The Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. is now offering some GHTA logoed products for you to proudly wear. The GHTA merch site is now open! The selection is still small, but we hope to add some brighter colours in the near future. All items are unisex.
Nortbound Apparel is handling stock, payments and shipping which is so much easier than any volunteer stocking items and shipping. We thank John Mumford, GHTA Social Media Co-ordinator, for setting this up.
As well there are some GHTA logoed neck gaiters still available. Cost is $18.50 plus shipping, payable to John Mumford. If interested, contact him directly for these at sociamedia@ghta.ca
Regards Frieda Baldwin President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc.
The County of Simcoe – Forestry has advised that an operator started today (Aug 28) along the property line of the Charlebois Tract on Overhead Bridge Road.
Breen’s Lumber will be collecting the wood cut by Hydro and piling it in the Charlebois parking lot temporarily. As such, the parking lot will be closed, as well as any trail entrances along the cut area.
Trails do not have to be closed, we just ask that all visitors use other access points and the large parking lot on Wilson Road for access until the operations have been completed. This clean up should not take long, and Breen’s Lumber has provided that they should be done early next week. “No Entry” signs have been placed at both ends of the parking lot, as well as the trail access points between the parking lot and Kingfisher Crescent. The stands in the area have been changed to “active” on our mapping, but do cover a greater area then were the operations will actually be taking place.
The Board of Directors of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association recently successfully secured two vital grants to promote the Ganaraska Hiking Trail.
First, the County of Simcoe’s “Experience Simcoe” grant awarded the association $10,000 to install trailhead signage at county forests and along other trail sections in Simcoe County. This signage will guide hikers across all 500 kilometers of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail and encourage newcomers to join local hiking clubs. Because this is a matching “50/50” grant covering half of the total costs, the association must raise the remaining half. To help meet this requirement, the GHTA secured a second grant from the Rotary Club of Midland, which will fund pedestal signs specifically across the North Simcoe portion of the trail.
Currently, GHTA board members are finalizing exact locations and obtaining necessary agency approvals to begin installing the trailhead signs and are discussing graphics for the signs.
In addition to infrastructure updates, trail expansion continues on the ground. Recently, the Midland chapter of the GHTA successfully blazed a new loop off of the main Ganaraska Hiking Trail in the Charlebois/Martin’s Valley/Thompson County Forests located in between Midland, Penetanguishene and Tiny. As shown on the provided map, the main Ganaraska Hiking Trail is blazed in white, while the blue side trails form a triangular loop that takes about 1 hour to hike. This new trail section can be accessed directly from the parking lot located on Overhead Bridge Road in Penetanguishene.
About the Ganaraska Trail Hiking Association (GHTA): The GHTA is a volunteer-led, registered Canadian charity made up of nine member clubs. Together, these clubs maintain the 500-kilometer Ganaraska Hiking Trail, a premier recreational corridor extending from the shores of Lake Ontario at Port Hope to the edge of the Bruce Trail near Collingwood. The registered charity provides vital opportunities for community friendship, nature appreciation, volunteerism, outdoor physical fitness and mental well-being.
The Ganaraska Trail Hiking Association (GHTA) was formed in the late 1960s by like-minded individuals sharing three core objectives:
Establish and maintain a public hiking trail from Port Hope to the Bruce Trail.
Develop side and loop trails to access scenic viewpoints and connect with neighboring trail networks.
Promote the conservation and appreciation of nature.
To meet these objectives, the members work hard; physically, fiscally and strategically and we highly appreciate their efforts.
Unfortunately, we received an email yesterday from the Oro-Medonte club president that the club leadership decided to dissolve the club. The club no longer has sufficient support to organize a hiking program and/or continue to maintain the 18 km of Ganaraska Hiking Trail that the club looks after.
The good news is that the Line 4/5 trail and the Vasey Rd/Peter St sections are in good shape. Both have been maintained twice, and the growth of the spring has been cut down. The blue blazes of the side trail in Copeland Forest have been refreshed, and a few have been added as well.
While we are looking to find a solution for the ongoing and future maintenance of the trail, current Oro-Medonte club members can choose to move to another club. The Orillia, Barrie, Midland, and Mad River clubs are all close by and have great hiking schedules.
We also would like to thank the outgoing leadership members of the Oro-Medonte club, and all volunteers who in the past have led hikes, helped at trail maintenance work parties, or took on a leadership role, for their commitment to the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. and the local Oro-Medonte GHTA club.
Frieda Baldwin President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. 705-245-1005
Issued on Monday, June 29, 2026 10:03 AM EDT by Township of Tiny
The vegetation along the Tiny Rail Trail will be sprayed for noxious weeds on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, between Tiny Flos Town Line and the end of the trail in the Town of Penetanguishene.
For your safety, we kindly ask that the public avoid using the trail on this day. The trail will reopen for normal use on July 1.
Pet Owners: Please take extra precautions to keep pets away from treated areas during this time.
2025 was a unique year for volunteer activity due to the ice storm. The Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. executive, therefore decided to recognize three people for their contribution to the re-opening of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail in 2025.
While there are many people to thank for our remarkable recovery from the devastation of the storm in March of 2025, we want to extend a special thank you and present our Volunteer of the Year Award to the following:
George Boyd from the Kawartha Club – George spent considerable time providing information to make our maps of the Kawartha section more accurate while also taking a leadership role with the club’s hiking calendar.
Dale Hannah of the Barrie Club – Dale also led the activity to build three new water crossings on the Barrie section between Old Second South and Gill Road.
Bob Wilson of the Orillia Club – Bob made each trail maintenance outing enjoyable, safe and productive and there were many! He even brought snacks and refreshments along each time.
The above three sections of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail were especially hit hard by the ice storm. Dale, George and Bob’s leadership, their energy and the many long hours they spent on the trail were critical in getting our trails back in great shape.
The contribution of these three individuals shows how a volunteer-based organization such as the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. can remain sustainable and keep on thriving.
Thank You!
Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. April 2026
With the April 18 Annual General Meeting of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. (GHTA) approaching fast, we are putting out a call for a new Vice President and a new Newsletter Editor.
Isaac Strang, our current Vice President, who also developed our new GHTA Hike Registration form, will be shifting his skills and time to an advisory position with respect to our website “refresh” project. Isaac has been a very valued contributor to our Executive Team, which handles the day to day operations of the GHTA. I’d like to thank him for his past and ongoing commitment to the organization.
Lana Johnson has been our Newsletter Editor for 3 years and has done an excellent job at compiling our news stories, schedules, photos and announcements into an informative document. Lana felt it was time to pass on this role to someone else but agreed to still compile the upcoming Spring/Summer Newsletter. Many thanks, Lana, for your contributions to the GHTA in the past, and all the best to you and your family.
Attached please find the job descriptions for the 2 vacancies. We’d love to hear from anyone who feels that they may have the skills, enthusiasm and time availability to contribute to the continued success and sustainability of the GHTA and would like to join our current team of Executive members and officers.
The Ganaraska Hiking Trail exists thanks to the generosity of landowners. We therefore consider access to private land a privilege, not a right, and trail users are expected to adhere to the Hiker’s Code. This includes not trespassing onto private property (other than on the blazed trail) and keeping dogs on a leash. The recent loss of a private property trail section on the Mad River trail near Glen Huron is an example of the consequences of abusing the privilege on having permission to hike on private property.
A reminder about the Hiker’s Code:
Respect private property
Stay on the trail
Cross fences using stiles
Carry out all garbage
Walk around the edge of fields
Protect wildlife, trees and shrubs
Never strip bark from trees
Keep dogs on a leash near farms and where required by law
Dogs are not allowed on group hikes
Please familiarize yourself with the widely used blazing system used by many long distance hiking trails in North America, so you don’t stray off the Ganaraska Hiking Trail. About the Trail
Thanks Frieda Baldwin President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc. Email: president@ghta.ca
The GHTA’s Annual Hike Challenge began in 2022 to encourage physical and mental well-being through time spent outdoors. Hikers can earn badges for completing 50, 100, 200, or 250 hikes in a calendar year. The rules are simple and best of all you get to enjoy the Ganaraska hiking trails.
Rules
Each hike must be at least 1 hour.
Longer hikes may count as multiple hikes:
4+ hours = 2 hikes
6+ hours = 3 hikes
No hike log required, but participants are encouraged to share some hikes (location and photos) in the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Facebook group.
Participation
Open to everyone.
Membership is not required, but a $30 annual family membership is encouraged.
Due to Hwy. 401 construction at Port Hope there is a detour where Choate Rd. crosses under the 401 (km 2.7 of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail (Map 1)).
Hikers travelling north must now proceed straight at the Jocelyn St. /Cavan Rd. intersection (km 2.3) to Victoria St. N. (approximately 1.0 km). Turn right (north) at Victoria St. for 1.5 km to the intersection with Choate Rd. Turn right on Choate Rd. for 0.5 km to the intersection with the unmaintained section of Hawkins Rd.(km 4.3) where you will rejoin the GHT.
Hikers travelling south must turn right (west) at the Hawkins Rd./Choate Rd. intersection (km 4.3) to the Choate Rd. / Cranberry Rd. intersection (0.5 km). Turn left on Cranberry Rd. and travel south to the intersection with Jocelyn Rd. (approximately 1.5 km). Take a left on Jocelyn St. to the intersection where the GHT meets Molson St. (approximately 1.0 km). Turn right (south).
