KARS-ON-THE-RIDEAU, Oct 16, 2026 – Baxter Conservation Area is known for its lush forest trails, wetland lookouts and rustic riverfront beach – but it was a different landscape 50 years ago.
The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) officially opened the conservation area on October 16, 1976 when the property still had many hallmarks of its former life as crop and pasturelands. Today’s established forest was in its infancy, the group camping and river cabin areas backed onto open fields, and the pond didn’t exist.
But with some help from RVCA staff – nearly 30,000 trees were planted in 1979 – it didn’t take long for nature to take over. 50 years later, Baxter has become a nature destination for hikers and naturalists, beachgoers, schools, community groups and families.
Nature near the city
Baxter offers five kilometres of stone dust, boardwalk and rugged trails as well as a marshland bridge, lookout tower, sandy beach and picnic shelter. The site's evolution into an accessible outdoor education centre was by design.
A 1976 article in the RVCA’s Around the Rideau newsletter wrote, “When the Authority acquired the Baxter Conservation Area, it realized its potential for providing nature interpretation and day-use recreation.” Even at that time, it noted “the demand for accessible natural areas has increased steadily over the years.”
Staff wasted no time making good on the plan. Outdoor programming began almost immediately with a series of winter programs welcoming people to ski, snowshoe and skate before enjoying nature film screenings in the interpretive centre.
School programs began shortly after, welcoming hundreds of students each season.
Today, Baxter’s renowned outdoor education program receives nearly 8,000 students for outdoor education field trips each year, as well as hundreds of day campers and Forest School students.
Baxter’s site supervisor and outdoor educator Andrea Wood said watching children interact with and learn from the natural world is one of the best parts of her job.
“Our students come alive in a way you might not see in the classroom,” said Wood.
“They are engaged, they’re getting dirty, they’re asking all the questions. They are learning in a natural space with no walls, where they can be themselves.”
Alongside school programs, Scout, Guide and community groups have also flocked to Baxter’s group camping facility since the late 1990s. These weekends can be transformative for kids who might otherwise not have access to Canadian wilderness.
“Baxter is the first place some of my Guides have ever slept in a tent, lit a match or used a compass,” said local Girl Guide leader Anna Robotham. “They create memories and gain skills and confidence which might just change their life.”
Over the past decade, the site has become even more inclusive as a $1 million multiphase project transformed Baxter’s boardwalks, bridges and infrastructure to create the region’s most accessible nature destination, with support from the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation (RVCF) and Nature For All committee.
Baxter welcomes as many as 80,000 visitors of all ages and abilities each year.
“Many visitors appreciate having a local outdoor space where they can come with the freedom to choose what they want to do,” Wood said. “Whether it’s walking the trails, swimming at the beach, geocaching, exploring the pond, camping overnight or to simply get out of the city and immerse themselves in nature, Baxter is here to serve them.”
Baxter through the years
- Early 1800s – Crown grants the land to Loyalist William Fraser
- 1820s-1830s – Colonel By purchases area to avoid canal construction lawsuits
- 1830s – 1960s – Farmed by various families
- 1970-1978 – RVCA purchases 162 acres
- October 1976 – Baxter Conservation Area officially opens
- April 1979 – Nut grove is established
- October 1980 – First marshland bridge is constructed
- March 1989 – Original Interpretive Centre burns down
- January 1998 – Ice storm devastates the area
- June 2000 – Septic demonstration and training site opens
- July 2006 – New boardwalk, bridge and lookout tower are constructed
- February 2010 – Final 6 acres of land acquired, bringing total to 168
- May 2018 – Newly restored pond is unveiled
- September 2020 – Forest School is offered for the first time
- 2021-2026 – Accessibility transformation takes place across the site
Baxter Conservation Area is open year-round from dawn to dusk. Find trail maps, location and parking details at www.rvca.ca/baxter.
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