Black River Wilderness Park: Beautiful Trails Near Orillia

Black River Wilderness Park is not only amazing for hikers, but belongs on any weekend getaway itinerary for Orillia and Lake Country. This nature park offers 180 acres of outstanding beauty and lovely hiking trails. Black River Wilderness Park is family owned and operated by the Chippewas of Rama First Nation.

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First and foremost, Black River Wilderness Park is a campground offering tent camping, RV and trailer camping, rustic cabins, yurts and tipis. Spend the night here and make an entire weekend of it. It’s also possible to go tubing down the gentle waters of the Black River. While I’m going to focus entirely on the hiking trails in this blog post, you can incorporate these activities to your visit for a longer stay.

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Black River Wilderness Park Trail Map

When you check in and pay your fee at the front desk, the staff member will show you how to reach the trails. It’s a short and scenic walk across two of the five islands that are part of the Black River Wilderness Park. Even though this walk isn’t technically part of the hike, there are beautiful views that I consider to be part of the adventure.

There are four main trails at Black River Wilderness Park that are displayed on a sign at the trailhead:

Mshkikiikimigaa Miikaanhs Interpretive Trail (Red Trail)
Yellow Trail
Blue Trail
New Trail (Green Trail)

Hiking at Black River Wilderness Park

While the exact lengths of the trails aren’t on display, it will take you anywhere from one to two hours to hike all of them. These trails aren’t anywhere on AllTrails, so they’re a bit of a hidden gem. We didn’t see anyone else on the trails when we visited on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. It’s a great alternative to a busy and crowded provincial park.

As for my route, I ventured northwest on the red trail, and then looped back on the yellow trail to the red trail. You can make a longer hike of this by walking to the end of the red trail and venturing back on the green, blue and yellow trails.

The Chippewas of Rama First Nation are part of the Anishnaabeg (Ojibwe) First Nation. They believe that all living things are equal, from the highest trees to the smallest creatures. As such, every living thing encompasses a spirit, as well as unique roles and responsibilities to one another.

The red trail is the Mshkikiikimigaa Miikaanhs Interpretive Trail. This interpretive trail features signs about the flora and fauna within these forests and waterways along with details regarding their roles and uses.

For example, Wiigwaasenaatig (“The trunk shines and it’s a willow”) is the Birch Bark tree. The bark is used for traditional homes, canoes, baskets and etching. The sap can be used for cooking and holds medicinal properties. Another medicine that comes from the birch tree is Chaga.

As we hiked through the forest, we came across many little bridges and scenic viewpoints overlooking the Black River. Depending on the time of year, keep your eye out for wildflowers, mushrooms, birds, red squirrels and more. These trails are flat and easy to hike, making them ideal for families with small children and beginner hikers.

Plan Your Visit

Black River Wilderness Park has 99 camping sites, five cabins, washrooms and showers, a convenience store, and walking trails across five islands. Their camping season operates from the Victoria Day long weekend through to Thanksgiving. You can book your stay on their website.

To visit Black River Wilderness Park for the day, their day pass fee is $10 per person. You can pay at the front desk at the convenience store near the entrance. Park your car at the front parking lot and take a short walk through the property to access the trails.

A day pass allows you to go hiking, tubing, or simply have a picnic and soak up the scenery. If you didn’t bring your own tube, the convenience store offers some for purchase, along with other items like cold drinks.

Black River Wilderness Park is pet-friendly, so you can bring your furry friends along with you for the day. If you plan to stay the night and have any other questions, their website has an extensive FAQ section with many more details.

What to Bring on a Hike

A proper pair of hiking shoes is an absolute must. It’s also a good idea to bring sunscreen and lots of water, too. My water bottle of choice is the GRAYL Purifier because you can drink ANY water from any source, no matter what. Water from lakes, streams, rivers, public restrooms, you name it. It’s the world’s fastest portable purifier.

Don’t forget to pack some bug spray because there can be biting bugs depending on the time of year. Even if there aren’t any signs, it’s safe to assume that ticks are all over Ontario hiking trails. Protect yourself against ticks by reading our guide to avoiding ticks on the trails.

For amazing deals on hiking products like backpacks, boots, clothing, and gear, check out the Decathlon Canada shop!

More Hiking Guides for Bruce Grey Simcoe

Looking for more trails in Bruce Grey Simcoe? Check out these great hiking guides:

Black River Wilderness Park near Orillia offers beautiful hiking trails in a scenic forest, next to the twinkling waters of the Black River.

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