News

Annual Hiking Badges

Posted on by Campbell Britton

50/100/200 and 250 Hikes in 1 Year Badges

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.

Ordering

Badges can be ordered using the Ganaraska Hiking Trail Merchandise Order Form.

2025.12.03 – Simcoe County Interactive Map Updated to Show Current Ganaraska Hiking Trail

Posted on by John Sloan

For those of you that use the Simcoe County Interactive Map (https://opengis.simcoe.ca/public/ ) we are happy to announce that the map has been updated to reflect the current Ganaraska Hiking Trail, including all side trails. Our thanks to Victor Tolgyessy for working with the Simcoe County GIS team to get this done.

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).

2025.09.03 – Kawartha Trail Still Affected by Ice Storm (2025.11.10 update – trail open for use)

Posted on by John Sloan

2025.11.10 Update: Trail Closed signs have been removed and the Kawartha trail between Monck Road (KM 63.6) and Buller Road (KM 74.0) is now available for use.  Note however that there is a 1.5 km section still requiring maintenance starting at the bottom of Corben Lake northwards, and that small detours may be required due to fallen trees/damage. This area is mainly open deciduous forest and ‘walk-arounds’ should be possible. This section will not likely be cleaned up until next year.

2025.09.03 Original Post – Note that the section of the GHTA Kawartha Club hiking trail between Monck Road (KM 63.6) and Buller Road (KM 74.0) remains closed due to damage from the March ice storm. All trail users are asked to avoid this section of trail until further notice. Trail maintenance events are planned for September but the schedule for re-opening the trail is unknown at this time. A future NEWS posting will announce when this section of the trail is once again available for use.

2025.08.26 – SCF Logging Operations Affects GHTA Orillia Trail

Posted on by John Sloan

2025.10.03 Update – Logging operations in this area are complete, however trail ‘clean-up’ is still pending.

We have received notification from the Simcoe County Forest Forestry team that logging operations are about to begin in SCF Johnson Tract and will be continuing in the Arbour Tract. These SCF tracts are between Lines 6N and 7N, and north of Bass Lake Sideroad, in Oro-Medonte (see Map #21 for details). A section of the Orillia trail runs through both of these tracts and will be off limits until the logging operations are completed. Please obey all posted signs if you decide to hike in this area.

2025.08.14 – GHTA Barrie Trail Detour in Midhurst

Posted on by John Sloan

A 2024.07.01 post announced a ‘temporary’ closure of the section of the GHTA Barrie Trail between the Doran Road / Belmont Cresent intersection and Highway 27 in Midhurst. The detour that was announced at that time is no longer available due to construction activity. For the foreseeable future, trail users will need to stay on Doran Road until it reaches Hwy. 27 and then walk along Hwy. 27 back to where they can rejoin the trail. The attached map (a marked up screen shot from Ondago) explains the new detour. Please take care walking along the Hwy. 27 shoulder – this is a busy road with high speed traffic.

Detour on Pine Ridge Section in Port Hope

Posted on by Campbell Britton

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).