Muskoka

Welcome to the land of lakes and the heart of Ontario cottage country.

The Great Lakes Waterfront Trail in Muskoka connects 10 communities and over 25 lakes including many windows onto the bays and inlets of Lakes Rosseau, Muskoka and Joseph, with several more lakes within a short distance of the route. From the peace, to the bustle and all the exquisite natural beauty in between, the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail through Muskoka will give you a true taste of the region.

You may find yourself enjoying a steamship tour in Gravenhurst, or taking an ice cream down by the Falls after shopping Bracebridge’s nearby heritage downtown. Maybe you’ll live it up in Minette or sip dockside drinks by the waterfront in Port Carling. You might hike the simple majesty of Hardy Lake, join the festivities at the annual Cranberry Festival in Bala—the cranberry capital of the world!—or settle in to watch the Perseids streak across the sky at Torrance Barrens Dark Sky Preserve. You could be resting under the stars at Six Mile Lake, tucking in for a Georgian Bay sunset at a cottage in Honey Harbour, or perusing shops before taking a dip in MacTier. You’ll find simplicity and luxury, and reasons to come back and explore this land of lakes year after year, because sometimes a taste just isn’t enough.

Two Signature Cycling Loops

There are two signed signature cycling loops in Muskoka, the 90km Lake Muskoka Loop, circumnavigating Lake Muskoka, and the 66km Lake Rosseau Loop, circumnavigating Lake Rosseau. It’s recommended that you do the Lake Rosseau Loop clockwise as there several hills made more challenging if you tackle them in the opposite direction.

Signage Coming Soon

Download Printable Map

Trail Attributes

Distance: 224km

The Trail in Muskoka follows some quieter rural and residential roads, however there are also long stretches on busier regional roads including MR 169 and 181.
Muskoka Roads 169 and 181 can be seasonally busy and many sections do not have paved shoulders, some of which are restricted by rock cuts. These sections are recommended for experienced cyclists comfortable riding with traffic including truck traffic.

Trail Tips:

Spend a few days on the 90km Lake Muskoka Loop or 66km Lake Rosseau Loop for a true taste and experience of the area.
Between Brackenrig (near Port Carling) and Bracebridge, there is a lightly signed connector along Falkenburg Road for those wanting a quieter experience.
There are scenic and culinary delights found throughout all the communities linked by the Trail in Muskoka! Bracebridge is a waterfall hot spot. Gravenhurst has a ton of heritage and Port Carling has excellent views of a number of lakes

Local Maps and Connections Staging Areas Amenities and Transit Helpful Links

Links to Local Maps

Muskoka Tourism Interactive Map – Amenities dining and events.
District of Muskoka (Municipal Interactive Map)
Gravenhurst Municipal Maps (PDF links)
Bracebridge Municipal Maps (PDF links)
Muskoka Lakes Maps (PDF links)
Georgian Bay Township Maps (PDF links)

Connections

The Trans Canada Trail – The Trans Canada Trail stretches from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, forming the largest trail network in the world. Within Muskoka, the Trans Canada Trail and Great Lakes Waterfront Trail meet and cross several times in the area north of Coopers Falls through Bracebridge.

Community Links

District Municipality of Muskoka
Town of Gravenhurst
Town of Bracebridge
Township of Muskoka Lakes
Georgian Bay Township

Staging Areas

All staging areas have parking, washrooms (may be seasonal)

Gravenhurst: Gull Lake Rotary Park, 405 Brock Street, Gravenhurst
Bracebridge: Kelvin Grove Park, 101 Ecclestone Dr, Bracebridge
Port Carling: Hanna Park, 40 Bailey St, Port Carling
Bala: Jaspen Park, Intersection of Pine Ridge Road and MR 38, west of the MR 38 MR 169 intersection
MacTier: MacTier Memorial Community Centre, 9 Haig St, MacTier
Port Severn: Port Severn Park, 39 Minten’s Lane, Port Severn

Where to Stay:

Under the sheets? Port Severn, Honey Harbour, Gravenhurst, Bracebridge, Port Carling, Minette, Windermere, Bala. There are many other cottage resorts scattered throughout.

Under the stars? Whispering Pines near Bracebridge offers camping and cottage sites near Santa’s Village theme park. Six Mile Lake Provincial Park is also located along the Big Chute Loop with some camping available at the lockstations on the Trent-Severn Waterway.

Amenities

Accommodations, Campground
Accommodations, Roofed
Beaches
Groceries
Hospital
South Muskoka Memorial Hospital is located in Bracebridge.
LCBO (Includes Breweries and Wineries)
Marinas
Museums
Outfitters
Restaurants
Shopping Areas
Tourist Information
Washrooms
WIFI
Winter Maintenance
Not all sections of the route in Muskoka are maintained for cycling in winter.

Transit

Transit:
The Corridor 11 Bus runs weekdays (excluding holidays) from Huntsville to Barrie and back including stops in the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail communities of Orillia, Washago (near the route), Gravenhurst and Bracebridge.

GO Transit: Travellers can connect to Barrie from the the Greater Toronto, Hamilton and Niagara regions via GO transit.

Porter Airlines offers limited flights between Toronto and Muskoka Airport located between Gravenhurst and Bracebridge.

Ontario Northland runs a bus service from Toronto with many stops through the North.

Shuttle
In addition to their touring opportunities, Humdinger Tours offers a customizable shuttle service which can include luggage and gear. Contact them for a quote.

Helpful Links

Tourism (General)
Muskoka Tourism — Places to eat, places to stay, packages events etc for the District of Muskoka and an interactive map.

Explorer’s Edge — Regional tourism for Muskoka, Parry Sound and the surrounding area. Places to visit, activities, packages and events.
Tourism Muskoka’s Cycle-and-Stay recommendations.

Santa’s Village — Theme park with available camping.

Museums and Heritage Sites
Muskoka Steamships — Tour on the RMS Segwun, North America’s oldest operating steamship or the more modern Wenonah II. Located in Gravenhurst.

Bethune Memorial House National Historic Site — Historic victorian-era home. Located in Gravenhurst.

Muskoka Lakes Museum — Explore the history and heritage of the Muskoka region. Located on a lovely island in Port Carling.

Muskoka Rails Museum — Located in Gravenhurst

Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Site — a 386 historic waterway connecting Lake Huron at Port Severn to Lake Ontario in Trenton. Locks 44 and 45 are located along the Big Chute Loop section of the route in Muskoka. The Big Chute Marine Railway is not to be missed!

Natural Attractions
Muskoka’s natural beauty is incredible. There are 15 lakes connected by the Trail, leading to numerous hiking and paddling opportunities. Muskoka is its own natural attraction. Here are a few more locations you can visit.

Hardy Lake Provincial Park — Great hiking near Torrance, west of Gravenhurst.

Torrance Barrens Dark-Sky Preserve — Perfect for stargazing. Camping and some hiking trails on site. Located roughly 8km south of Torrance on MR 13.

Muskoka Waterfalls — There are plenty of waterfall locations to visit. You’ll find a lot around the Bracebridge area.

Six Mile Lake Provincial Park — Canoeing, camping, hikes. Located along the Big Chute Loop section of the Trail.

Ontario By Bike — Great resource with routes, tours and a vast list of bike-friendly businesses.