8 mi
Elevation gain
27 m
Typical duration
18 min
  • Lake
  • Canyon and gorge
Moderate

Arkon Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
9.8 km
/ 6.1 mi
Elevation gain
216 m
Typical duration
2 hr 22 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Big Salmon Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
15.3 km
/ 9.5 mi
Elevation gain
336 m
Typical duration
3 hr 41 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Cedar Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
12.5 km
/ 7.8 mi
Elevation gain
275 m
Typical duration
3 hr 1 min
  • Lake
Easy

Doe Lake Trail

Ontario · Canada

Distance
3.2 km
/ 2.0 mi
Elevation gain
70 m
Typical duration
46 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Gibson Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
8.3 km
/ 5.1 mi
Elevation gain
182 m
Typical duration
2 hr
  • Lake
Easy

Hemlock Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
4.4 km
/ 2.7 mi
Elevation gain
97 m
Typical duration
1 hr 4 min
  • Lake
Easy

Little Clear Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
6.0 km
/ 3.7 mi
Elevation gain
132 m
Typical duration
1 hr 27 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Little Salmon Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
8.9 km
/ 5.6 mi
Elevation gain
197 m
Typical duration
2 hr 9 min
  • Lake
Moderate

RT Buck Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
14.9 km
/ 9.3 mi
Elevation gain
328 m
Typical duration
3 hr 36 min
  • Lake
Hard

Slide Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
18.8 km
/ 11.7 mi
Elevation gain
414 m
Typical duration
4 hr 39 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Small Slide Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
8.8 km
/ 5.5 mi
Elevation gain
193 m
Typical duration
2 hr 7 min
  • Lake
Moderate

Tetsmine Lake Loop

Ontario · Canada

Distance
8.7 km
/ 5.4 mi
Elevation gain
191 m
Typical duration
2 hr 6 min
  • Lake

The shortlist, side by side

The ten highest scoring routes on this page, so you can compare effort before opening any of them.

Distance, ascent, walking time and difficulty for the top routes
RouteDistanceAscentTimeDifficultyBest season
Arab Lake Gorge TrailOntario1.2 km27 m18 minEasyApril to October
Arkon Lake LoopOntario9.8 km216 m2 hr 22 minModerateApril to October
Big Salmon Lake LoopOntario15.3 km336 m3 hr 41 minModerateApril to October
Cedar Lake LoopOntario12.5 km275 m3 hr 1 minModerateApril to October
Doe Lake TrailOntario3.2 km70 m46 minEasyApril to October
Gibson Lake LoopOntario8.3 km182 m2 hrModerateApril to October
Hemlock Lake LoopOntario4.4 km97 m1 hr 4 minEasyApril to October
Little Clear Lake LoopOntario6.0 km132 m1 hr 27 minEasyApril to October
Little Salmon Lake LoopOntario8.9 km197 m2 hr 9 minModerateApril to October
RT Buck Lake LoopOntario14.9 km328 m3 hr 36 minModerateApril to October

If you only have time for one, start with Arab Lake Gorge Trail, RT Gould Lake Blue Trails, Small Slide Lake Loop. Those are the routes people come back to. Every route on this page links through to a full guide with the map, elevation profile, seasonal advice and what to bring.

Frequently asked questions

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