Ed McDonnell
CEO, Greenbelt Foundation
Karen Graham
President, Oak Ridges Trail Association
You can circle the globe, hiking and cycling every gramworthy trail, and never find the equal of what’s right here at home.
It’s already been a long morning hike when I crest the hill at the northern edge of Northumberland County Forest and am struck by the glacier-carved beauty of the Oak Ridges Moraine. I watch two ospreys circle high over the sunlit waters of Rice Lake. After a moment, I shake the dew from my shoes and press on, towards Alderville First Nation and the village of Roseneath, where I’ll gorge on butter tarts and other local food gems from the incredible rural eateries that remain Ontario’s best-kept secrets.
I feel I could keep walking for days, and on the Oak Ridges Trail you can. “The Oak Ridges Trail is 268 kilometers of scenic hiking paths spanning the Moraine,” says Ed McDonnell, CEO of the Greenbelt Foundation. “The Oak Ridges Moraine is a key feature of Ontario’s Greenbelt. It provides essential ecological services to us, such as filtering our water, valuable habitat for plants and animals, while also offering Ontarians easy access to horseback riding, walking, and cycling. Having these ecological resources and recreational opportunities right next to the largest urbanized area in the country is really incredible.”
Greenbelt’s beating heart
The Greenbelt encompasses 2 million acres of protected farmland, forests, trails, wetlands, rivers, and lakes surrounding the highly developed Greater Golden Horseshoe. And the Moraine I walk through is the Greenbelt’s beating heart. “This remarkable geology, with its huge sand and gravel hills and its deep aquifers, feeds the Rouge and the Don and most of Southern Ontario’s other major waterways,” says Karen Graham, President of the Oak Ridges Trail Association. “We have to protect it. It’s a refuge not only for nature, but for us.”
It’s a reminder that no matter how disconnected from the natural world we might sometimes feel, we remain inseparable from it. “These are very sensitive natural spaces that require a strong conservation lens,” says McDonnell. “But we also know how to create sustainable recreational opportunities with minimal negative impact. If we do it right, we can have access to nature while also protecting it.”
That balance is part of what makes the Greenbelt so remarkable. Here, access to nature isn’t an afterthought.
Rural culture, food, and adventure
In addition to unrivalled natural beauty, the Greenbelt is also home to countless vibrant rural communities, each with its own character and charm. “Public transit can drop you off at a trailhead and pick you up at a trailhead,” says Graham. “Last year we offered 270 guided hikes. Nothing is more special to me than a brand new hiker experiencing the Moraine for the first time.”
It’s not my first time here, I grew up in the Moraine. In the decades since moving away, I’ve hiked through Spain, Japan, Mexico, Greece, and Alaska. Still, I find these trails I grew up walking and cycling, a stone’s throw from my childhood home, remain the equal of them all. And with new connections, improved access, and a growing appreciation for the landscapes on our doorstep, Ontario’s trail networks continue to evolve.
To discover Ontario’s Greenbelt, visit greenbelt.ca/explore.
