Austin: Heritage, hiking trails and water sports

When planning a stay in Austin, you can choose what to focus on based on your interests: heritage, hiking and snowshoeing trails, or water sports. These themes lead to different places and activities. The following information will help you get a sense of Austin as a destination and decide what to focus on during your trip.

Heritage in Austin

The Circuit patrimonial d’Austin introduces visitors to churches, cemeteries, and the hamlet of Millington. It begins at Parc Muriel-Ball-Duckworth, next to the church. This makes the tour a thematic introduction to several aspects of Austin’s heritage.

A single individual is the focus at Parc Fessenden: the park commemorates Reginald Aubrey Fessenden (1866–1932), a prolific inventor and telecommunications pioneer. This provides a different focus from the Circuit patrimonial, which introduces visitors to churches, cemeteries, and Millington.

The round barn on Fisher Farm is also part of Austin’s heritage. Built in 1907, it is listed as a heritage site. The barn is on private property and is not accessible. Before visiting, check whether this access restriction is still in effect.

Hiking, snowshoeing, and loop trails

Austin offers loop trails as well as trails for hiking and snowshoeing. For a specific route distance, you can use Chemin Taylor as a reference: it is 3.9 km long. This is distinct from the Sentiers de l’Estrie network, which covers 212 km in total.

The Sentiers de l’Estrie’s main linear trail is 156 km long and reaches the summits of Mont Chagnon and Mont Orford in the Austin sector. These figures refer to different scales: the length of the individual Chemin Taylor route, the entire trail network, and its main linear trail. This helps put the routes mentioned into perspective without confusing their distances.

The Sentiers de l’Estrie can be accessed from the Parc Chagnon-Shonyo parking lot on Route 112. A notice from the municipality dated October 17, 2023, describes a connecting bridge between the municipal parking lot at Parc Chagnon-Shonyo and the Sentier du Ruisseau-des-Chênes in Parc national du Mont-Orford. Check current trail access before your hike.

Another place to stop on Chemin Shuttleworth is a bench with an impressive view of the Appalachian range. Unlike the longer hiking options, this spot is all about the mountain views.

Water sports at Quai Bryant

At Quai Bryant on Lac Memphrémagog, there is a boat launch and paid parking for kayaking, canoeing, and windsurfing. Parking is free for Austin residents. If you plan to take part in one of these water sports, keep in mind that parking fees differ for residents and other visitors. Check current fees and any access requirements before using the facilities.

Whether you are more interested in the Circuit patrimonial, the various trails, or water sports, Austin offers different themes to help you plan your trip. The route, trail lengths, and heritage sites mentioned here give you concrete points of reference as you consider which focus best suits your plans.

Discover more destinations: Magog, Orford, North Hatley, Eastman, Stanstead, Mansonville, Sainte-Catherine-De-Hatley, Bolton-Est.

For the regional travel overview: Memphrémagog.