You can now immerse yourself in Ontario’s wilderness without having to pack in a tent, or rent an overpriced cottage, thanks to Cabinscape’s off-grid retreats. The Canadian-owned company has over thirty micro-cabins that overlook lakes and rivers or are nestled deep in the woods in locations across the province.
Despite their remote, far-away-from-it all feel, (rustic) comfort is the core philosophy here. There is no trekking to an outhouse or shivering in the cold as you try to stoke a fire – the micro-cabins come with heat, large, cozy blankets and, most importantly, an indoor loo. In the winter, amenities like paddleboards are swapped out for snowshoes and a 40-litre jug of water is provided for drinking and washing, (water is turned back on for Victoria Day weekend) – if you find you need more the Cabinscape folks will drop some off. Lights are solar-powered and there is a back-up generator just in case. Outdoors, there is a firepit and BBQ and, in some cases, a private dock.
The cabins are scattered across four areas of Ontario backcountry: the Kawarthas, Calibogie, Lanark and Haliburton, and each area offers something unique. In Haliburton, where Bone Cabin (above and below) is located, guests have access to 100,000 acres of wilderness with 400 kilometres of hiking and mountain biking, and, once the snow comes, groomed snowmobile trails with the purchase of a snowmobile pass.
The idea is to unplug and embrace the simplicity of being in nature, without the skills, gear and time required to go camping. Cleverly, the retreats offer three remoteness levels to choose from — low, medium, and high – all you have to do is be honest with yourself (and your cabin mate) about your true comfort level in the woods.
