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Physical activity doesn't have to be hard to improve your health. Health and personal wellness goals can be reached by building physical activities into your daily routine - one bit at a time.
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Click the  icon to show the answer to a question, and the  icon to hide the answer to a question. If you would like to send us a question for the Trail FAQ, please use the link at the bottom of this page.
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How many trails are there in the City of Kawartha Lakes, what are their names and how long are they? |
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That's a good question! We're actually in the process of creating a comprehensive inventory of trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes, so we can't give you an exact number. The major trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes include:
The Victoria Rail Trail (North Corridor) - this
northern section of the rail trail runs 55 km from Lindsay to Kinmount
and then continues on another 37 km to the village of Haliburton. The
trail is open year-round for hiking, cycling, cross-country skiing, and
horseback riding. Note that some sections of this trail are open to
motorized vehicles (with permit).
The Victoria Rail Trail (South Corridor) -
this southern section of rail trail runs 30 km along the former CP line
to Dranoel Station (just south of Bethany). The trail is a double
tracked multi-recreational trail.
The Ganaraska Trail - this is a
recreational hiking trail that runs through central Ontario with a
total length of 500 km. It starts in Port Hope and heads north passing
near Omemee, Lindsay and Bobcaygeon before reaching its end south of
Collingwood where it connects to the Bruce Trail.
The Dunsford Nature Trail - this trail, built on a converted railway line, extends 2.5 km from Dunsford to Verulam Concession Road II.
The Victoria County Forest - this municipal
forest has many kilometers of cycling trails and a number of hiking
trails through the Somerville Tract and the Emily Tract.
The Trans Canada Trail - the Trans Canada
Trail is proposed to pass through the City of Kawartha Lakes on the
former CN rail line from Uxbridge to Corbeyville. The rail will come
through Little Britain, Lindsay and Omemee on its way to Peterborough.
It is currently used as a snowmobile trail from Uxbridge to Lindsay.
Provincial Park Trails - There are various
trails running through the two operating provincial parks in the City
of Kawartha Lakes: Balsam Lake Provincial Park (between Kirkfield and
Coboconk) and Emily Provincial Park (north of Omemee) and the
non-operating Indian Point Provincial Park (Coboconk).
Kawartha Conservation Trails - There are
three conservation areas in the City of Kawartha Lakes that contain
trails. The 110-ha Ken Reid Conservation Area is
located outside Lindsay and features a beach, marsh boardwalk, a number
of trails and a range of birds and wildlife in mixed forests and open
meadows. The 125-ha Pigeon River Headwaters Conservation Area is
located near
Highway 7 and Highway 35 and offers trails as well. Windy Ridge
Conservation Area, south of Omemee, has a multi-use loop trail of 1.3
kilometres that offers a beautiful panoramic view of the Fleetwood
Creek wetlands at the confluence of the Pigeon River and Fleetwood
Creek. The largest conservation
property is the 380-ha Fleetwood Creek Natural Area, which has three
trails
and is an Area of Natural and Scientific
Interest with 250 species of flora and 44 species of birds.
Municipal Park Trails - There are 111
municipally owned parks within the City of Kawartha Lakes comprising a
total of 253 ha (625 acres) of land. In Lindsay, there are 35 parks
scattered throughout the community. Most notable are Lindsay's many
riverside parks, and the Wilson Boardwalk, located in the downtown
area. There are 15 parks located in the former Mariposa Township and 14
parks in the former municipalities of Bobcaygeon and Verulam. The
former Township of Bexley only contains 4 parks but they contain a
total of 38 ha (95 acres) of land. The remainder of the parks are
spread throughout the City. Various trails, usually of brief distance,
are available in these parks.
If you have any information about the trails we list on our web
site, or information about trails we haven't listed, please to
participate in our Trails Forums.
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Q: |
How much time will it take to travel the trails? |
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A: |
That depends on whether you are walking, jogging or cycling! Check the Trails Inventory for the distance of trails (we've also included average walk times where available).
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Are maps available of the trails? |
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Maps are available on our web site for some of the trails. You can check the Trails Inventory for locator maps and detailed trail maps. We are also working on obtaining more detailed trail maps that we can make available on our web site.
The City of Kawartha Lakes Tourism Office and Peterborough & the Kawarthas Tourism have recently published the Kawartha Regional Outdoor Map. This brochure contains a fold-out map that identifies the parks, conservation areas and major trails within the City of Kawartha Lakes and the City and County of Peterborough (there's also information about fishing spots and golf courses). To obtain a copy of the map (along with other information), you can Order a Visitor Package from the City of Kawartha Lakes Tourism Office via our web site.
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When are the trails open? |
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Most of trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes are open year-round for seasonal activities. However, trail conditions depend on the season and the trails may not be appropriate for all types of activities during spring, fall or winter. Some trails may be impassable in the winter (except for cross-country skiers and snowshoers). Trails in provincial parks and conservation areas depend on their operating hours, although parks may remain open for winter activities (although no facilities or services will be available).
Check our Trails Inventory for contact information to find out more about specific trails. You can also try posting a question in our Trails Forums.
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Who owns, operates and maintains the trails? |
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It varies. Some trails are owned, operated and maintained by the City of Kawartha Lakes, some by the Ministry of Natural Resources (Ontario Parks) and some by Kawartha Conservation. Some trails may be publicly owned, but not actively maintained. Other trails may run through or past privately owned property with the cooperation of the landowner. Check our Trails Inventory for contact information to find out more about specific trails.
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Do I need a permit or permission to use the trails? |
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In most cases, no. Many of the trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes are freely available for public use, including those in the conservation areas. The use of trails in provincial parks is free, but there is usually a fee for day use of the park (this depends on the season). Note that some portions of some trails may run through or adjacent to private property; if passage through private property is allowed, this is done with the cooperation of the landowner (if you are on a trail and it is blocked by a fence or marked as private property, always respect the landowner's rights). Permits are required for the use of snowmobiles on some portions of some trails. Check our Trails Inventory for more information on specific trails.
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How much does it cost to use the trails? |
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It doesn't cost anything to use most of the trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes. While the use of trails in provincial parks is free, there is usually a fee for day use of the park (this depends on the season). Check our Trails Inventory for more information on specific trails.
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Where can I get more information about trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes? |
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Right here on our web site! Check our Trails Inventory for more information on specific trails. If you have a question about a trail in the City of Kawartha Lakes, check our Trails Forums. You can also visit the following web sites for more information:
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Q: |
I'm an avid ATVer/snowmobiler ... why doesn't your web site provide me with any information about trails where I can ride my ATV/snowmobile?
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Although some trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes allow motorized use (depending on City by-laws and permits), we don't provide information about this kind of use. Our intention at trailsforhealth.ca is to promote healthy living that comes from physical activities like hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and cycling.
If you are interested in outdoor activities that use motorized vehicles, you'll probably want to visit these web sites:
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Are there paved trails that I can use for in-line skating? |
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Most of the trails in the City of Kawartha Lakes consist of natural or aggregate surfaces and therefore are not suitable for in-line skating. However, portions of trails in more urban areas such as Lindsay have paved surfaces. Check our Trails Inventory for more information.
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Submit a question for the Trail FAQ
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