Ontario has a wide variety of trails for all levels of hikers. Those looking for a wilderness challenge will find it in the rugged wilderness of the Canadian Shield of Northern Ontario where there are few secondary roads and a sparse population.
Even though Southern Ontario (south of Algonquin Park) has a lot of farmland and urban sprawl there are plenty of trails within an hour's drive. Algonquin and Frontenac Parks are the best options for wilderness excursions.
Several long-distance trails in Southern Ontario such as the Bruce and Ganaraska trails offer multi-day hikes with the convenience of lodging at nearby towns. Many of them form part of the National Trail, a coast-to-coast hiking trail. Upon its completion, the Voyageur Trail, together with the Bruce Trail, will provide a 1,800-km footpath from Niagara to Thunder Bay, forming a major portion of the National Trail.
Important: Avoid contracting Lyme Disease by preventing tick bites and knowing the symptoms of infection.
Major Trails in Ontario
The maps below show only approximate locations of trails.
Northern Ontario
 | Trans Canada Trail |  | National Trail | |
 | Existing multi-use trail |  | Existing hiking trail | |
 | Planned multi-use trail |  | Planned hiking trail |
Location | Length | Nbr of Ratings | Average Rating | |
Northern Ontario | ||||
- | ||||
1,100 km (in progress) | ||||
64 km | 1 | 4.5 | ||
70 km | 6 | 4.8 | ||
55 km | 13 | 4.6 | ||
- | ||||
80 km | 8 | 3.3 | ||
40 km | 2 | 4.0 | ||
12 km | 2 | 3.5 | ||
Near North/Algonquin Region | ||||
12 km | 3 | 4.5 | ||
30 km | 2 | 3.5 | ||
100 km | ||||
- | 2 | 5.0 | ||
15 km | 3 | 4.8 | ||
27 km | ||||
120 km | 13 | 4.5 | ||
100 km | 9 | 4.7 | ||
20 km | 2 | 4.0 | ||
16 km | ||||
Hiking Trails of Southern Ontario
Location | Length | Nbr of Ratings | Average Rating | |
Southwestern Ontario | ||||
30 km | 2 | 4.5 | ||
26 km | 1 | 5.0 | ||
300 km | 1 | 3.5 | ||
40 km | 12 | 4.1 | ||
10 km | 4 | 4.0 | ||
775 km | 13 | 4.8 | ||
15 km | ||||
48 km | ||||
- | ||||
130 km | 2 | 4.2 | ||
100 km | ||||
130 km | 1 | 4.0 | ||
39 km | 2 | 4.0 | ||
100 km | 3 | 3.0 | ||
300 km | 4 | 2.8 | ||
12 km | ||||
Eastern Ontario | ||||
25 km | 3 | 4.5 | ||
50 km | 1 | 4.5 | ||
150 km | 5 | 4.0 | ||
300 km | 2 | 4.0 | ||
- | 6 | 3.9 | ||
20 km | 1 | 4.5 | ||
*New listing - not shown on map
Trail ratings are submitted by visitors to this site who have hiked the trails and thus are subjective. You can rate the trails at an area that you have visited by clicking on the "Rate this Area" link found under that area's listing.
For info on shared-use trails, see also Mountain Biking in Ontario and Trans-Canada Trail in Ontario.
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