Seguin – Rail Trail / MTB

Length – 80+ km (one way)
95% rail trail
5% roads, crossings, detours,

Elevation – This route is not as flat as most rail lines, and it dips down to cross smaller bridges.

Terrain – A crushed-stone base with larger rail bedding rocks, it is rather sandy in areas with large puddles after a rain; rock cuts for the MTB rider.

Skill – Advanced for Rail Trail riders, Easy for the MTB crowd.

Traffic – Busy on summer weekends, with bicyclists, hikers, horseback riders, and ATVs (main users), as well as snowmobiles in winter.

Maps – Adequate signage at gates and the post markers along the trail have been improved.

Facilities – Parking, food, and washrooms can be found in the towns of Parry Sound, Sprucedale, and Kearney, as well as at Hwy 400 and Oastler Park.

Highlights – A scenic, hillier ride with rock cuts and wooden bridges. Enjoy the falls and the ghost town of Seguin Falls, as well as wetlands, many creeks, and farmland.

Trail Fee – Free for non-motorized use.

Phone – 888 587 3762

Website – Park to Park

Similar Trail – Algonquin, North Simcoe, Two Lakes

Local Clubs –  MORCA

Access – A few good access points may be found at:

• Parry Sound Harbour at Glen Burney Rd.
• Hwy 400, approximately 10 km south of Parry Sound at Horseshoe Lake Rd.
• Orville community centre; the trail starts 400 m east.
• Seguin Falls at Hwy 518 N and Nipissing Rd. E; roadside parking as the trail crosses Nipissing Rd.
• Sprucedale at Hwy 518 N and Stisted Rd. S; street parking

Starting at Georgian Bay, at the Parry Sound harbour, this Rail Trail passes over Hwy 400 and crosses Hwy 518 many times, leading to Hwy 11 and eventually fading into the bush somewhere past Kearney.

This is not your average Rail Trail, although it is well-maintained and gets plenty of use by ATVs and snowmobiles. However, this causes the terrain to get chewed up and dusty, with large rocks and loose gravel everywhere.

Different sections have large puddles (more like ponds) that are wide and deep, and you have no choice but to ride through. Expect flooding in the spring.

This is not to say all of the route is challenging. Other sections appear to be smoother, but not for long.

I did encounter large sandy sections that skinny tires could not manage. The terrain is best suited for MTBs, Fatbikes, or a good hybrid bike. 

Therefore, I would rate this as an Advanced Rail Trail ride compared to the mellow routes in the south.

Most Rail Trails are rather flat except for here, where the original bridges were replaced with small wooden ones at a lower grade.

This gives riders a short hill down in order to cross and head back up the other side. That said, the full length actually slopes gradually up from Georgian Bay for 150 m.

At 80+ km one way, this is a long trail, and you need to choose just a section of it for a day’s ride.

I suggest a 43 km loop I have done a few times. Head out from Hwy 400 to Orville, then back on Hwy 518. At Oastler Park Dr. ride south to meet up with the trail before again crossing the 400. I found the road traffic not busy on the return, and the paved shoulders on Oastler were surprisingly spacious.

Another good starting point is at the south end of…

Read the rest of this review in my trail guidebook along with 64 others. Features train history with better maps, elevation graphs and parking locations when you buy the eBook or paperback.