Multi-Regional Trails
Canada’s first long-distance walking trail was completed in Ontario in 1967, just in time for the country’s 100th birthday. Known as the Bruce Trail (Click here), this footpath followed the ridge of the Niagara Escarpment for 700km (434mi). It has been extended since then, and now runs 1,285km (771mi), including all the side trails.
The popularity of the Bruce Trail inspired several other Ontario groups to begin blazing trails in the early 1970s. Two of the trails—the Ganaraska Trail (Click here) and the Grand Valley Trail (Click here)—naturally link with the Bruce by following the routes of major rivers flowing from the Niagara Escarpment. A third, the Oak Ridges Trail (Click here) follows the Bruce Trail’s example by leading hikers across the top of another major landform, the Oak Ridges Moraine, which fortuitously intersects with the Niagara Escarpment. A fourth—the Voyageur Trail (Click here)—follows the northern shoreline of Lake Superior. The landscape faced by these northern volunteers is much more rugged than that encountered by the southern trail blazers, but these dedicated souls are still at it. About half of Voyageur’s anticipated 1,100km (682mi) has been completed so far, but it takes a lot of dedication from volunteers to keep the trail open.
The Bruce Trail also inspired like-minded folks in other provinces to try and develop ties across the nation. In 1971, efforts to blaze a footpath called the National Trail (Click here) began. The National Trail hasn’t yet been completed and has been somewhat overshadowed by the cross-country Trans Canada Trail (Click here). This 16,000km (9,920mi) multi-use trail is open to cross-country skiers, cyclists, equestrians and snowmobilers, in addition to hikers. Some 9,000km (5,580mi) have thus far been completed.
The Trans Canada Trail has inspired further efforts in Ontario. A group of municipalities located along the shore of Lake Ontario, for instance, has been busy building a trail to link 41 different cities, towns and villages. So far, 780km (485mi) of the Waterfront Trail’s (Click here) potential 900km (560mi) has been completed. The Waterfront Trail already connects to Québec’s Route verte (Green Trail) and in future may link with similar trails on the U.S. side so that ambitious hikers and cyclists will be able to circuit around Lake Ontario.
Further Information
Hike Ontario
165 W. Dundas St., Suite 400
Mississauga, ON L5B 2N6
905-277-4453 or 800-894-7249
Location Canada–from the Atlantic Provinces to British Columbia
Number of trails 4 in Ontario: Bruce, Ganaraska, Rideau and Voyageur
Total distance 10,000km (6,200mi) when complete
Markers A stylized pedestrian logo
Interesting features Welcomes hikers, walkers, cross-country skiers and snowshoers along winding, rocky paths
The National Trail is important for hikers because it does not allow motorized vehicles on its path and so follows the most scenic rugged journey across the country. It has existed since 1971, when National Trail visionary Doug Campbell and other activists met at a conference in Toronto. It took another six years before the National Trail Association of Canada (now run by Hike Canada En Marche) was officially registered, and some 10 years after that before the first national trail marker made it onto a post.
In Ontario, the trail includes the Bruce (Click here), Ganaraska (Click here), Rideau (Click here) and Voyageur (Click here) trails.
Getting There
Although off-road hiking from one side of Ontario to the other is not yet possible, most of the province can be covered along the Bruce, Ganaraska, Rideau and Voyageur trails.
Further Information
Hike Canada En Marche
16520 40th Ave.
Surrey, BC V3S 0L2
519-389-4101
Location Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, P.E.I., New Brunswick, Québec, Ontario, Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta, British Columbia, N.W.T., Yukon and Nunavut
Total distance 16,000km (9,920mi), 3,500km (2,170mi) in Ontario
Markers Trans Canada logo
Interesting features Multi-use trail for walking, cycling, horseback riding, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling
The Trans Canada Trail in Ontario links 78 different existing trails, including several trails that are ideal for hiking. These are each outlined in detail in the appropriate chapter in this guide. They are: the Avon Trail (Click here), the Elgin Hiking Trail (Click here), the Georgian Trail (Click here), the Elora section of the Grand Valley Trail (Click here), the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway (Click here) in Brantford, the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail in the Dundas Valley Conservation Area (Click here), the Lynn Valley Trail (Click here), the Maitland Trail (Click here), the Old Nipissing Colonization Road (Click here), the Niagara Glen (Click here), the Seguin Trail (Click here), the Tiny Trails section of the Ganaraska Trail (Click here), the Voyageur Trail (Click here), and the Waterfront Trail (Click here).
Many of the other trails that form part of the Trans Canada Trail are old railway beds, which means that they tend to be rather flat for hikers and more interesting for cyclists.
There are seven such rail trails in the Greater Toronto and Niagara Region: the Caledon Trailway, the Chippawa Rail Trail, the Elora Cataract Trailway, the Fort Erie Friendship Trail, the Hamilton to Brantford Rail Trail, the Niagara Parks Recreation Trail and the S.C. Johnson Trail.
Southern Ontario has 30: the Aylmer Kinsmen Trail, the Bayham Trans Canada Trail, the Blair Trail, the Brouwers Line, the CASO St. Thomas Trail, the Cambridge to Paris Rail Trail, the Central Frontenac Trailway, the Chatham-Kent Trans Canada Trail, the Chrysler Canada Greenway, the Delhi Rail Trail, the Dutton/Dunwich Trans Canada Trail, the Elgin Trans Canada Trail, the Goderich to Auburn Rail Trail, the Gord Harry Conservation Trail (formerly Wainfleet Rail Trail), the Grand Trunk Trail, the Health Valley Trail, the Homer Watson Trail, the Kissing Bridge Trailway, the Laurel Trail, the Living Levee Trail, the Schneider Creek Trail, the Simcoe to Delhi Rail Trail, the Thames Valley Trail, the TH&B Rail Trail in Brantford, the Tillsonburg Trans Canada Trail, the Walter Bean Grand River Trail, the Waterford Heritage Trail, the Wellesley Township Trans Canada Trail, the West Elgin Trans Canada Trail and the West End Recreation Way.
In Central Ontario, there are 13: the Beaver River Wetland Trail, the Gravenhurst Trans Canada Trail, the Innisfil Trail, the Iron Horse Trail, the Jackson Creek Kiwanis Trail, the Kaladar Trail, the Kawartha Trans Canada Trail, the Midland Rotary Waterfront Trail, the North Muskoka Trail, the North Simcoe Rail Trail, the Saugeen Rail Trail, the Simcoe Waterfront Trail, and the Uhtoff Trail.
In Eastern Ontario, five trails follow former railway lines. These are the Cataraqui Trail, the Hastings County Trail Network, the K&P Trail, the Ottawa to Carleton Railway and the Ottawa River Pathway.
In Northern Ontario, part of the Kate Pace Trailway and other trails in North Bay lie on old railway beds, but elsewhere they are still in use, so hikers will enjoy any of the trails. A few parts of the Trans Canada Trail are flat, such as when it follows old mining or logging roads or along the paths of hydro lines, gas lines and water lines, as it does near Ignace.
There are scenic attractions on all of these trails that are well worth visiting by hikers who happen to be nearby. History buffs will want to see the locks on the Welland Canal in Port Colborne and the Rideau Canal in Ottawa. Or they might want to follow the Kissing Bridge Trailway between Guelph and Elmira to go through a covered bridge in West Montrose. Other historical wonders include the huge wooden trestle bridges dating from the steam train railway era, such as the one between Emily Lake and Orange Corners roads in Omemee and two others over Innisfil Creek near Cookstown. Recent engineering feats are also worth a side trip. The Ramney Gorge Suspension Bridge over the Trent River in Ferris Provincial Park (Click here), for instance, is awe-inspiring. The new immense pedestrian bridges over highways are also remarkable. There’s one over Highway 10 near Inglewood, and two others cross Highway 401, one in Kitchener and the other in Hamilton.
Natural wonders are important too. The stairs up the Niagara Escarpment between Hamilton and Burlington should be climbed at least once. The stunning waterfalls that begin and end the Elora to Cataract Trailway are beautiful, as are High Falls along the Muskoka Trail, which drop 14.6m (48ft).
This list doesn’t even include the numerous geological and natural features that attract bird-watchers and other naturalists to just about any part of the Trans Canada Trail.
Getting There
Most Ontario communities have a Trans Canada Trail or a spur trail to it somewhere nearby. Check with the local tourist information office or the contacts below.
Further Information
Ontario Trails Council
556 O’Connor Dr., Suite 130
Kingston, ON K7P 1N3
877-668-7245
Trans Canada Trail Foundation
43 N. Westminster Ave.
Montréal, QC H4X 1Y8
514-485-3959 or 800-465-3636
Location Niagara to Tobermory
Number of sections 9
Total distance 885km (531mi) plus 400km (240mi) of side trails
Markers White blazes for main trail, blue blazes for side trails
Interesting features Niagara Escarpment, 300 bird species
Other Dogs on leashes permitted
Canada’s oldest, longest marked trail began in 1960, when Raymond Lowes, a member of the Hamilton Naturalists Club, proposed that the Federation of Ontario Naturalists build a footpath along the entire Niagara Escarpment. Since then, the idea has become a reality. The main trail was established in 1967, four years after the incorporation of the Bruce Trail Association (now known as the Bruce Trail Conservancy). Today, the conservancy includes nine member clubs, with a total membership of 8,500. Members mark blazes, build bridges, stiles and boardwalks, negotiate with park administrators and landowners to maintain 1,285km (771mi) of trail, and work to add or replace more every year. Currently, 1,050 active volunteers maintain the trail; the other 7,400 provide the funding that helps make it possible.
Less than half of the Bruce Trail crosses public lands, including one national park, seven provincial parks, 40 conservation areas and 43 public parks or nature reserves. The Bruce Trail Conservancy itself owns more than 2,500ha (6,175 acres), but the rest of the trail crosses private property. Hikers should take great care to stay on the blazed trail, avoid littering and refrain from disturbing plants or wildlife.
Protecting the unusual beauty of the Niagara Escarpment itself has been an international priority since 1990, when the United Nations named it a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. The recognition came in part because the area is home to more than 300 bird species, 53 mammals, 35 reptiles and amphibians and 90 fish species. More than 37 species of ferns and 40 species of orchids grow on the escarpment.
An estimated 410,000 hikers use the trail every year. If you plan to hike this trail, the Bruce Trail Conservancy offers an excellent trail guide complete with colour maps and descriptions of camping areas along the trail. For day hikers, the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club has produced a mini-map guide to the Tobermory region.
Getting There
A variety of conservation areas and nature reserves provide access to the trail. Please see trailheads for each section.
Further Information
PO Box 857
Hamilton, ON L8N 3N9
905-529-6821 or 800-665- 4453
Niagara Section
Location Queenston to Grimsby
Level of difficulty 
Distance 84km (52mi) linear plus 64km (40mi) along 10 side trails
Approx. time 7 to 10 days each way
Access points Ball’s Falls Conservation Area (Click here), Brock University, Decew House Park, Fireman’s Park, Glendale Ave., Kinsmen Community Park, Louth Conservation Area, Morningstar Mill, Pelham Rd., Rockway Community Centre, Rockway Conservation Area, Short Hills Provincial Park (Click here), Thorold Old Stone Rd., Quarry Rd., Woodend Conservation Area
Further Information
This part of the trail is covered with Carolinian forest. Look for ash, beech, crocus, coltsfoot, interrupted ferns, hepatica yellow lady’s slipper, maple, ostrich ferns, sassafras, showy lady’s slipper, sycamore, tulip and walking ferns.
Iroquoia Section
Location Grimsby to Kelso
Level of difficulty
Distance 125km (75mi) linear plus 41km (25mi) along 35 side trails
Approx. time 13 to 15 days each way
Access points Battlefield Park, Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Crawford Lake Conservation Area (Click here), Devil’s Punch Bowl Conservation Area, Dundas Valley Conservation Area (Click here), Felker’s Falls Conservation Area, Kelso Conservation Area, Gage Park, Mount Nemo Conservation Area, Mountainview Conservation Area, Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area, Rock Chapel Sanctuary, Snake Rd. (Halton), Spencer Gorge Wilderness Area, Tiffany Falls Conservation Area (Click here), Vinemount Conservation Area, Webster’s Falls Park, Winona Conservation Area
Further Information
This section of the trail begins just prior to Beamer’s Point Bluff in Grimsby, an area known for spectacular hawk migrations in the fall. It then passes through Stoney Creek, Hamilton, Dundas, Burlington and Milton. You’ll pass five waterfalls: Tiffany, Sherman, Webster’s, Tews and Borer’s. There’s also a huge pothole, 34m (112.5ft) deep with a circumference of 180m (591ft), called Devil’s Punch Bowl, just west of Battlefield Park.
Toronto Section
Location Kelso Conservation Area to Cheltenham
Level of difficulty
Distance 50km (30mi) linear plus 54km (33mi) along 13 side trails
Approx. time 4 to 6 days each way
Access points Dufferin Quarry Bridge, Halton Country Inn, Hilton Falls Conservation Area, Limehouse Conservation Area, Scottsdale Farm, Terra Cotta Conservation Area
Further Information
416-763-9061
This trail begins at Highway 401 near Campbellville Road and then travels along the edge of the Niagara Escarpment past small 500-year-old cedars and over the Dufferin Quarry Bridge.
Caledon Hills Section
Location Cheltenham to Mono Centre
Level of difficulty
Distance 68.9km (41mi) linear plus 63.1km (37.9mi) along 13 side trails
Approx. time 8 to 10 days each way
Access points Albion Hills Conservation Area (Click here), Belfountain Conservation Area, Caledon Administration Centre, Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, Glen Haffy Conservation Area (Click here), Ken Whillans Resource Management Area (east side of Hwy. 10), Inglewood Arena, Resource Management parking lot in Alton Village
Further Information
This trail begins north of Creditview Road at the Cheltingham Badlands, a series of ridges of rock-hard red and grey soil that resembles the Alberta Badlands. From there, it passes the ruins of McLaren Castle, an 1864 Norman-style stone building that was destroyed in a fire in 1964, and a view of the 1885 hydroelectric mill at Cataract Falls. Part of the trail follows the Caledon Trailway through a sheep farm. After leaving the old railway bed, the path leads north past Albion Hills (Click here) and Glen Haffy (Click here) to the Hockley Valley.
Dufferin Hi-Land Section
Location Mono Centre to Lavender
Level of difficulty
Distance 51km (32mi) linear plus 12km (7.5mi) along 4 side trails
Approx. time 5 to 6 days each way
Access points 1st Line East Hurontario St. south of Dufferin Rd. 17, Mono Cliffs Provincial Park (Click here), Boyne Valley Provincial Park
Further Information
www.dufferinbrucetrailclub.org
This trail begins at Mono Centre, and continues through Mono Cliffs Provincial Park (Click here). It then turns north past Boyne Valley Provincial Park and Pine River Fishing Area and through an area of Honeywood loam known as one of Ontario’s best farming regions.
Blue Mountains Section
Location Lavender to Craigleith
Level of difficulty
Distance 59km (37mi) linear plus 19km (12mi) along 13 side trails
Approx. time 5 to 7 days each way
Access points Devil’s Glen Provincial Park, Nottawasaga Bluffs Conservation Area, Petun Conservation Area
Further Information
This trail passes a series of drumlins, Best Caves, an old Petun Aboriginal settlement, Petun Conservation Area, Singhampton Caves (moss-covered crevices open to the sky), Nottawasaga Bluffs, the Blue Mountain Ski slopes and Scenic Caves.
Beaver Valley Section
Location Craigleith to Blantyre
Level of difficulty
Distance 113.1km (67mi) linear plus 50km (30mi) of side trails
Approx. time 9 to 11 days each way
Access points Beaver Valley Lookout, Blantyre Community Hall, Duncan Crevice Caves Provincial Nature Reserve, Epping Lookout, Old Baldy Conservation Area
Further Information
www.beavervalleybrucetrail.org
This trail begins on Maple Lane and follows the Niagara Escarpment through many woods and pastures to the summit of Metcalfe Rock, which offers a good view over Kolapore Creek. It then descends through a rocky gorge to the valley and the base of Pinnacle Rock, a large chunk of limestone that has separated from the edge of the escarpment. The trail then leads along several side roads to Old Baldy Conservation Area. Old Baldy is the 152m-high (500ft) section of the escarpment that’s known locally as Kimberley Rock. Expect to see soaring turkey vultures and red-tailed hawks. The trail then continues on to Epping Lookout, an area managed by the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority, and Anthea’s Waterfall.
Sydenham Section
Location Blantyre to Wiarton
Level of difficulty
Distance 125km (75mi) linear plus 22km (14mi) along 13 side trails
Approx. time 13 to 15 days each way
Access points Bruce Caves Conservation Area, Grey-Bruce Tourist Information Office (Hwys. 6 and 21), Harrison Park, Indian Falls Conservation Area, Ingis Falls Conservation Area, Pottawatomi Conservation Area, Skinner’s Bluff Conservation Area, Walters Falls Conservation Area
Other Watch for Ontario’s only venomous snake, the endangered Massasauga rattlesnake
Further Information
This trail crosses and parallels Rocklyn Creek in Blantyre and then goes through the Bighead and North Spey river valleys, up to Centennial Tower and into Inglis Falls Conservation Area. From there, it travels alongside Owen Sound to the Pottawatomi Conservation Area for a look at Jones Falls. The trail then goes to the Glen Management Area, a horseshoe-shaped indentation in the escarpment. It continues north to Kemble Mountain and then up and down to Dodd’s Hill. A beautiful green wetland south of you is known as the Slough of Despond, where cerulean warblers nest. The trail then continues to an overhanging lookout known as Skinner’s Bluff and then past Bruce Caves Conservation Area. The final segment leads to Bluewater Park in Wiarton.
Peninsula Section
Location Wiarton to Tobermory
Level of difficulty
Distance 165km (99mi) linear plus 84.6km (50.1mi) on 29 side trails
Approx. time 14 to 16 days each way
Access points Bruce Peninsula National Park (Click here), Cape Croker Park, Colpoy’s Bluff, Hope Bay Forest Provincial Nature Reserve, Lion’s Head Provincial Nature Reserve, Smokey Head-White Bluff Provincial Nature Reserve, Spirit Rock Conservation Area
Other Endangered Massasauga rattlesnake; home to home stays available in this region, see www.hometohomenetwork.ca
Further Information
This section of the Bruce Trail is definitely the most difficult. It also features a variety of unusual rock formations that can’t be seen elsewhere along the trail, including Devil’s Monument, also known as Devil’s Pulpit, a 14m (45.9ft) flowerpot-shaped pillar between Cape Chin and Dyer’s Bay. You’ll also see the ruins of the Corran, a 17-room mansion built by Alexander McNeil in 1882.
Location Port Hope on Lake Ontario to Wasaga Beach and the Bruce Trail (Click here), near Collingwood
Number of sections 9
Total distance 500km (310mi)
Markers White blazes for main trail and blue blazes for side trails
Interesting features Copeland Forest, drumlin fields, Fenelon Falls, Fort Willow, Ganaraska River, Ganaraska Forest, Moore Falls, Peterborough Drumlin Field, Trent Canal (lock 33), Wasaga Beach, Wye Marsh (Click here)
Other Inn to Inn hiking available,
Volunteers with nine different clubs maintain the Ganaraska Trail, which was started in 1967 to connect Port Hope with the Bruce Trail along what used to be the Port Hope to Lindsay and Beaverton Railway line.
Today, the trail goes through Lindsay and Orillia, passing the drumlin fields of Peterborough, the Oak Ridges Moraine, some of the Kawartha Lakes, the Minesing Swamp and a series of sand dunes, known as the Blueberry Hills, east of Wasaga Beach.
Another branch turns north from Copeland Forest to get to the Wye Marsh (Click here) in Midland.
Getting There
Choose any of the trailheads or access points mentioned under each section.
Further Information
Ganaraska Trail Association
PO Box 693
Orillia, ON L3V 6K7
Pine Ridge Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 63km (38mi) linear
Approx. time 6 to 8 days each way
Access points Port Hope Townhall, Port Hope Conservation Area, Sylvan Glen Conservation Area, Fudge’s Mill, Ganaraska Forest Centre, Hwy. 7 between Lindsay and Omemee
This section leads from the Port Hope Town Hall along the west and then east bank of the Ganaraska River to Corbett’s dam and a fish ladder near Highway 401. The trail passes through the Ganaraska Forest and past the Peterborough drumlin field.
Kawartha Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 77km (47.7mi) linear
Approx. time 8 to 10 days each way
Access points Crosswinds Rd., Old Mill Rd., Post Rd., Hillhead Rd., Logie St., McDonnel Park, Carew Park and Boardwalk, Pottinger St., Victoria St., Lindsay St. in Fenelon Falls, Buller Rd., Moore Falls, Ken Reid Conservation Area
Hikers who visit the Kawartha section of the Ganaraska Trail begin on the rail trail between Dranoel and Lindsay through the Peterborough drumlin field. They’ll then travel along the shores of the Scugog River to King Street, then to Lindsay Street and south, past Lock 33 of the Trent Canal. They’ll walk through McDonnel and Carew parks to the Victoria County Recreational Trail.
Wilderness Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 77km (48mi)
Approx. time 10 days each way
Access points Devil’s Lake, Moore Falls, Sadowa, Victoria Bridge
Other This trail should be hiked with an experienced leader the first time
This rugged trail leads up and down the Canadian Shield for 19km (11.8mi) from Moore Falls to Devil’s Lake, for 37km (22.9mi) from Devil’s Lake to Victoria Bridge and 20km (12.4mi) from Victoria Bridge to Sadowa. If that’s not enough for you, add one of two additional loops: the 16km (9.9mi) Ragged Rapids loop or the 12km (7.4mi) Montgomery Creek loop.
Orillia Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 70km (43mi) linear
Approx. time 7 to 9 days each way
Access points Sadowa, Lake Couchiching, Lightfoot Trail, Tudhope Park, Leacock Estates, Sugerbush Estate Rd.
Orillia-area volunteers maintain a trail that begins in Sadowa and continues along the shore of Lake Couchiching and through Scout Valley via the Lightfoot and Mariposa trails to the Sugarbush Estate, south of Horseshoe Valley Road.
Barrie Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 50km (31mi) linear
Approx. time 3 to 6 days each way
Access points Sugarbush Estate, Huron Heights Rd., Copeland Forest, Craighurst, Midhurst Community Centre, Horseshoe Valley Ski Resort, Minesing Swamp, Hwy. 90
The Barrie section starts at the Sugarbush Estate and continues through the Copeland Forest Resources Management Area. This mixed forest, swamp and meadow attracts songbirds and white-tailed deer. Hikers can then follow the markers through the villages of Craighurst and Midhurst, through the Simcoe County Forest to the Fort Willow Depot. The trail then travels through the east side of the Minesing Swamp to get to Highway 90.
Mad River Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 52km (31.2mi) linear
Approx. time 20 to 28hrs each way
Access points Bruce Trail west of Glen Huron, Carruthers Memorial Conservation Area, New Lowell Conservation Area, Creemore
This portion of the trail leads along the shores of the Mad River, where trout spawn in the spring. There are two lookouts, one from Ten Hill and the other from McKinney’s Hill. The trail then leads through New Lowell and Carruthers Memorial conservation areas. It ends in the village of Creemore, home of Canada’s smallest jail, which is no longer used.
Wasaga Beach Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 50km (31mi) linear
Approx. time 4 to 6 days each way
Access points Allanwood Beach, Wasaga Stars Arena, 11th Concession Road in New Wasaga Beach, Wasaga Beach Provincial Park
This section connects Wasaga Beach and the Wasaga Beach Provincial Park with the Mad River section. Hikers will particularly enjoy the 13km (8mi) section through the Blueberry Trails, which pass through fields full of wild blueberries. You’ll also travel along the Nottawasaga River and through many McIntyre Creek valleys.
Oro Medonte Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 18.5km (11.5mi) linear
Approx. time 7hrs each way
Access points Copeland Forest, Vasey Road
This section of the trail links the main Ganaraska trail with the Midland section. It begins in the Copeland Forest and leads north across the Highway 400 overpass. It continues through fields and then through the Sturgeon River Valley, known as “pretty valley” by the locals. The section ends at Vasey Road. The town of Vasey lies to the east.
Midland Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 35km (21.7mi) linear, plus 23.5km (14mi) linear Tiny Trails side trail
Approx. time 2 to 3 days each way and 7 hrs each way
Access points Vasey Road, Wye Marsh and Balm Beach Road, Concession 12, Perkinsfield, Wyevale, Bluewater Beach
The Midland section leads hikers north from Vasey Road along a rail trail to the Wye Marsh (Click here).
The Tiny Trails side trail leads south along the Tiny Railway Trail from Penetanguishene to just south of Wyeville and then west to Bluewater Beachleads hikers through the village of Perkinsfield, into Wyevale and on to Bluewater Beach.
Location Lake Erie to Alton (to Luther Marsh in 2011)
Number of sections 4
Total distance 274.4km (163mi)
Markers White paint blazes for main trail, blue for side trails
Interesting features Grand River, monarch butterfly migration, spawning carp, migrating songbirds and waterfowl, Elora Gorge, Mennonite Pioneer Tower, Alexander Graham Bell Homestead, West Montrose covered bridge
Other Dogs on leashes permitted, except on a game farm between North and South Dumfries Townline and Sudden Tract Agreement Forest between Brantford and Paris
The Grand Valley Trail began at a public meeting in Kitchener in January 1972. Since then, the trail has been extended along the Grand River several times, so that it now measures 271km (163mi).
The trail starts at the Haldimand County boat launch on Feeder Canal Road. The path follows the Grand River through the Dunnville Marsh; along the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway (Click here) in Brantford; through the Walter Bean Grand River Trail in Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo; through Paris next to the Paris-Galt Moraine structure; past the covered bridge in West Montrose; along the Elora Gorge; and finally through Belwood Lake Conservation Area to the Pinnacle, a high hill overlooking the tiny community of Alton. By 2011, volunteers hope to extend the trail to reach Luther Marsh (Click here), with a side trail to the Pinnacle. Note that a portion of the Walter Bean Trail will be closed until 2011.
Members within four clubs organize volunteer work parties to maintain the trail, although some members have adopted sections of the trail that they maintain themselves. The club also organizes group outings and offers badges to any hiker who walks from one end of the trail to the other. As with any other long trail, members also deal with private landowners who graciously allow hikers to cross their land and others who ask that the trail be rerouted away from their properties.
Getting There
Bellwood Lake Conservation Area, Bingeman Park, Brant Conservation Area, Byng Island Conservation Area, Churchill Park, Elora Gorge Park, Highland Pines Campground, La Fortune Campground, Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Pinehurst Conservation Area and Rock Point Provincial Park all have campgrounds close to the trail. The Avon (Click here), Bruce (Click here), Feeder Canal and Mill Run (Speed River) trails also connect to this trail. Refer to the Access points under each section.
Further Information
Grand Valley Trails Association
PO Box 40068 RPO
Waterloo, ON N2J 4V1
519-576-6156
Towpath Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 64.4km (39mi) linear
Approx. time 3 days each way
Access points Haldimand County boat launch, Byng Island Conservation Area, County Rd. 54 in York, Caledonia Dam Riverside Park, Caledonia Dam, La Fortune Conservation Area
Named after the water navigation route used in the 1830’s, this flat section runs along a portion of the Welland Feeder Canal, before heading to the Grand River Marsh in Dunnville. It then continues through Cayuga, along the Grand River to York, past a sawmill to Sims Locks, then to Seneca Park and the Riverside park in Caledonia. After passing the Caledonia Dam, it follows County Road 54 to Mine Road where it turns into an open meadow. It finishes through a meandering path in La Fortune Conservation Area. Thanks to limited snowfall, this section of the trail often provides good winter hiking.
Carolinian Crest Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 68.9km (42.8mi) linear
Approx. time 3 days each way
Access points La Fortune Conservation Area, Onondaga Town Hall, McLellan Rd., Hamilton Rd., Brant Conservation Area, Hardy Rd., Curtis Ave. in Paris
The Carolinian section of the trail begins at the La Fortune Conservation Area. From there, it follows the Six Nations Reserve boundary to Onondaga. Hikers will enjoy travelling along the Grand River shore from Onondaga to Brantford, and then along the Gordon Glaves Memorial Pathway (Click here). The trail splits at Wilkes Dam and leads below Highway 403 on the way to Paris. It then follows the former Lake Erie and Northern rail line to Glen Morris, then local roads to the Brant-Waterloo Road.
Black Walnut Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 76km (45.6mi) linear
Approx. time 3 days each way
Access points Bingeman Park, Doon Conservation Area, Chicopee Hills Conservation Area, West Montrose Covered Bridge
The Black Walnut section of trail goes through Kitchener-Waterloo’s Homer Watson Park, where Carolinian species grow, and through the white cedar swamps of Bingeman Park. It includes Hidden Valley and the Chicopee Hills Conservation Area through to Natchez Hill. From this point, it leads along gravel roads through Mennonite country and crosses Ontario’s only remaining covered bridge at West Montrose.
Pinnacle Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 65.5km (39mi) linear
Approx. time 3 days each way
Access points Elora Gorge Conservation Area, Elora Bissel Park, Beatty Line in Fergus, Belwood Lake Conservation Area
After seeing the 24.4m (80ft) cliffs at Elora Gorge, you’ll pass the picturesque town of Fergus and the smooth-surfaced reservoir of water at Belwood Lake Conservation Area. You’ll then pass a gravel quarry, a fish hatchery, and a cedar swamp near Hillsburgh. The trail then crosses the Credit River and leads to the Pinnacle, a large hill overlooking Alton.
Location Along the Oak Ridges Moraine between Caledon and Gores Landing on Rice Lake
Number of sections 10
Total distance 206km (127.7mi) so far, plus 51.4km (31.9mi) of side trails
Markers White blazes
Interesting features Warblers, red-shouldered hawks, witch hazel, black oak savanna, boreal and mixed forests, kettle lakes, swamps
Other Dogs on leashes permitted, except in the Seneca College-King Campus Nature Preserve and on farms; no overnight camping allowed; beware of hunters between September and January and late-April until the end of May
When finished, the Oak Ridges Trail will traverse the top of the Oak Ridges Moraine, a ridge running from the Niagara Escarpment in the west to Trent River in the east. High points along the moraine include the Caledon Hills, Mount Wolfe, Happy Valley Sandhills and Glenville Hills. The ridge is large enough to be seen from space and contains the headwaters of more than 30 rivers draining into Lake Simcoe and Lake Ontario. The most important of these include the Don, Duffin, Ganaraska, Holland, Humber, Nonquon, Nottawasaga, Pigeon and Rouge. Twenty-five percent of the Oak Ridges Moraine is forested, primarily by sugar maple and beech although white pine and red oak are also common. Black oak savanna also grows on the moraine, in a sandy area south of Rice Lake.
Volunteers have been working on a trail across the ridge since the Great Pine Ridge Trail was established in 1973, although efforts to blaze the current footpath officially began in 1992. Members are now divided into ten chapters: Aurora, Caledon, Clarington, Hope-Hamilton, King, Northumberland, Scugog, Uxbridge, Whitchurch-Stouffville and Richmond Hill, which hosted active members and includes some side trails. Together, chapters help build, maintain, promote and extend the trail. The Oak Ridges Trail connects to the Bruce (Click here), Ganaraska (Click here), Humber (Click here), Rouge (Click here) and Trans Canada (Click here) trails.
While on the trail, look for black-throated green warblers, bluebirds, hermit thrushes, northern goshawks, ovenbirds, pine siskins, pine warblers, purple finches, red-breasted nuthatches, red crossbills, red-shouldered hawks, scarlet tanagers, white-throated sparrows, whippoorwills, yellow-billed cuckoos and yellow-rumped warblers.
Getting There
Several parking lots and conservation areas access the trail. Refer to the trailheads within each section.
Further Information
Oak Ridges Trail Association
PO Box 28544
Aurora, ON L4G 6S6
905-833-6600 or 877-319-0285
Caledon Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 9.5km (5.9mi) linear
Approx. time 4hrs
Access points Hall Lake Side Rd., 10th Concession at 18th Side Rd.
This trail leads east from Palgrave for 4km along the Caledon Trailway and continues along roads and road allowances to the King/Caledon townline.
King Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 34.4km (21.3mi) linear
Approx. time 14hrs
Access points 8th Concession, 7th Concession, Weston Rd. at 16th Side Rd., Seneca College King Campus
Other Dogs not permitted on Seneca College’s King Campus grounds
This section leads from the King/Caledon townline past Pucks Farm, through Happy Valley Forest, the largest upland forest on the moraine. It then passes an orchard where apples are sold in the fall and Sacred Heart Church, the only remaining symbol of a Catholic colony, where 35 families worked together to survive the Depression. You’ll also pass the Augustinian Monastery, located in a brick barn built by Sir Henry Pellatt in the early 1900s. You’ll then pass through Seneca College, where you’ll see Eaton Hall, a home built for Sir John and Lady Flora McCrae Eaton in the 1930s. This section ends at Bathurst Street.
Aurora Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 13.6km (8mi) linear
Approx. time 8hrs
Access points 16th Side Rd. east of Bathurst, Wellington St. East at Larmont, Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area, Vandorf Side Rd. at Bayview Ave., “Newmarket B” Go by bus from Finch subway station
The Aurora section runs from Bathurst Street to Highway 404. It passes by Salamander Pond in a 17ha (42-acre) forest called Case Woodlot, Tamarac Green and Confederation Park. It also crosses Yonge Street and then passes through Sheppard’s Bush Conservation Area and the Vandorf and Alliance woodlots. It goes south to Vandorf Road and then east to Highway 404.
Whitchurch-Stouffville Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 27.3km (16.9mi) linear
Approx. time 11hrs
Access points Woodbine Ave. south of Aurora Rd., Whitchurch Conservation Area, Eldrid King on Hwy. 48
This section of the trail passes by the 1947 Slaters Mill and through the Whitchurch Conservation Area. It also passes through six (Robinson, Clark, Patterson, Hall, Eldred King, Hollidge) of the 18 York Regional Forest Tracts that were planted in the 1920s to prevent soil erosion. The Whitchurch-Stouffville section ends at Musselman Lake, a kettle lake named after a Pennsylvanian family who settled nearby in 1807. The area became very popular with vacationers in the 1920s.
Uxbridge Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 21.6km (13.4mi) linear
Approx. time 9hrs
Access points Hillsdale Rd., Secord Forest and Wildlife Area, Durham Regional Forest
The Uxbridge section runs from the York Durham Boundary to Lakeridge Road. It begins at Musselman Lake and continues through wetlands and forests to the Durham Regional Forest. Veterinarian Dr. Alan Secord once operated a pet cemetery in Secord Forest and Wildlife Area.
Scugog West Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 32km (19.8mi) linear
Approx. time 12hrs
Access points Durham Regional Forest, Purple Woods Conservation Area
The Scugog West section begins at the Durham Regional Forest and continues to Ocala Orchards Farm Winery along roads and road allowances. It passes the old rail bed of the “nip and tuck” railway that ran from Whitby to Port Perry in 1871 and on to Lindsay in 1876. (The railway was thus named because passengers had to jump off the train so it could climb the Oak Ridge Moraine.) A portion of the trail crosses Old Simcoe Road, an 18th-century route used by the Mississauga, who trapped beaver in Osler Marsh to trade with the French in current-day Oshawa. The trail also passes through Purple Woods Conservation Area, which is known for unusual spring wildflowers.
Clarington Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 35.5km (22mi) linear
Approx. time 14hrs
Access points Long Sault Conservation Area, Ganaraska Forest Centre
This trail begins at Long Sault Conservation Area, a 336ha (830-acre) forest, meadow and cedar swamp reserve. Look for interesting flora, including early buttercup, hoary vervain and tall white cinquefoil. It continues along road allowances and on private property to the Ganaraska Forest.
Hope-Hamilton Section
Level of difficulty
Distance 33km (20.1mi) linear
Approx. time 13hrs
Access points Ganaraska Forest Centre, Bewdley, Gores Landing
This trail begins at the Ganaraska Forest Centre and ends at the town of Gores Landing on Rice Lake. In between it passes along road and road allowances through the town of Bewdley and then past a memorial to Catherine Parr Traill before you reach the town of Gores Landing.
Northumberland Section
Level of difficulty
Distance No established trail yet
This chapter of the Oak Ridges Trail Association is examining the possibility of a trail from Gores Landing through Northumberland Forest to the eastern edge of the moraine.
Location Thunder Bay to South Baymouth, Manitoulin Island
Level of difficulty
Number of trails 20
Total distance 1,100km (682mi) when complete, currently 550km (372mi)
Markers White blazes for main trail, blue blazes for side trails, yellow blazes for loop trails
Interesting features Rolling terrain, coastal bluffs, secluded beaches and coves, wilderness camping
Volunteers began planning the Voyageur Trail at a meeting in Sault Ste. Marie in March 1973. By late 1975, they had completed the Saulteaux section between Gros Cap and Mabel Lake. A year later, the Desbarats section between Tower Lake and Rydal Bank was completed, and additional sections were added as local volunteers were recruited. Volunteers from 24 clubs (eight currently inactive) have been maintaining and blazing trails for more than 30 years. They also organize hikes for local members, produce an excellent guidebook and liaise with the various Aboriginal communities, private landowners, public parks and municipalities along their proposed route, which traverses the north shores of Lake Superior and Georgian Bay.
There are currently 20 different trails that make up the route, including the Nipigon River Recreation Trail (Click here), the Casque-Isles Hiking Trail (Click here), the Marathon Peninsula Harbour Coastal Trail, the Pukaskwa National Park Coastal Hiking Trail (Click here), the Michipicoten Trail, the Lake Superior Provincial Park Coastal Hiking Trail (Click here), the Harmony Trail, the Stokely Creek Lodge Trail, the Goulais River Trail, the Saulteaux section, the Echo Ridges section, the Desbarats section, the Thessalon section, the Iron Bridge section, the Penewobikong section, the Elliot Lake section, the Spanish section, the Massey section, the Espanola section and Manitoulin Island.
Anyone interested in hiking the Voyageur Trail should obtain a copy of the Voyageur Hiking Trail Guidebook, and consider joining the Voyageur Association. Potential members are permitted to do one group hike with association members before membership is required.
Getting There
Completed sections of the trail can be accessed in Nipigon, Terrace Bay, Marathon, Wawa, Goulais River, Elliott Lake or at Pukaskwa National Park (Click here), Lake Superior Provincial Park (Click here) and Rainbow Falls Provincial Park (Click here).
Further Information
Voyageur Trail Association
PO Box 20040, 150 Churchill Blvd.
Sault Ste. Marie, ON P6A 6W3
877-393-4003
www3.sympatico.ca/voyageur.trail
Location Canadian shore of Lake Ontario
Level of difficulty
Total distance 900km (560mi) when complete, currently 780km (485mi)
Markers Stylized logo
Other In-line skating permitted; cycling permitted; dogs on leashes permitted
The Waterfront Trail leads along the north shore of Lake Ontario from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Brockville. The trail links 41 communities, 182 parks and nature reserves and 170 marinas and yacht clubs.
Plans to build the trail began with a short section from Burlington to Trenton in 1995. Since then, additional communities have joined the trail, including the Seaway Trail in Western New York. It’s hoped that one day the Waterfront Trail will loop around the coast of Lake Ontario.
Getting There
Head to the water in any community on the trail and walk as far as you like.
Further Information
Waterfront Regeneration Trust
372 W. Richmond St., Suite 308
Toronto, ON M5V 1X6
416-943-8080
Ajax
Distance 8.6km (5.3mi) linear
Approx. time 3hrs each way
Access points Rotary Park, Pickering Beach
This section leads from Liverpool Beachfront Park in Pickering to the Lynde Shores Conservation Area in Whitby. It passes through Duffins Marsh, a prime waterfowl viewing area.
Alnwick-Haldimand
Distance 27.8km (17.2mi) linear
Approx. time 11hrs each way
Access points Lakeport, Nawautin Shores Nature Sanctuary, Wicklow Beach Boat Launch
This section passes through some very rural areas. It also links to a series of trails at the Nawautin Shores Nature Sanctuary.
Augusta
Distance 12.8km (7.7mi) linear
Approx. time 5hrs each way
Access points Anywhere along County Road 2
This section follows County Road 2 from Fulford Street in Brockville, through Maitland, to Blue Church Road.
Belleville
Distance 4.2km (2.6mi) linear
Approx. time 1.5hrs each way
Access points East and West Zwick Park, East Bayshore Park
This section of the trail runs from East and West Zwick Park to East Bayshore Park.
Brighton
Distance 38km (23.6mi) linear
Approx. time 15hrs each way
Access points Presqu’ile Provincial Park, downtown Brighton
This section leads from Colborne village to Hanna Park in Trenton. It passes through Presqu’ile Provincial Park.
Brockville
Distance 6km (3.7mi) linear
Approx. time 2hrs each way
Access points Henry and Water Streets, Blockhouse Island Parkway, Centeen Park
The eastern extremity of the trail runs from east of Highway 46 to the Brockville Rowing Club just west of Blockhouse Island.
Burlington
Distance 23km (14mi) linear
Approx. time 7hrs each way
Access points Beachway Park, Burloak Park, LaSalle Park, Royal Botanical Gardens
This section runs from the canal/liftbridge to Shell Park in Oakville. It passes through Bayshore Park, Port Nelson Park, McNichol Park and the Sioux Lookout.
Clarington
Distance 37km (23mi) linear
Approx. time 13hrs each way
Access points Darlington Provincial Park (Click here), Darlington Nuclear Information Centre, Bowmanville Harbour Conservation Area, Bond Head Parkette, Samuel Wilmot Nature Area
This section runs from the General Motors of Canada Headquarters in Oshawa to downtown Port Hope. It passes through Darlington Provincial Park and the Samuel Wilmot Nature Area.
Cobourg
Distance 15km (9mi) linear
Approx. time 6hrs each way
Access points Peace Park, Victoria Park
This section of the trail begins on Rogers Road and continues through many parks and residential areas to the main street of Cobourg, along the boardwalk and then towards Colborne.
Cornwall
Distance 16.6km (10mi) linear
Approx. time 7hrs each way
Access points Guindon Park, Second Street near Promenade Saunders, Grays Creek Conservation Area, Lamoureux Park
This section follows the shore of the St. Lawrence River next to Cornwall and Pilon islands. Highlights include the old Cornwall Canal, Guindon and Lamoureux parks, the Eco-Gardens, the Cornwall Aquatic Centre and the grounds of St. Lawrence College.
Cramahe/Colborne
Distance 26km (16mi) linear
Approx. time 10hrs each way
Access points Big Apple, Colborne Village Centre
This section of the trail runs from Quinte West through the town of Colborne on Division and King Streets. It then follows Highway 2 through Salem to Union Road where it turns south to Lakeshore Road and into Brighton.
Deseronto
Distance 6.7km (4mi) linear
Approx. time 2.5hrs each way
Access points Centennial Park
This section of the trail begins on Bayshore Road and follows the waterfront through Centennial and Rathburn Parks to 4th Street. It then turns north to Dundas Street as it becomes Highway 2 west of the town.
Edwardsburgh/Cardinal
Distance 12km (7.2mi) linear
Approx. time 5hrs each way
Access points Cardinal Legion Waterfront Park
This section follows County Road 2 through Johnstown and Cardinal and past the Galop Canal.
Gananoque
Distance 9km (6mi) linear
Approx. time 3.6hrs each way
Access points Joel Stone Park
This section begins on Highway 2 west of the golf club and passes through town to end up on the Thousand Islands Parkway.
Greater Napanee
Distance 38.8km (23.3mi) linear
Approx. time 16hrs each way
Access points Lennox Generating Station, Rotary Park
Greater Napanee is a junction. You can either take County Road 8 through the town of Napanee to Deseronto or you can follow the signed route along the Loyalist Parkway and travel between Glenora and Aldophstown via a ferry.
Grimsby
Distance 9.5km (5.9mi) linear
Approx. time 4hrs each way
Access points Fifty Point Conservation Area, Forty Mile Creek Park
This section begins at Fifty Point Conservation Area and follows Winston Road and the North Service Road to Lakeside Drive before reaching Forty Mile Creek Park. It then follows Lake Street past Grimsby Beach.
Hamilton
Distance 20.5km (12.7mi) linear
Approx. time 8hrs each way
Access points Confederation Park, Van Wagner’s Beach
This trail leads from Beachway Park in Burlington to Campview Road in Fruitland.
Kingston
Distance 19km (11.8mi) linear
Approx. time 7.5hrs each way
Access points Confederation Park, Lake Ontario Park
This section leads through the city of Kingston, mainly along roads. Highlights include Fort Henry and the McLachlan Woodworking Museum.
Leeds and the Thousand Islands
Distance 37km (23mi) linear
Approx. time 15hrs each way
Access points Ivy Lea Park, Rockport, Mallorytown Landing, Brown’s Bay Provincial Park
This section follows the St. Lawrence River along the Thousand Islands Parkway from Gananoque to Brown’s Bay Park.
Lincoln
Distance 27km (16.7mi) linear
Approx. time 11hrs each way
Access points Ball’s Falls Conservation Area (Click here), Charles Daley Park, Lakehouse Restaurant in Vineland Station, Prudhommes Landing
This section of trail follows roads around Jordan Harbour and then North Service Road to end at Tulford Road North. Ball’s Falls is the only waterfall on the entire waterfront trail.
Loyalist
Distance 40km (24.8mi) linear
Approx. time 16hrs each way
Access points Finkle Shores, Fairfield Park
This section of trail leads from Greater Napanee to Loyalist along the Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33).
Mississauga
Distance 23.5km (14.6mi) linear
Approx. time 9hrs each way
Access points Jack Darling Memorial, Lakefront Park, Lakeside Park, Port Credit Harbour, Marie Curtis Park, Rattray Marsh, Rhododendron Gardens
Other Rattray Marsh for pedestrians only
This section leads from Gairlock Gardens in Oakville along the lake to Marie Curtis Park in Etobicoke, passing several waterfront parks, gardens, and Rattray Marsh.
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Distance 6km (3.7mi) linear
Approx. time 2hrs each way
Access points Fort George, Nelson Park
This section runs from Fort George to the intersection of Mary and Dorchester streets and then along Lakeshore Road from Town Line to Read Road. It also links with the Niagara River Recreational Trail, which leads to the Niagara Glen (Click here) and Dufferin Islands (Click here).
Oakville
Distance 22km (13.6mi)
Approx. time 9hrs each way
Access points Coronation Park, Bronte Harbour, Gairloch Gardens, Oakville Harbour, Shell Park
This section of the trail leads from Shell Park through Bronte and Hopedale to Oakville.
Oshawa
Distance 11.4km (7.1mi) linear
Approx. time 4.6hrs each way
Access points Lakefront West Park
This section leads from Heydenshore Kiwanis Park in Whitby to Darlington Provincial Park (Click here). It passes the Pumphouse Marsh Wildlife Reserve, Oshawa Harbour, the Second Marsh Wildlife Reserve and the Oshawa Community Museum.
Pickering
Distance 12.7km (7.9mi) linear
Approx. time 5hrs each way
Access points Alex Robson Park, Millenium Square, Petticoat Creek Conservation Area, Rouge Beach Park
This mostly off-road section leads from Rouge Beach Park in Scarborough to Rotary Park via charming boardwalks and over pedestrian bridges. It passes Frenchman’s Bay and the Pickering Nuclear Generating Station.
Port Hope
Distance 18km (11mi) linear
Approx. time 7hrs each way
Access point Lake or King streets parking lots, Port Hope
This section leads through downtown Port Hope to Cobourg. Highlights include the Keith Richan Walkway bridge and the Alice King Sculthrope Memorial Woodland Marsh.
Prescott
Distance 7.1km (4.3mi) linear
Approx. time 3hrs each way
Access points Centennial Park, municipal lot on Centre Street
This section follows County Road 2 along the shore of the St. Lawrence River between Blue Church Road and Windmill Road. The highlight is the off-road Heritage River Trail in downtown Prescott.
Prince Edward County
Distance 15km (9.3mi) linear
Approx. time 6hrs each way
Access points Bloomfield, Carrying Place, Glenora, Picton, Wellington
This section of the trail follows the Loyalist Parkway (Highway 33) from Carrying Place Road to Glenora, where a ferry crossing can be taken to Adolphustown.
Quinte West
Distance 5km (3mi) linear
Approx. time 2hrs each way
Access points Bayshore Park, Centennial Park, downtown Quinte West, Hanna Park
This section of trail is asphalt and lit for easy travelling along the waterfront of Quinte West.
St. Catharines
Distance 9.8km (6mi) linear
Approx. time 4hrs each way
Access points Happy Rolph Bird Sanctuary, Charles Ansell Park, Port Dalhousie
This section runs along Lake Ontario between Port Dalhousie and the Happy Rolph Bird Sanctuary. It also connects with the Bruce (Click here) and Merritt (Click here) trails.
South Dundas
Distance 10.3km (6.2mi) linear
Approx. time 3hrs each way
Access points Morrisburg Golf Club, Riverside Park, Chrysler Park, Upper Canada Village, Morrisburg
This section follows Highway 2 from the Morrisburg Golf Club, through the Dupont Provincial Nature Reserve to Upper Canada Village.
South Glengarry
Distance 25.9km (155mi) linear
Approx. time 10 hrs each way
Access points Charlottenburgh Park and Cooper Marsh Conservation Area in Cornwall, and Glengarry Park in South Lancaster
This section follows the north shore of the St. Lawrence River south of Highway 2 from Cornwall to South Lancaster.
South Stormont
Distance 27.7km (16.6mi) linear
Approx. time 11hrs each way
Access points Upper Canada Village and the Upper Canada Migratory Bird Sanctuary in Morrisburg, Foran Park and Campground in Ingleside, McLaren Island south of West Gate, the Woodlands Day Use Park on Woodlands Island, the Lost Villages and Save Ontario Shipwrecks on Macdonell Island, the Milles Roches Day Use Area south of East Gate and the Long Sault Marina and Lost Villages Museum in Long Sault
This section follows Highway 2 from the Upper Canada Village in Morrisburg through Ingleside to Long Sault.
Toronto
Distance 46.5km (28.8mi) linear
Approx. time 23hrs each way
Access points Ashbridge’s Bay Park, Balmy Beach, Cherry Beach, Colonel Samuel Smith Park, Coronation Park, Guildwood Park, Harbourfront, High Park, Humber Bay Park, Kew Beach, Sir Casimir Gzowski Park at the Humber Bridge, Marie Curtis Park, Ontario Place, Rouge Beach Park, Scarborough Heights Garden Plots, Sunnyside Park, Sylvan Park, Tommy Thompson Park
This trail leads along Lake Ontario from Lakefront Promenade Park in Mississauga, through the Beaches area of Toronto, along the Scarborough Bluffs, through Guildwood Park and then through Rouge Beach Park. Each of the trailheads in this section leads to a different type of waterfront area, from beaches with boardwalks to amusement parks to wilderness bird and plant reserves. There’s even a music garden development by Yo-Yo Ma and Toronto musicians.
Tyendinaga Township and Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Tyendinaga Territory
Distance 28km (17mi) linear
Approx. time 11hrs each way
Access point Tsitkerhododon Park
The two sections of Tyendinaga Township and the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte Territory begin at the edge of Belleville, continue through Shannonville and end at Bayshore. To get off the highway, trail users can go north to take Old Belleville Road through the township or south to take Bridge and Ridge roads through the only First Nations reserve on the Waterfront Trail.
Whitby
Distance 10.6km (6.6mi) linear
Approx. time 4hrs each way
Access points Port Whitby Harbour, Rotary Sunrise Lake Park, Heydonshore Kiwanis Park and Pavillion, Lynde Shores Conservation Area
This off-road section starts at the Ajax Waterfront Park and ends at Lakefront West Park in Oshawa. It passes the Iroquois Sports Centre, Rowe House, Station Gallery and Intrepid Park. Part of it travels through the last old growth white pine on the Lake Ontario shoreline in Thickson’s Woods.