5 Weekend Snowmobile Getaways That Are Close to Barrie
Hundreds of kilometres of incredible trails right in our backyard
One silver lining to the winter weather Ontario has been experiencing lately is that snowmobile trails all across the province are in great shape. Whether you decide to stick fairly close to home, or wander farther afield we guarantee there’s a weekend snowmobile getaway with your name on it. Remember, before you head out make sure that the trails are available, using the OFSC’s Interactive Trail Guide.
This Rock 95 feature is presented with St. Onge Recreation
Ride The 8
Right in the middle of Simcoe County, Ontario’s “Ride the 8 Trail” covers Midland, Orillia, Wasaga Beach and Barrie. The route has beautiful pine forests, wide open fields, abandoned rail lines, hilly terrain but most important? Tons and tons of snow.
Lake Of Bays Tour
Just east of Huntsville, the Lake of Bays loop is a leisurely day ride around Muskoka Lake. It features 125 km of wilderness, wildlife, and wide trails. Oh…and Lake of Bays Brewery. It also goes by there 🙂
There are plenty of hotels in and around the area that are snowmobile friendly, making this a perfect mini-getaway.
The Bon Echo Loop
The Bon Echo Loop is 232 km of awesome through Ontario’s highlands. Kick things off in Bancroft or Coyne, before looping through the Kawarthas, Mazinaw, Denbigh and McArthurs Mills.
Bancroft Inn & Suites is a great staging area for this tour. There is gas, a convenience store and grocery store right across the road and they offer a free shuttle to the Bancroft Brew Pub. Perfect!
The Northern Corridor Adventure Tour
An absolute behemoth of a tour, the Northern Corridor loop covers 1,645 kilometres of trails through the OFSC’s District 15. It’s not for the casual rider, but if you want to get up north (like, way up north. We’re talking a 10 hour drive from Barrie just to get to Hornepayne) and do some spectacular sledding, it’s an absolute must.
The Thrift Lodge in Cochrane is a good staging spot for this tour. It’s an easy to find roadside motel with sled parking in front of your rooms. Oh, and a hot tub & sauna, crucial after a long day of sledding.
The R.A.P Tour
The Round Algonquin Park tour is maybe Ontario’s most popular snowmobile loop, and with good reason. Some of the best snowmobiling Ontario has to offer, all in one glorious circle tour of Algonquin Park. The trail is incredibly diverse, and generally takes 3-4 days to complete.
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Around Rice Lake Tour
Just a bit north of the 401 near Peterborough, this loop circles Rice Lake and is an interesting mix of terrain that is suitable for any rider. It’s pretty perfect for a day trip – just a couple of hours to get there, and 150 km that can easily be tackled in a day.
Lake Muskoka Magic Tour
A leisurely 125-km loop around Lake Muskoka, this tour is ideal for a family outing. Cutting through the heart of cottage country, you’ll loop through Torrance Barrens, Dark Sky Observation Area, past the Port Carling floating bridge, and Huckleberry Lookout.
There you go! There is a ton to explore on your snowmobile this winter – just don’t forget your trail pass!