Crowe Bridge Conservation Area is a such a special place and so hard to describe. I’d been curious about this place since I first heard about it almost a year ago, but it’s pretty far from home. Fortunately, it’s less than an hour from my mom’s cottage in the Kawartha Lakes, so I found some time for a detour on my last cottage visit.

On a Saturday at the end of August, my husband Andy and I finally made the drive to Marmora to check out what might best be described as a natural splashpad.

We got there at three in the afternoon which is always too late in the day to arrive someplace beautiful, on a weekend, when the weather is good. And indeed, the parking lot was full. We were advised, though, that it usually cleared out by four, so we killed a bit of time in nearby Campbellford before trying again. We lucked out by arriving just as someone else was leaving, and the parking was at capacity again immediately afterwards. There is a $15 day use vehicle fee.

And really, it’s no wonder why.

There is a dam in this section of the Crowe River, and this creates all kinds of tiny waterfalls that cascade over various levels of smooth rock, forming pools and natural seats throughout.

There were so many kids there! It is an excelled place to take kids, but there’s still quite a current from the rushing water, and even as a strong swimmer I felt a little wary in certain sections. It would be easy to tumble and hurt yourself on the rocks, too. But for older kids who can swim, this place is an absolute dream. It made my husband and I both think of all the creek exploration we had each done in our youths.

If you have room in your September for one more swimming adventure, this could be it!