kingston / Loyalist Township (Amherstview)

What to do in Loyalist Township (Amherstview): September 11-25, 2026

September 11-25, 2026 · checked 2026-09-09

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Loyalist Township doesn't advertise itself much, which is sort of the point. It's the Lake Ontario shoreline west of Kingston, mostly Amherstview, sheltered behind Amherst Island out in the North Channel. I ended up here by accident the first time, chasing a ferry schedule, and kept coming back for the marsh trail more than the island itself.

Parrott's Bay Conservation Area

free, trail network

Wetland and woodland trails leading out to a bridge over the marsh. Mid-September is a real window for migration here, not a marketing line: keep an eye out for osprey using the nesting platforms before they head south. Bring binoculars if you have them.

Amherst Island Ferry

small fare, runs daily year-round

Runs year-round, roughly every half hour from Millhaven, about a 20-minute crossing to Stella. You don't need a reason to ride it. Worth doing once just to watch Amherstview shrink behind you and the island's windmills come into focus.

Amherstview waterfront

free

Lake Ontario shoreline access, sheltered water compared to the open lake further east. In September you'll likely have most of it to yourself.

Henderson Recreation Centre

public skate Tue/Thu, check current times before you go

If the weather turns, this is the fallback. Public skate is Tuesdays and Thursdays, a couple of dollars in. It's also just the actual social hub of this place, whatever the calendar says.

Take the marsh trail slow and don't rush the ferry crossing. Neither one is going anywhere.

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