Route & Itinerary Day 5 – Thursday August 11.
Orillia to Wasaga Beach – 94km
Breakfast – 7-8am
Location – Lakehead University Restaurant.
If you are staying at the Fairfield Inn you will have the choice of breakfast at the hotel or joining the participants at Lakehead University. You will ride past the entrance on your way back to the trail.
Luggage
Fairfield Inn: Place your luggage at the designated drop zone – you must indicate which hotel you are staying at in Wasaga Beach and place in the appropriate pile. ( there are 5 different hotels in Wasaga Beach)
Lakehead University campground and residences: Please deliver your luggage to the luggage truck before breakfast – be prepared to indicate where you will be staying in Wasaga Beach and place your luggage in the appropriate pile (there are 4 different hotels and a campsite in Wasaga Beach)
Follow directions towards Mississauga Road crossing the Highway by the Greg Stobart Trail. Turn right at Barrie Rd. and follow it to West Street. Turn right onto West Street where you’ll find the trailhead for the Oro Medonte rail trail opposite the Home Hardware.
Today marks our temporary departure from the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail and we now will be following signage for the Simcoe County Loop. Please familiarize yourself with the Simcoe County Loop signage.
Oro Medonte rail trail
Follow the Oro Medonte rail trail for 28km all the way to the city of Barrie. The Oro – Medonte is a very straight and flat trail with crushed gravel.
Road traffic is light but do take care when crossing every road. Though this rail bed runs parallel to Lake Simcoe you will not see it much of it until you get close to Barrie. However, take any side road south and they will lead you to the shore.
Line 7 – Oro Medonte Rest stop – 23km – 9-10am
Look out for the GWTA support vehicle for a water top up – we will be parked next to the portapotty at the parking lot next to the trail.
Barrie – 37km
Prepare to be wowed by the Barrie waterfront – you’ll pass gorgeous sandy beaches as you travel on an off road trail towards the downtown and the beautiful Heritage Park.
Barrie Rest Stop – 40 Km – 10am to 2pm – Heritage Park,6 Simcoe St, Barrie, ON L4M 1L6
Tourism Barrie will welcome GWTA riders to a rest stop at Heritage Park. Staff will be on hand to direct you to restaurants, breweries and shopping. Take a selfie with the Barrie sign or The Spirit Catcher – this sculpture, situated on Barrie’s waterfront, was designed by sculptor Ron Baird for the 1986 EXPO in Vancouver and was donated to the Barrie Gallery Project in 1987. Enjoy music at Mandarin Place and visit the BIA Farmers Market. A bike corral will be available to securely park your bikes.
Please ensure that you eat something in Barrie – even if you take some food to carry with you on the road. There are extremely limited food options between Barrie and Elmvale. Likewise please ensure that you use the washroom since there are few services between here and Elmvale.
After lunch, leave Barrie following the Simcoe County Loop signage – take care as you ride through Barrie following Bayfield Street, Ross Street, uphill on Sunnidale Road and onto Anne Street North before picking up an off road trail – the Hickling Recreational Trail
Hickling Recreational Trail -47 km – 11am – 3pm
Enter the Hickling Trail from the northern terminus of Anne Street. This non paved trail is 1.5 km long and features a steady uphill followed by a steep and winding descent to a parking lot on Snow Valley Road. Please take care on the descent which although short requires some heavy braking. Please ride in single file and give each other plenty of room – no overtaking of other riders please. If you prefer you can walk your bike down this section – please make sure you stay to the right to allow other cyclists to pass you safely.
After exiting the trail into the trailhead parking lot take a left turn onto Snow Valley Road.
North Simcoe Rail Trail – 54km
Turn onto Vespra Valley Road and head down to the North Simcoe Rail Trail. You will follow this crushed gravel trail to Phelpston. Take care after passing Hendrix Station- the trail becomes shared use with ATV riders. After crossing Rainbow Valley Road you may wish to use Phelpston Road which runs alongside the trail and has a much better surface.
Phelpston – 66 km –
Washroom and water refill at the GWTA van.
Elmvale – 75km – Springwater Rest Stop – 12- 3:30pm
Elmvale is a great place to stop for a quick snack before heading out for a final push to Wasaga Beach. The Township of Springwater will host a rest stop at Heritage Park in Elmvale where washrooms will be available. If you have time head down the street to visit the Elmvale Spring at the Water Kiosk which claims to have some of the purest groundwater on the planet!
Check out the Elmvale bakery which is open until 4pm.
Wasaga Beach – 95km – 1- 4pm
Wasaga Beach is home to the world’s longest freshwater beach and one of Ontario’s most unique coastal dune ecosystems. More than 14 kilometers of white sandy coastline that are well-known and attract millions of visitors annually. However, what may not be as well known is incredible work underway to to protect Piper Plovers, an endangered shorebird that needs a healthy beach ecosystem to thrive. In addition to extensive research and monitoring, Ontario Parks staff set up nest enclosures to help protect the birds from predation and close off the area to the public during nesting. The goal is to restore population levels.
Nancy Island Historic Site Welcome Centre
119 Mosley Street, Wasaga Beach (located across from 3rd Street N.) (705) 429-2728
Hours: 10 am – 5 pm
Interpretive displays at the Nancy Island Historic Site Welcome Centre explain more about Wasaga Beach Provincial Park’s unique ecosystems, flora and fauna, and history. Nancy Island Historic Site houses the charred hull and artefacts of HMS Nancy, a schooner from the War of 1812 that battled 3 American Schooners. Checkout is a wonderful recounting of the history of the HMS Nancy and her crew.
Overnight Locations
Camping
Wasaga Beach Arena – 425 River Rd W, Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2X2
Hotels:
Wasaga Beach Inn – 159 Main Street, Wasaga Beach, Ontario L9Z 2L3
Sharadon Sands -119 Main St, Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2K9
Saga Resort -88 Main St, Wasaga Beach, ON L9Z 2K9
Beachfront at Beach 1 – 130 Mosely St, Wasaga Beach
Dinner
Tonight’s dinner is “on your own” grab a take out and eat it on the beach or visit one of the many fun beachfront restaurants.
