Fall in Ontario is an absolutely breathtaking time of year, as the leaves change to hues of reds, oranges, and yellows.
One particularly stunning sight to see during the autumn months is Heart Lake near Ompah, found roughly 4 hours away from Toronto by car 100 km southwest of Ottawa.
Appropriately named, this heart-shaped lake has become an increasingly popular location for photographers from near and far every fall, particularly when the deep blue body of water is framed by brilliant shades of autumn foliage.
However, as beautiful as Heart Lake is, it is actually illegal to visit; the lake is situated on Crown Land and there is no public access to the water.
Unfortunately, that hasn’t stopped the crowds from trespassing in previous years, leading the County of Frontenac to issue a public statement back in 2019 to discourage people from visiting.
“Recently, photographers have been flocking to Ompah to get their own shots of this uniquely shaped lake. And we get it, it IS beautiful. But there is no public access. You’re trespassing on private property, and that’s not right,” the post stated.
Drones are also an issue for the local residents, creating unwanted noise and disturbing the homeowners’ sense of privacy.
There are also no trails to the lake, which could provide danger to unfamiliar photographers who might get lost in the area.
Luckily, there are plenty of photographs of the lake taken in years past to admire from afar, and tons of other gorgeous destinations for fall leaf peeping this season.
For example, consider taking this epic fall train ride through Northern Ontario’s gorgeous scenery, or this Fall Harvest river cruise which takes you through the passages and channels of the 1000 Islands to Montreal and back.