As the colourful leaves have fallen from the trees and there’s a bit of a chill in the air, the hiking trails in Ontario grow quieter. Hiking in the late fall and into the winter is a wonderful time of year to embrace the outdoors for so many reasons.
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The scenery is beautiful in all four seasons, the paths and parks are less crowded, and of course, there aren’t any bugs! Parkbus is giving us another amazing reason to explore Ontario with their exciting hiking challenge, TrailQuest.
TrailQuest is Parkbus’ very first hiking challenge and we’re inviting you to participate. I’ve got all the details about how you can experience their curated collection of trails on Parkbus guided hikes or independently on your own. Plus, you’ll have the chance to win some fantastic prizes.
What is TrailQuest?
TrailQuest is a hiking challenge by Parkbus, an incredible non-profit organization that offers bus services (and guided hikes through ActiveDays) from major cities to nature where public transportation is not available. They firmly believe that nature should be accessible for all, even if you don’t have the means of reaching the parks on your own.
The concept of TrailQuest is simple: visit up to 10 amazing hiking spots in southern Ontario, whether it’s on a Parkbus guided adventure or on your own. Create an account for free on their website (with an optional donation to NatureLink), track your hikes by sharing your photos, and have the chance to win a prize.
How do I Participate?
There are 10 TrailQuest destinations across Ontario, including provincial parks, conservation areas and trails. Go for a hike at one of those locations and submit your hike at that location on their website. Add up to three photos for more points.
As you hike more and add your photos, you’ll gain more points and move up the leaderboard. At the end of TrailQuest, you could win one of three prizes, plus you’ve had the chance to explore the beautiful nature of Ontario. Perhaps you’ll learn about some new spots that will become your new favourites, or have a good excuse to return to your old favourite trails.
Join a Guided Hike
Parkbus is organizing guided hikes to each of the 10 TrailQuest parks and trails. These will be guided hikes on a group trip. There is a cost to join a Parkbus hike, though transportation from downtown Toronto is provided.
This is a great option for those living in and around Toronto looking for an eco-friendly way to reach the trails. It’s also excellent for those who don’t have a car or any way of reaching the trails. It’s also a wonderful way to meet some new friends and likeminded people.
Explore on Your Own
You are more than welcome to hike on your own and visit the trails at your leisure. Please note that some of the conservation areas and parks may require an advance reservation or an entry fee. This information is always available on the official websites for the provincial parks and conservation areas. I suggest doing a quick search ahead of time – I’ll also link to any guides that we have about the specific trails and parks below.
I should also quickly mention that winter hiking is a total blast! If you haven’t ever gone hiking in the winter, you are truly missing out. The scenery is pure magic with a dusting of snow, and you won’t even feel cold as long as you wear the proper clothing. Once you start walking and get your heart rate up a bit, you’ll likely even feel warm!
I have some great tips for winter hiking so you can be totally prepared to hit the trails, no matter the season. With a little bit of extra knowledge, you’ll feel safe and informed when venturing out into nature in winter. If you are a bit hesitant, I do suggest going on a Parkbus guided hike for the first time to put yourself at ease.
Which Parks and Trails are Included?
There are 10 provincial parks, conservation areas and hiking trails included for TrailQuest. These are the only hikes that will count towards this hiking challenge. TrailQuest started back in September, and you have until March 1st, 2025 to complete as many as you can.
Algonquin Provincial Park
Algonquin Provincial Park is likely the most famous park and collection of trails in Ontario. It can be hard to know where to start because there are so many trails and so much ground to cover. In my Algonquin Park trail guide, I’ll make it easy to choose a trail (or trails) on a day trip there.
Awenda Provincial Park
Awenda Provincial Park is a really popular place to visit in the summer months, so it’s time to have it all to yourself this winter. Located on the shores of Georgian Bay, did you know that some of the oldest trees in Ontario are at Awenda?
G2G Rail Trail
The Guelph to Goderich Rail Trail is an excellent example of repurposing something old into something new. This historic transportation route is now a 132km continuous trail across southern Ontario between Guelph and Goderich. This one is free for all to use anytime you’d like.
Hilton Falls Conservation Area
Hilton Falls Conservation Area is home to a spectacular waterfall. It’s also a wonderful place for hiking (and biking) trails, and a totally underrated trail that wraps around a reservoir. Explore the waterfall, though I urge you to hike the other trails, too!
Ken Reid Conservation Area
Located near Lindsay, Ken Reid Conservation Area is a network of 12 interconnected hiking trails covering nearly 12km. There are wetlands, floating boardwalks, observation platforms, wildlife viewing opportunities and memorable adventures to be had.
Lion’s Head Provincial Park
Famous for its impressive cliff views and turquoise waters, Lion’s Head Provincial Park is on every Ontario hiker’s bucket list. Visit from the late fall into the winter in the off season for an entirely new and exciting experience.
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park is one of the most popular parks in southern Ontario. There are a variety of trails and landscapes, including impressive cliffs, intriguing staircases, and gorgeous lookouts. Plus, the Bruce Trail runs through the provincial park, so you know it has to be a good one!
Presqu’ile Provincial Park
Hiking is one of the main attractions at Presqu’ile Provincial Park. There are 16 kilometres of trails in total, so it’s easy to spend an entire day exploring each trail and path. There’s a lengthy boardwalk trail through wetlands and another path that leads to a historic lighthouse.
Rattlesnake Point & Crawford Lake Conservation Area
Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area and Crawford Lake Conservation Area are two magnificent natural spaces that are connected via a trail to one another. Rattlesnake Point has some stunning vistas and Crawford Lake has a boardwalk trail that wraps around a rare meromictic lake.
Rouge National Urban Park
Rouge National Urban Park is one of the very best places to go hiking in Toronto. It’s quite exceptional to have a national park right within the city itself. There are forests, creeks, marshland and trails to explore in one of the largest urban parks in North America.
What are the Prizes?
For participating, you’ll have the chance to win an amazing prize. The more hikes you do (and photos you share), the better chance you’ll have of winning. The winners will be announced at the beginning of March once TrailQuest comes to an end.
The grand prize is an outdoor gear bundle and an outdoor experience with Algonquin Outfitters. The second prize is an outdoor gear bundle and 50% off your stay at Wolf Den. And the third prize is an outdoor gear bundle.
Be sure to sign up for TrailQuest on the official website – it’s free to join! You can start tracking your hikes and here’s a good way to easily get your first hike tracked…
Join Ontario Hiking on an Upcoming Parkbus Hike!
I (Lauren) will be hiking with Parkbus / TrailQuest on an upcoming hike, and I’m inviting you to join me! This will primarily apply to the folks living in the Toronto area as the meetup point is located in downtown Toronto.
On Saturday, December 7th, I’ll be joining the Parkbus day trip to the G2G Rail Trail. We’ll start at one end of the trail and make our way towards the historic Kissing Bridge, the last remaining covered bridge in Ontario. For the rest of the day, we’ll explore the famous St. Jacob’s Market. It will be a fun day of nature, history, shopping and sampling delicious food.
Parkbus and ActiveDays hikes include roundtrip transportation from Toronto by bus. It’s an environmentally-friendly way to transport the group to the trails. Experience the walk on your own, with your hiking buddies, or meet new friends along the way!
There are a limited amount of spaces available for this guided hike. Be sure to sign up here and you’ll also be able to check one TrailQuest hike off your list! Hope to hike with you soon!
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