The Ganaraska Forest is set to reopen for hiking on Friday, May 22nd.
The Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority (GRCA), which manages the forest, will also be reopening its nine conservation areas for hiking.
The GRCA is reopening its properties in three phases, allowing hiking on May 22nd, other non-motorized uses such as mountain biking on May 29th, and motorized and all other uses on June 5th.
Straddling the counties of Northumberland, Peterborough, Kawartha Lakes, and Durham region, the Ganaraska Forest is southern Ontario’s largest forest and offers hundreds of kilometres of trails.
Along with the Ganaraska Forest, GRCA is responsible for the following conservation areas:
- Ball’s Mill Conservation Area, located north of Cobourg in Hamilton Township
- Ganaraska Millennium Conservation Area, located north of Port Hope at County Road 28 and Highway 401
- Rice Lake Conservation Area, located east of Bewdley in Hamilton Township
- Cobourg Conservation Area, located on the east side of William Street in Cobourg
- Garden Hill Conservation Area, located in the Municipality of Port Hope (formerly Hope Township) on Ganaraska Road 9
- Richardson’s Lookout Conservation Area, located west of Garden Hill in the Municipality of Port Hope (formerly Hope Township)
- Thurne Parks Conservation Area, located in the Municipality of Clarington
- Port Hope Conservation Area, located beside the beside the Ganaraska River
- Sylvan Glen Conservation Area, located in the Municipality of Port Hope (formerly Hope Township).
Despite the reopening of trails for hiking, all buildings on GRCA properties will remain closed, including the Ganaraska Forest Centre and all washroom facilities.
In addition, upon its reopening, trails in the Millennium Conservation Area in Port Hope will become one way.
GRCA is requesting that hikers follow these rules:
- Stay at least two metres (six feet) apart on the trails and in parking lots
- Keep dogs on-leash
- Remove all of your litter and pet waste
- Stay on the trails
- Follow trail etiquette and respect other visitors
- Take only pictures and memories and leave only footprints.
