Tour de Kamaniskeg

This route is app. 53 kms and is suitable for road and all other bicycles. There is a smooth, hard packed gravel section on Kamaniskeg Lake Rd. The route starts in Barry's Bay but there are two other parking areas where you can begin the ride. The written directions and gpx file begin at the Barry's Bay location.

Download the GPX navigation file here: http://www.ovcata.ca/userfiles/file/Tour%20de%20Kamaniskeg%20GPX.gpx

Things to see along the way:

            Zurakowski Park in Barry's Bay is a memorial to legendary aircraft test pilot and engineer who flew fighters and bombers for Poland, France and Great Britain in WWII. He is closely associated with the Avro Arrow project and the memorial features a large scale model of the aircraft he flew as well as the story of his amazing life.

            On the Old Barry's Bay Road across from the junction with Vistula Rd. stands the The SZARE SZEREGI Monument (Grey Ranks). This monument commemorates the 11,000 Scouts and Guides who worked in the Polish resistance and who fell during the Warsaw uprising or lost their lives in Nazi concentration camps during the occupation of Poland (1939 - 1945) It is a heart breaking yet uplifting tribute.

            Further down the road is Crooked Slide Park featuring a rebuilt log slide at this beautiful waterside park. Here you will find restrooms and a great swimming hole.

            In Combermere a short distance off the route is Madonna House Lay Apostate and Pioneer Museum. Madonna House is a community of catholic men and women dedicated to continuing the work of Jesus Christ. The Pioneer Museum is built from hundred-year-old hand-hewn logs. Inside there are authentic items donated by generous individuals that tell the story of pioneer life in the Ottawa Valley.

Combermere has a couple of locations where you can buy water, drinks, a full meal or snacks. Cyclists love to support local businesses!

DIRECTIONS:

Parking at the beginning of the route can be found at  Zurakowski Park in Barry's Bay or across the street at the old train station. Alternate starting points with parking are at Crooked Slide Park on Old Barry's Bay Rd. and at the lakeside park in Combermere just west of the bridge on  Hwy 62 / Combermere Rd.

From Barry's Bay ride east on Hwy 60 / Opeongo Line to the junction with Old Barry's Bay Rd. just past the Tim Hortons. TRUN RIGHT onto Old Barry's Bay Road for the app. 19 kms ride to Combermere. Be sure to visit the  SZARE SZEREGI Monument and Crooked Slide Park if you have not done so before.

At the junction with Hwy 62 / Combermere Road TURN LEFT onto Combermere Rd. Across the bridge is the short side trip to Madonna House and the Pioneer Museum.

Follow Hwy 62 / Combermere Rd. out of the village to the junction with Kamaniskeg Rd. on your right. TURN RIGHT onto Kamaniskeg Rd. and a beautiful ride along the lake and Madawaska River to the junction with Siberia Rd.

TURN RIGHT onto Siberia Rd. / County 69 and follow it towards Barry's Bay where the name changes to Dunn St.

(If you would like a bit longer ride with some hills you can take an alternative route not long after crossing over the Madawaska River bridge on Siberia Rd. Look for River Road and the sign for the Madawaska Kanu Center on your right. Turn Right onto River Road. This road's name will undergo a sea change to become Kartuzy Rd. without you knowing it. Follow the dips, turns and hills to the junction with Bleski Rd. where Kartuzt Rd. will make a sharp LEFT TURN. From here you are a short distance back to Siberia Rd. where you TURN RIGHT onto Siberia Rd. just outside the Village of Barrys Bay. This detour is not mapped or included in the GPX directions)

Follow Siberia Rd / Dunn St to the junction of Dunn St. and Opeongo Line / Hwy 60 you TURN RIGHT onto Hwy 60 for the short ride back to Zurakowski Park.