Where to Hike
If you love to explore the great outdoors on foot, you’ve come to the right place! In BruceGreySimcoe, there are trails virtually everywhere, with multi-use trails open to dedicated hikers all year long. Long stretches of shoreline – from sandy to pebbly to rocky – are awesome routes to explore and commune(new word perhaps) with nature. Hike the Lake Huron and Georgian Bay shorelines, through picturesque communities to the unique habitats of the Niagara Escarpment and the
Bruce Peninsula. Venture further from the shoreline to trails like those at
Wye Marsh, the
Nottawasaga Bluffs Loop Trail and many
others throughout the region.
The Bruce Trail
Perhaps the best known trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath, the
Bruce Trail. Featuring some of the most awesome vistas along the BruceGreySimcoe section, this spectacular and, sometimes, rugged trail follows the ridge of the magnificent Niagara Escarpment, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve. There are side trails that travel inland and loop through funky land formations and landscapes, varying in degrees of difficulty. For info on the trail, pick up a Bruce Trail
map or download the useful
Bruce Trail App. You can also contact one of the four Bruce Trail Clubs operating in the area for more hiking information, club hike schedules and events.
Ganaraska Hiking Trail
This rugged, minimum impact trail is more than 500 kilometres long (including branch trails) with about 300 kilometres of the northern section running through BruceGreySimcoe. With its starting point in Southern Ontario, the
Ganaraska hooks up with the Bruce Trail near Glen Huron (near Collingwood) where a cairn marks its end. From Glen Huron, it travels through rolling hills, farmlands, wooded areas, quiet country roads, small towns, villages, waterfronts and the City of Orillia.
In addition to Orillia, the trail connects the Simcoe County communities of Barrie, Midland, Oro-Medonte and Wasaga Beach. The Mad River section, 52 kilometres long, is mostly flat terrain, suitable for novice hikers. Take a break to tour the
Creemore Springs Brewery, visit the tiny historic jail, and, in the fall, pause along the way to view the salmon spawning.
Various
Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Clubs maintain this trail emphasizing protection of the environment with few man-made structures along the route. The availability of this beautiful trail is due to the generosity of private landowners who have granted permission for the trail to cross their land.
Awesome Hiking Adventures