Beaver River Wetland Trail

Blackwater to Woodville, approx 20 km

July 9, 2003

Following is a mini-review for this very nice trail. It does not follow my usual format but I think the important information is present.

I parked beside the highway in Blackwater. The sign for the trail to Uxbridge and Lindsay said it was private, for snowmobiles only. The trail to Woodville is owned by the Lake Simcoe Conservation Authority so anyone can use it, but snowmobilers need a permit.

I cycled about 100 m east on the snowmobile trail, then took the left fork and cycled 16 km. I was about 2 km past Cannington and about 4 short of Woodville, but the trail became boring and the surface a little rougher, so I turned back.

The surface was generally very good for a trail that has not been upgraded with a stonedust surface. I was able to ride at 20 - 22 km/hr on about half of it, about 18 km/hr on most of the rest, and perhaps only about 12 km/hr on some short sections. In Sunderland the trail is lost to a private owner and there is a crude path around, then you have to cross the Co-op yard to rejoin. There is one place where the swamp was draining across the trail and I had no choice but to ride through it. It turned out to be deeper than I expected and I got both feet wet, but they dried quickly in the warm air. On the return trip I rode closer to the edge of the depression and kept my feet dry, but it was a little tricky and I was afraid I might lose my balance. Made it, though.

I would not think the trail would be suitable for wheelchairs or young children.

Much of the trail is adjacent to swamp and very pretty. I saw a very large turtle, about 12" long, a snake, some rabbits, a groundhog and lots of birds. Bugs were not much bother, but I did not stop and linger too long.

When I got back to the "Y" at Blackwater I cycled east about 2 km on the snowmobile club trail. It was a little rougher but not bad. The bugs started to get bad but I would think it is more likely due to the time of day, about 4:00 p.m., than any change in nature.

Does the snowmobile club mind people cycling on their trail during summer? If you asked them they would probably say no, for liability reasons, but they might not be upset if they saw a cyclist or hiker along it. At least I would hope not. The Conservation Authority does not name any use that is prohibited along their section.

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