Category: Trail Changes

2023.10.26 – Trail Blocked on Heather Dalton Memorial Side Trail Loop (Barrie Section)

Posted on by John Sloan

Earlier this summer high winds in the Midhurst area brought down a lot of trees in Simcoe County Forest Midhurst Tract. Of those that affected the Barrie Ganaraska hiking trail through this area, almost all have been cleared or removed from the trail. There remains, however, a spot on the Heather Dalton side trail that is completely blocked. It is possible, but not particularly easy, to go around the blockage through the forest. This situation will not be resolved in the foreseeable future so this notice is to make trail users aware of the situation.

2023.10.12 – Work Begins to Develop Rail Trail Between Stayner and Angus (Mad River Club Trail)

Posted on by John Sloan

A recent local news report announced that work has begun to remove railway ties and rails on the abandoned railway line between Stayner and Angus as a first step in the conversion of this corridor to a recreational rail trail. The work to remove the ties and rails is expected to be complete mid-December this year, but the total conversion project will last until late 2025.

Starting immediately, sections of the Mad River Club trail that follow the rail line will be inaccessible where work crews are active. Signs will be posted preventing access to work zones and in some situations there will be a ‘watch person’ to prevent access.

As the work will be intermittent and section-by-section this stretch of the Ganaraska trail will not be closed but all hikers are advised to follow the instructions of all posted signs and avoid areas where work crews are active. Also, hiking this section of the Mad River Club trail is not required to earn a Ganaraska End-to-End badge for the foreseeable future.

Another step forward in closing the gap!

Posted on by Heather Briant

Big surprise this morning on our Wednesday morning hike, when Midland Ganaraska Hiking Club president Larry Piitz had the notion that we should hike in the Thompson Forest leading to the Tiny Trail (also called Bridges Trail and part of the Trans Canada Trail). Good thing we did as we discovered the beautiful set of stairs built by Tiny Township at our request and leading from the top of the cliff down to the Tiny Trail. 39 steps!!! 

This will become part of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, as we close the gap between the Midland and Tiny sections of the trail…. hopefully before year end. Just some minor loose ends still to get approved. 

This will add another 16 km approximately to the Midland section of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail.  

2023.04.28 – Notice of Non-Maintained Section on GHTA Mad River Trail

Posted on by John Sloan

The section of the GHTA trail from the junction of the railway line and Brentwood Road (44.35386, -79.96300) to the junction Concession 3 and the railway tracks (44.35384, -7996378) follows an abandoned railway line.  Railway ties and considerably overgrowth of shrubs tangled with vines makes numerous sections of this portion of trail very difficult to hike.

Maintenance of this section of trail is planned for the future, with the County of Simcoe considering transformation of the abandoned railway line into a multi-use trail (hopefully in the not-too distant future).

This trail section remains open for use, but the Mad River team wants hikers to be aware of the difficult hiking conditions.

Fallen Trees in Ganaraska Forest

Posted on by Heather Briant

In the Pine Ridge section of the Ganaraska Hiking Trail, between km 31 and km 39 in the Ganaraska Forest, there still are a number of fallen trees due to storm damage. Ganaraska Regional Forest staff will be clearing this area in the near future. Until that happens, Ganaraska Hiking Trail volunteers are not allowed to do regular trail maintenance and refresh the blazes, which may cause some confusion with navigating the Ganaraska Hiking Trail in that part of the Ganaraska Forest.

Ganaraska Forest (Central)

Posted on by Heather Briant

The section of the GHTA trail from km 31.1 to 39.7 will not be open to hikers until April 1st. Until then hikers must use the bypass trail west along the 10th line of Hope Township from km 31.1 to the Cold Springs Camp Road and then north on the Cold Springs Camp Road to the point where it joins the GHTA trial at km 39.7.  The bypass is marked with blue blazes.  Only hikers on a GHTA club-sanctioned hike or GF members are permitted to use the GF trails without paying a day-use fee.  The only place to purchase a day pass is at the GF Centre.  It is planned to have day-use permits available online by April 1st.