The Screaming Heads in Ontario are a unique sight to see. Here’s what you need to know about visiting this unusual place.

Whether you’re interested in unique art, unusual things to see, or you’re just looking for an interesting place to explore, the Screaming Heads is an excellent place to visit.

Located just outside Burk’s Falls, Ontario, about 30 minutes north of Huntsville, this intriguing outdoor art installation promises an experience unlike any other.

Scattered throughout the property are over 100 concrete sculptures, including plenty of ‘Screaming Heads,’ which give the site its name.

We first visited in early fall, thinking it would be a perfect place to get us in a spooky mood, but it ended up being more interesting and fun than spooky! In fact, we enjoyed it so much that we returned the next summer as well.

concrete sculptures of a head and hands rise up from the ground throughout the screaming heads property

What are the Screaming Heads?

The Screaming Heads are a fascinating and unique outdoor art installation, with over 100 concrete sculptures scattered throughout the property. Many of these sculptures are giant heads, seemingly coming out of the ground, with open mouths, hence the name “Screaming Heads”.

Peter Camani, a local sculptor and retired art teacher, purchased over 300 acres of farmland and has spent the last three decades transforming his property into the outdoor art exhibit that it is today.

One of the most unusual places to visit in Ontario, the Screaming Heads and Midlothian Castle have also been featured on several television shows, including CBC’s On the Road Again, Arthur Black’s Weird Homes and MTV’s Cribs.    

How to Find the Screaming Heads

📍981 Midlothian Road, Burk’s Falls, ON

The Screaming Heads are located just outside the town of Burk’s Falls, which is 265 km north of Toronto, and about 30 minutes north of Huntsville. It’s a beautiful area and a popular spot for cottagers in the summer months. Burk’s Falls is a nice small town to explore after visiting the Screaming Heads, or try one of these short and easy trails in the Almaguin Highlands.

Midlothian Castle

Camani purchased the 310-acre property outside of Burk’s Falls and converted the former farmhouse into a building that resembles a castle. Named Midlothian Castle, it’s an interesting building, complete with turrets, gargoyles and a two-headed dragon who sits on the chimney and breathes smoke whenever the fireplace is being used.

At the rear of the house, a giant head sits beside a turret and overlooks the property. The giant head, with a window for the mouth, is the artist’s studio and is said to be the original inspiration for the 2D screaming head sculptures found throughout the property.

concrete creations in the shape of a screaming head is the entrance to the property, a large screaming head tops a building behind the gate

What to Do at the Screaming Heads

Explore the Grounds

Visitors are welcome to wander throughout the property, which now features meadows, ponds and woods, instead of the original rolling farmland.

There is no set route or path to follow; it’s up to you where you want to hike. The entire property, other than the house, is free to explore.

Admire the Art

Scattered throughout the property are over 100 sculptures that have been created over the years. Screaming heads and hands rising from the earth can be seen throughout the property.

The arrangement of the sculptures may seem random, but supposedly when viewed from above, they form the shape of a dragon.  

Some of these sculptures are close to 20 feet high and weigh close to 30 tons!

Visitors can get close, touch and even walk through his artwork. It makes for some interesting photos!

a stone shape resembling a screaming head rises from the ground with two stone hands on either side

And while the sculptures of heads and hands are what the place is known for, there are also other statues throughout the property, like the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse and the Primeval Forest.

The Primeval Forest features 80 screaming concrete trees, standing approximately six metres tall. (It’s a great place to watch the sunset if you’re there that late in the day.)

From the parking lot, head across the field and you’ll find another installation of screaming heads. Standing around in a circle, some say they resemble Stonehenge.

The Screaming Heads arranged in a circle, resembling Stone Henge

Take Your Time

While you could quickly see a few sculptures and then head back to the car, it’s a large property and there’s plenty to see and do. We spent just over an hour each time we visited, exploring different areas and taking photos of the sculptures. There are benches and Muskoka chairs to relax on, and a small pond with a dock, or plenty of grass areas to sit and have a picnic lunch.

It’s usually pretty quiet and since it’s a large property, even if it does get busy, there’s plenty of space to spread out. We’ve visited several times, usually in August or September, and each time, we were one of the few people walking through the grounds.

 Throughout the property, there are also several steel dome frames.

Even though from afar they resemble kids climbing domes, the boys were disappointed to learn that they were actually art and could not be climbed on.

Every September, the farm hosts the Harvest Festival and during the festival, the domes are covered with fabric and used for performances and eating areas.  

structures resembling climbing domes are seen in a clearing with trees in the background

Visiting with Kids

Although the Screaming Heads may seem a little eerie and spooky, my kids didn’t find anything scary at all!

They loved the dragon on top of the chimney and the giant spiderweb of a gate.

The boys happily wandered throughout the property, marveling at the sculptures of the heads and hands, trying to measure whether they were taller or not!

They loved that this was a place where they COULD actually touch the art, and even walk through the sculptures.  

For young kids, there is a sand pit beside the parking lot with an assortment of diggers and trucks to play with.

Strollers:

Not all of the paths are stroller-friendly, in fact, there were a few spots where boards had been placed on the ground to avoid the muck. 

My kids were not using a stroller when we visited, but I did see another family pushing a stroller through the property. There are some hills and some areas can be muddy, so keep that in mind when deciding to bring a stroller or not. 

two boys playing with tractors in a sand pit

Things to Know Before You Go

Cost: It’s free to visit the Screaming Heads, although there is a spot for donations at the entrance and proceeds go to the Burk’s Falls Food Bank and Library.

Washrooms: The only washrooms at Screaming Heads are the outhouses by the parking lot. It’s a good idea to use them before you go, as there are no other facilities throughout the property. 

Dogs: Dogs are welcome as long as they are on a leash and please pick up after your pet. 

Bugs: As the screaming heads is a property with a lot of trees, and in what is affectionally called “Cottage Country” in Ontario, there are bugs! The black flies are out from mid-May to the end of June, and then mosquitoes are bad from the beginning of July through to mid-August. Be prepared and bring bug spray if you are visiting in the summer months! 

While the property is open to the public, please remember that it is the artist’s residence. The gate is usually open for visitors to wander throughout the property, however, the property is the artist’s private home and if the gate is closed, please respect that.

a spiderweb gate opens between two towers. behind that you can see a tower with eyes and a wide open mouth

How to Get to the Screaming Heads

The Screaming Heads and Midlothian Castle are located about 5km from Hwy 520 in Burk’s Falls.

From Toronto, take Hwy 11 North, exiting at Ontario St in Burk’s Falls. Follow Ontario St north through the town and turn left onto Hwy 520. Turn left on Midlothian Road and continue for approximately 5km.

From Ottawa, take hwy 60 West, then Hwy 11 North and follow the above directions. Approximately 3 hours from Toronto, 4.5 hours from Ottawa.

Screaming Heads Hours

The property is open from 8 am – 8 pm year round. In the summer, it’s easy to walk through the property, and in the winter, it’s still open and you can hike or snowshoe through the grounds. 

Screaming Heads Festival: During the third weekend in September (September 13-16, 2024), the property is closed to the public for their annual Harvest Festival, which celebrates their 25th anniversary in 2024. 

How Much Time Do You Need at the Screaming Heads? 

While you could take a quick walk through the statues near the parking lot and be back in your car within a few minutes, you’ll probably want to spend a bit more time exploring. It’s actually quite a large property, over 300 acres, and there are statues throughout the different areas.

We spent at least an hour walking throughout the property and there are spots to sit and relax. if it’s a nice day, bring a snack or picnic lunch and spend a few hours. 

When’s the Best Time to Visit

The property is open any time of the year, but with the screaming heads and hands rising from the ground, it makes for a spectacularly spooky spot to visit in the fall! We visited on a gorgeously sunny day, but I almost wish it had been overcast, just to add to the atmosphere…

And the changing colours of the leaves are gorgeous to see as well; you can see some of our photos of the fall leaves here.

Final Thoughts: Visiting the Screaming Heads in Ontario

The Screaming Heads is one of the most unusual places to visit in Ontario. With plenty of room to wander and explore, it’s a great place to spend an hour or more admiring the unique large sculptures that are scattered throughout the artist’s property.

Whether you’re interested in unique art or just looking for an unconventional outing with the family, the Screaming Heads in Burk’s Falls promises an unforgettable experience. 

Share this post or pin for later!

pin image for this post - the screaming heads burks falls ontario

For more ideas on things to do and see in Ontario, be sure to check out these posts:

2 Comments

  1. Ooh definitely adding this to my Ontario bucket list. I love roadside attractions / weird spots!

    1. Yay! Aren’t they fun to find?

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.