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Published: February 7th 2009
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Biking Orillia Ontario's Uhthoff Trail, Lightfoot trail and Ramara trails
In 2020 Orillia was charging $50 or $80 fine to park at Couchiching park. I often use this as a starting point for the Oro_medonte trail as well (write up in separate blog)
Basics: Length: 62 kilometres return (3 trails)
Surface: crushed limestone and paved
Width: varies
Trailhead: Wabushing, Coldwater, Orillia
Parking: Couchiching Park and Tudhope Park in Orillia, plus some at sideroads
Signage: Lightfoot trail good, others not as good
Bathrooms: Couchiching Park & Tudhope Park in Orillia (Lightfoot trail)
Water: none on Uhthoff or Ramara
Benches: a few on Uhtfhoff trail and lots on Lightfoot
To get to the
RAMARA Trail, take Highway 12 from Orillia to Atherley, turn north onto Ramara Rd. (County Rd. 44) until Monck Rd. Turn east onto Monck Rd. until reaching trail in 175 metres. The trail starts in the south at the historic fish weirs that were built by the Mnjikaning First Nation people. The trail follows the abandoned CN rail line through the pastoral countryside, crossing the Rama Road, and currently ending just south of Casino Rama
(to get to the Casino, you need to ride along the county road for about ½ kilometre.)
The
LIGHTFOOT TRAIL/MILLENIUM TRAIL (NOTE: Years ago this was called the Lightfoot Trail but it appears that the name has been changed to Millenium Trail)) has many access points since it runs along the lakeshore in the city. It is a paved trail. If you want to connect to/from Ramara just cross the bridge at the Narrows (Atherley Road - Highway 12) and the Lightfoot Trail is found behind a small strip mall (or look for the Best Western Hotel and it passes just behind the hotel). From there it winds its way along Tudhope Park and to Couchiching Park. There is plenty of parking available at this park. From here it continues with a slight grade until it seemingly ends at Hurontario Street. Distance covered is about 8 km. Cross Hunrontario Street and you will be on Wilson Point Road. Follow the slight downhill grade for about 100 metres and on your left, you will see the entrance to:
UHTHOFF TRAIL.
NOTE added 2016: The few crumpled benches have been replaced with nice
new ones and at Burnside Line, there is now a bench, covered picnic table, parking and a large map.
There is parking for a few vehicles at
Wilson Point Road as well as a sign explaining the name of the trail. The next few kilometres include a slight uphill grade as well as passing under highway 11 and crossing a few roads. There are also a few rough spots filled in with crushed limestone. Although it could be done, I would not recommend a street bike on the Uhthoff Trail.
If you want to avoid these first few kilometres there is a very large parking lot on
Division Road (only a few kilometres from Orillia Square Mall) From here it is about 19 km to Coldwater.
To make the trip even shorter take
BURNSIDE LINE (Burnside Line is the road that takes you to Orillia Square Mall - Once it crosses highway 11 it is called West Street) Follow Burnside for about 8 km until you get to
Nelson Aggregates, a limestone quarry on the left side. There is parking for a few vehicles beside the trail.
The
trail follows an old railway bed so it is flat. The surface is crushed limestone and fairly smooth so that bikes with street tires can also manage the trail. Once you get past
Burnside Line you are out into rural countryside, crossing 2 streams. During the first few kilometres, the trail is often covered with shade trees. It then opens up and farmer’s fields abound on both sides. Soybeans, corn, hay and cattle are visible. And lots of old barns. In the fall wild apple trees are laden with fruit as well as wild grapes.
There are benches along the way but no water or outhouses. If you need either, stock up in Coldwater or Orillia. The trail ends in
Coldwater behind the fire hall and community centre. but then it picks up again by the Beer Store and continues to Waubushene (
see note at the end of this blog)
During the summer there are a number of restaurants available including ice cream. Year round, turn left on the main street for about 100 metres to the ESSO station/Coffee Time for a bite to eat or to use a washroom and refill water bottles.
This is one of the few places that is open year round.
Uhthoff Trail is about 23 kilometres. To this, you can add the 8 km Lightfoot and 5 km Ramara Trails.
If you only want to do a portion of the Uhthoff Trail between Orillia and Coldwater, you will find access and parking for a few vehicles where the trail crosses these county roads (starting from Orillia)
1) Burnside Line (at Nelson Aggregates) Parking and bench
2) 2488 Uthoff Line
3) 1690 Foxmead Road
4) 1446 Dunn's Line (at the railway tracks)
Use a mapping program or GPS to navigate to these addresses.
In 2012 the Uhthoff trail was completed between
Coldwater and Waubushene. To locate the trailhead, look for the
"Beer Store" and right beside it is a parking lot and large map. The first km is paved and the rest of the 7 km is crushed limestone and in pretty good condition. And just like the Orillia-Coldwater section, this one also lacks any signs, benches, washrooms etc. Most of this trail is also scenic with the exception of a short distance where it parallels highway
12 and another section passing by a trailer park. The trail ends under the highway 400 overpass. Continuing across the street is the trailhead for the
TAY SHORE TRAIL (see separate blog)
More Photos below .........
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Frank Bax
non-member comment
Map error & spelling errors.
The content of this page indicates Uhthoff Trail follows an abandoned railway; which is correct. The map shows trail follows Hwy12 which is not correct. All photos mentioning "Uhthoff" are spelled incorrectly.