The Rail Trail extends 35km from the community of Haliburton to the community of Kinmount.

The scenery along the way is exceptional, with lazy winding rivers, waterfalls, bogs, heritage bridges and even the ruins of a chemical plant.

 Length: Approximately 35 km                                                                               Difficulty: Easy to moderate
 Features: Nature and Heritage
 Access: Multiple access points throughout the lenth of the trail

This is a must-see for anyone wanting to truly experience the Highlands. This trail can also be hiked from the top of the ‘Dorset Mountain’ down to the museum. If you want to start at the top (option available May to October), a fee to drive up to the access point/picnic area is applicable. During the open season there’s also a gift shop/visitor information centre, washrooms and numerous photo opportunities at the top of Dorset Mountain.

 Length: 1.5 km loop                                                                 Difficulty: Challenging
 Features: Dorset Lookout Tower
 Access: From the bottom: 1038 Main Street, Dorset. From the top: 1154 Dorset Scenic Tower Road (off of Highway 35 North, just north of the Town of Dorset).

Hike through an active beaver pond, bog, hardwood hills and primary growth forest to a stunning lookout of Oxtongue Lake. Because of the varied and open forest types, this area provides one of the best opportunities in the Highlands for spotting many of Central Ontario’s best known bird and wildlife species such as Moose, Deer, Otter, Beaver, Snowshoe Hare, Red-tailed Hawk, Barred Owl and Ruffed Grouse, just to name a few!

Length: Approximately 5 km loop
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Close to Algonquin Park
Access: 1035 Algonquin Outfitters Road, Dwight – This road goes north off of Highway 60 just west of the Algonquin Park West Gate.

This Trail Network has something for all levels of skill and ability.  This Network of Trails includes; Log Chute Trail, Crests of Kennisis, Circuit of Five Viewpoints, Algonquin Highlands Ridge Trail, Alven Ferguson Trail, James Cooper Lookout Trail and Beech River Trail 

Length: Over 23.5 km combined – ranging from 0.7 km to 8 km
Difficulty: Easy Moderate Challenging
Features: Lookouts, heritage and nature at its best
Access: Multiple access points, please see map

A number of stacked loops totaling 11km meander through the forest adjacent to St. Nora Lake. This trail system offers a little bit of everything, from millennia old geological formations which give insight into the last significant ice age, to large bogs, towering cliff faces, mixed forests, challenging climbs and spectacular lookouts. Be sure to pack lunch and your camera because you can spend an entire day exploring these trails.

Length: 1-11 km stacked loop
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Geomorphology Self-guided Hikes
Access: 20130 Highway 35 North – 12km south of the Town of Dorset.

Widely considered to be one of the best provincial parks in Ontario, Algonquin Park features a multitude of hiking trails just waiting to be explored. The park features over a dozen interpretive walking trails, making your hike both challenging and fascinating.

Length: various
Difficulty: Easy moderate challenging 
Features: Self-guided Hikes
Access: Highway 60 North – 37 km north of the Town of Dorset.

Barnum Creek Nature Reserve is a mosaic of habitats ranging from tolerant hardwood, mixed wood, early successional forests, and grassland, to marsh and swamp. Running through this tapestry of habitats is Barnum Creek

Barnum Creek has lovely trails and at times they can be very wet, muddy or icy. Wear appropriate footwear.

 Difficulty: Heritage Hike easy to moderate – 5 km     Waterfall Way – Easy to moderate – 3/4 km     Ridge Trail – Challenging – 1 km
 Features: Nature

On the north shore of Head Lake in the village of Haliburton, Glebe Park is 175 acres of woodlands and rolling hills with networks of trails for walking, mountain-biking, cross country-skiing and snowshoeing. It is also a great place to engage with art, culture and heritage. Glebe Park is home to the Haliburton Highlands Museum, Haliburton Sculpture Forest and Fleming College, Haliburton School of The Arts.

 Difficulty: Easy to moderate
 Features: Arts and Heritage
 Access: Glebe Park has two entrances: 297 College Drive, Haliburton and/or 66 Museum Road, Haliburton

This community based trail travels around Head Lake exposing walkers to a variety of scenery around Haliburton.

Difficulty: Easy Moderate
Access: Anywhere in Haliburton Village

Haliburton Forest is full of variety and the hiking trails are no exception. The 300km of trails make Haliburton Forest an ideal destination for three season hiking vacations – you never have to explore the same trail twice. Stay overnight and walk as many routes as you can!

Length: over 300 km
Difficulty: Easy Moderate
Features: Wolf Centre
Access: 1305 redkenn Road, Haliburton

From the end of the trail you have a view of the top of the rapids upstream of High Falls and a view downstream towards the falls. High Falls is part of Algonquin Park and  Permits are available at Pine Grove Point Lodge.

Length: 2 km
Difficulty: Easy Moderate
Access: Take Hwy. 118 east of Haliburton to Essonville Ln. (County Rd. 4) and then follow to Wilberforce. From Wilberforce, take County Rd. 648 through the village of Harcourt to Elephant Lake Rd. (County Rd. 10). Continue on Elephant Lake Rd. approximately 12km. You’ll find both parking and the trailhead 2 km beyond the Kingscote Lake Access Point Road intersection.

Hike this scenic trail to the top of the hill to see remnants of what was once apple orchards and wheat fields while learning of the history of Sir Sam Hughes, Glenn Eagle Estate and the history and development of the ski hill.  Cost is $5.00 per hiker at honour box & for more information

Length: 4+ km
Difficulty: Moderate
Features: Panaramic view over Eagle and Moose lakes
Access: 1054 Liswood Rd. Ealge Lake; access off parking lot at main chalet only

You may notice remnants of old pavement under foot. While this forgotten roadbed does eventually connect up with the existing highway just south of town your efforts to follow it through will be thwarted when the road abruptly disappears under a scenic wetland. Before turning back take a moment to admire the massive beaver dam that created the marsh and marvel at the engineering skills of this energetic family of beavers.

If you happen to be a geocacher, there are geocaches hidden along this trail.

 Length: Approximately 600 m each way                                  Difficulty: Easy 

The Homesteader Trail Loop is named in recognition of the pioneers who tried to farm this corner of the Canadian Shield. Today, roads and trails named after those Homesteaders are all that is left of the area’s farming past. Look for long abandoned overgrown farm fields and old stone fences.

 

 Length: Approximately 25 km, can be divided into two smaller loops and offers great geocaching!                                                               Difficulty: Easy to moderate
 Features: Geocaching Capital of Canada
 Access: Trail heads located at Glamor Lake and Tory Hill Park

 The Prospector Trail Loop is a trail with a tale of prospectors and miners who came in the 1920’s-1950’s for molybdenite and flourite and discovered uraninite; the richest ore of radium. The route encompases long abandoned mine sites such as the Harcourt Graphite  mine, the Dwyer, Schickler, Tripp and Clark mines; long lost to the undergrowth. Take time to explore the rock cuts on the Old Burleigh Road and the I.B.&O. for black Tourmaline, blue Apatite and deep purple Flourite

Length: Approximately 18 km
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Features: Red Cross Outpost, Mumford Road Mineral Collection Site and Geocaching
Access: Trail Head located in Wilberforce and Harcourt

 Silent Lake Provincial Park Loop Trail is a 13.8 kilometer moderately trafficked loop trail located near Highlands East, Ontario, Canada that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips and is best used from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.

Length: Approximately 13.8 km
Difficulty: Easy to moderate

On occasion beaver dams, on ponds above Sucker Lake fail and gargantuan volumes of water pour into Sucker, overflowing and eventually washing away the dam. As you walk the trail you’ll see how those past spills have uprooted trees, bared the bedrock and carved a deep gully. On numerous occasions the flooding also undermined the railway track where the I.B.&O Railway crossed the creek at the mouth of the river. This spot became known to locals as “The Wash-Out” a favourite place for Sucker fishing in the spring.

Length: Approximately 750 m each way
Difficulty: moderate

Main entrance and parking at the Minden Hills Cultural Centre, this boardwalk takes you through a natural grass marsh with the option of continuing to the Minden Ball Diamonds or on to intercept the Riverwalk, creating a lovely loop to include downtown Minden.

Length: Approximately 0.4km
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Fully accessible and permits bicycles
Access: Entrance is at the Cultural Centre on Bobcaygeon Road

Located in downtown Minden, this unique pathway follows the Gull River and loops with a connecting foot bridge that brings you back downtown or allows you access to the Minden Boardwalk to continue on to the Minden Cultural Centre or the Ball Diamonds. You choose how long or short of a journey, the possibilities are endless.

Length: Approximately 1km
Difficulty: Easy
Features: Accessible pathway and footbridge over the Gull River
Access: Along Water Street and Invergordon Avenue

Located on Horseshoe Lake Road, this Park allows visitors to view the spectacular beauty of the Minden Wild Water Preserve and rapids. This park features a footpath along the rapids which offer great vantage points to watch the many kayaking activities that take place here.

Length: Approximately 0.5km
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Features: Spectacular view of the rapids
Access: South of Horseshoe Lake Road / Bethel Road intersection

This is the largest park within our township, consisting of 460 acres of beautiful mixed woodland. This park is a must see destination point for outdoor enthusiasts for hiking, snowshoeing, cross country skiing, bird watching and many other outdoor activities.

Length: Approximately 3km with several other shorter trails throughout
 Difficulty: Easy to moderate
 Features: Year round access and wheelchair accessible sections
 Access: Entrance is just south of the South Lake/Gelert Roads intersection

Haliburton Highlands Land Trust’s Dahl Forest is approximately 500 acres and straddles 2.7 km of the Burnt River in Haliburton County 5 km south of Gelert. The ecological significance of the Dahl Forest is evident in the diversity of species and habitats found on the property.

 Difficulty: Easy to moderate
 Features: Nature and conservation planning
 Access: 1307 Geeza Rd, off of Gelert Rd/County Rd 1 just 5 km south of Gelert.

As well as being scenic, it is rugged and challenging. It is strongly recommended that the Wilderness Section only be hiked with an experienced hiker familiar with the Trail. For more information see the Wilderness section Facebook  page at https://www.facebook.com/GHTAwilderness/

Difficulty: Moderate to challenging
Features:
Access: Reminder re parking at Moore Falls. Please park in open grassy area to left of trail off Country Rd. just west of Hwy 35. No parking at km 1.1, where the trail leaves Black Lake Cottage Rd. to enter the woods. And definitely no parking at the Black Lake Cottage Rd. parking area.