Inland Trails

The Overlooked Network

While everyone crowds the shoreline trails and the escarpment lookouts, the inland trail network sits here waiting. County forests with 12 km of paths and zero visitors. Rail trails with crushed limestone surfaces and views across Severn Sound. Ganaraska Trail sections through hardwood forest with fall colour as good as anything at Blue Mountain, minus the parking lot wars.

These trails offer something the popular destinations cannot: solitude. If your idea of a good hike is not seeing another person for two hours, these are your trails. The terrain is generally gentler — rolling moraine, river valleys, flat rail corridors — which makes them accessible to a wider range of hikers, including families and beginners who might be intimidated by the rocky Shield trails or steep escarpment sections.

Copeland Forest, Craighurst

Easy 12 km network | Various loops | Gentle terrain | Free, no permit

One of Simcoe County's largest managed forest tracts, located between Barrie and Orillia near Craighurst. A mix of mature hardwood stands, conifer plantations, and regenerating old farmland with 12 km of marked trails. The terrain is gentle moraine with modest rises. Popular for cross-country skiing in winter; in the warmer months, the trails offer peaceful woodland walking with excellent birdwatching for forest interior species — wood thrush, scarlet tanager, pileated woodpecker. On weekday mornings, you might walk the entire network without seeing another person. Free access, parking at designated trailheads along county roads. One of the best forest walks in the region.

Tay Shore Trail

Easy 22 km point-to-point | Multiple access points | Crushed limestone | Flat

Former rail line along the shores of Severn Sound between Midland and Waubaushene. The crushed limestone surface is firm and level — suitable for all abilities including wheelchairs on the smoother sections. Multiple access points let you walk any length. The waterfront sections open to views across Severn Sound to the outer islands. The Midland end connects to the town's waterfront, the tall ship Nindawayma, and Discovery Harbour historic site. The best long flat walk in the region — good for distance without elevation.

Uhthoff Trail

Easy 30 km point-to-point | Sections | Flat rail trail

Former CNR railway from Orillia to Coldwater through farm country and mixed forest. Flat, well-maintained surface. Particularly pleasant in spring when adjacent wetlands are active with nesting waterfowl and returning songbirds. Good for cycling too. Access from multiple road crossings along the route.

Ganaraska Trail — Wasaga Section

Moderate 18 km point-to-point | Full day | Rolling terrain

The Wasaga section of the Ganaraska Trail winds through the sand hills of Wasaga Beach Provincial Park and continues east through county forest and farmland toward Penetanguishene. Some of the best remaining hardwood stands in Simcoe County line the route: mature sugar maple, beech, and ironwood. In autumn this section is spectacular for colour — and far quieter than the escarpment trails to the west. White blazes. Several road crossings provide access for shorter section hikes. You do not need to walk the whole 18 km.

Simcoe County Forests

Easy Various trails | 1-3 hours | Gentle terrain | Free

Simcoe County manages over 30 forest tracts totalling more than 12,000 hectares, many with marked trail systems. Besides Copeland Forest, notable options include Hendrie Forest near Barrie and Orr Lake Forest near Coldwater. These feature well-maintained trails through mixed forest with gentle terrain suitable for all abilities. Free, open year-round, with parking at designated trailheads. Possibly the most underappreciated hiking resource in the region.

Grey County Forests

Easy to Moderate Various trails | 1-4 hours | Rolling terrain

Grey County forest tracts are concentrated south of Owen Sound. The Grey Sauble Conservation Authority manages several properties worth visiting: Inglis Falls (18-metre waterfall, $10 parking, 2 km trail), Indian Falls (shorter, quieter alternative), and Spirit Rock near Wiarton (escarpment cliffs along Colpoys Bay, free). See our Conservation Areas guide for full details on fees and access.

Haliburton Highlands

Moderate Various networks | Shield terrain

Technically east of the immediate Georgian Bay catchment but connected to the broader trail network. The Frost Centre near Dorset has 8 km of trails through old-growth white pine with a lookout tower providing views across a landscape of lakes and forest. The Haliburton Forest (private, day-use fee required) offers a canopy boardwalk 20 metres above the forest floor — a unique perspective on the forest structure. Both worth the drive if you are in the area.