Category: Club News

2026.04.30 – Barrie Collingwood Railway (BCRY) Active Transportation Trail Opened

Posted on by John Sloan

The Mad River leadership team is pleased to announce that the official opening of the Simcoe’s Barrie-Collingwood Railway (BCRY) Active Transportation Trail between Stayner and Angus took place on April 30th, 2026. There is no longer any restriction on using this multi-use trail that forms part of the Mad River trail section. Hikers are encouraged to exercise caution at intersecting roads and obey all posted trail signage. Please stay alert for cyclists coming from behind you; be courteous and leave enough room for them to pass. 

From the Simcoe County website announcement – “The full extension, spanning approximately 23 kilometres along the former Barrie Collingwood Railway corridor, has been transformed into a multi-use active transportation trail connecting the communities of Collingwood, Stayner, New Lowell and Angus, while passing through several other small villages and towns along the way. With this expansion, the Rail Trail now extends nearly 34 kilometres from Collingwood to Angus. The trail provides residents and visitors with a safe, accessible route for walking, cycling and other non-motorized uses, while preserving a historic transportation corridor.”

Completing this section of the Mad River trail is now necessary for end-to-end badge recognition (it had previously been excluded due to the trail conditions).

Please check out this newly transformed section of the Mad River trail in the near future.

2026.05.22 – Pine Ridge Trail Detour at Hwy #401 Affecting Trail For Longer Time Than First Expected

Posted on by John Sloan

A NEWS post on August 8, 2025 described a detour on the Pine Ridge trail at Hwy #401 that was expected to last a few months. The detour is where Choate Road crosses under Hw #401 (km 2.7 on Map 1 of the Trail Guide Map series). It appears now that the detour will be in place for a much longer time than originally expected. A reminder of the description of the reroute follows and a map has been included to help explain the reroute.

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).

Midland Club – Trail Sharing Announcement

Posted on by John Sloan

For many years, the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association has benefited from a property use permit for the Georgian Bay Snowriders  (GBSR) trail between just west of Newton Road to Hole in the Wall (Hwy #12). Hikers are hereby notified that the Baxter ATV club now also has a property use permit with the GBSR for the trail between Reeves Road and hwy 400. Hikers should therefore expect and respect the presence of ATV’s on that trail. 

We thank the GBSR club for their ongoing support for our Midland hiking club, such as letting us use their parking lot and some of their tools. We can also use their meeting room if needed. Thank you Georgian Bay Snowriders! https://snowriders.ca/

2026 Volunteer of the Year Awards

Posted on by Campbell Britton

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

Call for a new Vice President and a new Newsletter Editor

Posted on by Campbell Britton

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.

Vice President Role Description Role

Newsletter Editor Role Description

If you have any questions or are interested in either of the 2 positions, contact me at president@ghta.ca, or feel free to call me at 705-245-1005.

Thank you for your consideration
Frieda Baldwin
President, Ganaraska Hiking Trail Association Inc.

2026.02.17 – Mad River Trail Reroute in Glen Huron Area

Posted on by John Sloan

The Mad River trail section between Concession Road 6S / Riverside Drive and Concession 8 in the area just south of Glen Huron is being rerouted onto the Nottawasaga 15/16 Sideroad (see attached diagram). When hiking along Concession Road 6S continue until reaching Nottawasaga 15/16 Sideroad, then turn west until reaching Concession Road 8S, then go south until rejoining the trail where it climbs up the cairn at the junction with the Bruce Trail.

This change will be effective February 28. Note also that this change results in moving the junction of the Mad River and Wasaga Beach trails to the intersection of Nottawasaga 15/16 Sideroad and Concession 6 (a short distance north of the current junction).

The reason for this reroute is to comply with the wishes of a private landowner along the affected section that no longer wants the trail on their property.

Options for getting the trail off the roads again will be explored in the future.

2025.10.10 – Logging Operations in SCF Breedon Tract Affects Orillia Trail (Complete)

Posted on by John Sloan

Update 2025.11.10 – Notification has been received that logging operations are complete and the trail is available for use. Clean-up and re-blazing work will be sized up and completed as soon as possible.

2025.10.10 Original Post – Logging operations have started in in SCF Breedon Tract which affects the Orillia Ganaraska Hiking Trail between Lines 8N and 9N in Oro-Medonte. Please avoid this area until logging operations are completed.

2025.10.03 – Logging Operations Affect Orillia Trail

Posted on by John Sloan

Logging operations will be starting soon on private land east of Line 11N in Oro-Medonte that hosts the Orillia trail. This section of trail should be considered ‘off-limits’ until the logging is completed and the landowner notifies us that trail use can resume. If hiking in the area, please obey all signs posted on the trail.

2025.09.10 – GHTA Barrie Club Trail Affected by SCF Logging Operations (Update: Trail open as of 2025.11.02)

Posted on by John Sloan

2025.11.02 – Update: Logging operations have completed and the trail between the Midhurst Community Centre and Gill Road is now open. Enjoy the trail.

2025.09.10 Original Post – The Ganaraska Hiking Trail in Midhurst (part of the Barrie Club trail) is temporarily unavailable due to logging operations in SCF Midhurst Tract. ‘Do Not Enter’ signs are in place both at the trail access point at the Midhurst Community Centre and at the access from Gill Road. Please avoid this area until the ‘all clear’ is announced (date unknown at this time).