Recreation
Camping/Hiking
The shade of an oak in the lush Carolinian
forest, the roar of the river as it rushes
down to the Elora Gorge, the charm of a covered
bridge at West Montrose and the sights and
sounds of the Grand River trail system are
the year-round joy of hikers and cyclists.
Now officially linked to the Trans-Canada
Trail, the Grand's hiking network is part
of the longest trail in the world. Campers
of the Grand can choose from thousands of
public and private campsites in every kind
of terrain. Conservation management of the
Grand River watershed has produced a happy,
healthy irony: an accessible, affordable great
outdoors in one of the busiest, most populated
regions of Ontario.
The
Grand Valley Trail: From
Great Lake Shore to Central Highland
Completed in 1987, the Grand Valley Trail
extends from Rock Point Provincial Park on
Lake Erie to its pinnacle at Alton, just south
of Orangeville. The trail offers spectacular
river views, but also winds through historic
towns. It links to the Valleys Avon Trail
and Guelph-Speed Trail, as well as the famous
Bruce Trail to the east.
Conservation Camping In
addition to many private campgrounds,
the Grand River Conservation Authority
offers camping at eight Conservation
Areas, including Brant, Byng Island,
Conestogo Lake, Elora Gorge, Guelph
Lake, Laurel Creek, Pinehurst
Lake and Rockwood.
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Riding
the Rail Trails As abandoned railway
lines in the area have been taken over by
the Grand River Conservation Authority and
partners, they have been resurfaced for
cycling and hiking, and provided with parking
areas and access points. Rail trail routes
now include:
•The Cambridge
to Paris Rail Trail:
The 18 kilometre trail follows the
Grand River through the Carolinian Forest
with spectacular river overlooks en route.
The trail links with the SC Johnson Trail
from Paris to Brantford.
•The Hamilton
to Brantford Rail Trail: Ontario's
first entirely off-road, interurban hiking
and biking trail, this 32 kilometre route
climbs through the scenic Dundas valley,
crossing under Highway 403 into Brantford,
and connecting with that city's Gordon Glaves
Memorial Pathway.
•The SC
Johnson Trail: This trail provides
a 10 kilometre link between Paris and Brantford,
connecting the Hamilton-Brantford and Cambridge
to Paris Rail Trails.
•The Elora
Cataract Trailway: Running through
rolling countryside just east of Elora,
the 47 kilometre trail extends to the historic
community of Fergus, and past Belwood Lake
to reach the Forks of Credit Provincial
Park at Cataract. In Fergus, signs direct
trail users through town streets for approximately
2 kilometres. The trail passes through the
Belwood Lake Conservation Area.
Trans-Canada Connection
The 16,000 kilometre Tans-Canada
Trail enters the Grand River watershed through
the Elora Cataract Trailway in the north,
and links the communities of Guelph, Fergus,
Elora, Elmira, Kitchener, Waterloo, Cambridge,
Paris, Brantford, Caledonia and Dunnville.
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