Tucked into the uplands west of Lake Ainslie, MacFarlane Woods stands as both a natural treasure and a living legacy. This old-growth hardwood forest was protected thanks to the lifelong efforts of Jim St. Clair—a teacher, historian, and naturalist who spent over 50 years living on his family’s homestead in Mull River. A descendant of the original settlers, Mr. St. Clair recognized the ecological and educational value of this land and began the work to preserve it back in the 1980s. Thanks to his efforts, the area became a nature reserve in 1988 and expanded to 132 hectares in the years that followed.
The trail through MacFarlane Woods is a walk through time. You’ll pass towering sugar maples, yellow birch, and beech trees—part of a rare virgin forest stand that has remained largely untouched. In the understory, you may find signs of rarer plants and mosses that thrive in these cool, shaded hills. This is not a groomed recreation trail, but a chance to see the forest as it once was and, with any luck, still will be for generations to come.
Visitors are encouraged to walk with respect—for the land, the history, and the deep connections between the two. Whether you come for quiet reflection, natural observation, or simply to feel small among giants, MacFarlane Woods is a place worth lingering in.
