Between Algonquin Park in Canada and the Adirondack Mountains in New York, there’s a rocky high ground that sets the level of Lake Ontario. The St Lawrence River and glacier melt long ago scrubbed a path through the 1,000 Islands, but the Frontenac Arch is the connecting rock. Above at Halsteads Bay, near Gananoque Ontario, is a bit of the arch that’s above water, looking upstream before the seaway narrows. Several of the busiest international bridges cross these scenic islands, and there are boat trips from both sides to gawk at the views and fancy private island residences.

The Biosphere is a much larger area that extends northwest from the arch itself. The Rideau Canal and its charming villages are included, as are many parks with lakes, forests and rocky hills for recreation. Driving through and stopping frequently, I saw an otter, heron, many geese and other wildlife.

The name Frontenac is used widely, from the hotel in Québec to a provincial park lake in the Biosphere. Louis de Buade, Comte de Frontenac et de Palluau, was Governor General of New France in the late 17th century, and he fought with the Iroquois and built various forts. The natives hunted and traded along the arch for 20,000 years or so, and there are still native lands along the border and on some of the 1,000 islands.