Ember Cabin

Ember Cabin sits trailside on the Tay-Havelock rail trail in Maberly, Ontario, overlooking the Fall River. Getting there means leaving the car at a public trailhead and walking or biking about 500 meters through the woods to the private site, so this is a cabin built for people who don't mind carrying their own bags in.

Inside, the single bed sleeps up to three guests, and the cabin runs off-grid with no Wi-Fi, a fan and heat for climate control, and an indoor compost toilet. A sink, stovetop, cookware, and mini fridge cover basic cooking, and running water is available mid-May through mid-October. Both indoor and outdoor showers are on site, along with a mini library for downtime and two pairs of snowshoes for winter visits.

The setting is built around the river: a canoe and lifejackets are included for paddling the Fall River and its connecting lakes, and the surrounding trail network supports hiking, gravel biking, fishing, and in winter, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling. Patio furniture, a campfire pit, and a BBQ sit outside for evenings after the day's activity.

Dogs are welcome, up to two per stay. Check-in is at 4 pm and check-out at 12 pm. Rates vary by season and day: summer runs from $199 on weeknights up to $239 on holidays, while winter rates start at $179 on weeknights up to $219 on holidays. Booking goes through Cabinscape.