Winter Adventures in Muskoka

The great advantage of Muskoka is the easy access, with Hwy 400 and Hwy 11 delivering you to the region in a little over an hour. In winter there won’t be the hordes of traffic heading up there every Friday night although do expect it to be busy, given its popularity for winter activities. You should also expect and respect the conditions you’ll find!

When we used to fly in from UK in the winter, I always loved the ‘instant winter’aspect of driving north. We’d arrive, often to find some snow around theairport, but nothing spectacular, and start heading up the ‘400. By Barrie, winter was definitely in progress and once we got to Bracebridge, we reached the snowy wonderland we had come for. Lake effect snow can bring massive amounts of the white stuff to the area when the city has just a few centimeters, so if you are planning a trip, make sure you are well prepared.

Once you get there, a wealth of winter fun awaits! If you have your own snowmobile, thousands of miles of OFSC trails are open to you and if not, you can rent one from Muskoka Motion .They can provide you with machine, helmet, gloves, clothing – in short, everything you need for a day out on the trails. And if you need a guide, then give them some advanced notice and they have those too.

Downhill skiers will love Hidden Valley. Located to the east of Huntsville off Hwy 60, there’s plenty of runs for all abilities, ski school for budding skiers and snowboarders, and enough lifts to get you up to the runs with little delay.After a day’s skiing, head off to Rock Ridge for an evening of floodlit tubing. I just love this. Sit on a huge rubber tube, get towed to the top of the hill, then the kind attendant will push you off the top and give you a spin as well. This is such a rush – go with a bunch of friends and hurtle down with three or four tubes together. There’s a licensed restaurant too so you can take a break amidst all the fun for a burger and a beer.

Cross country enthusiasts can get there fill of some easy to difficult trails at Arrowhead Provincial Park. Cross country ski, and snowshoe rental is available there too. If you have never done cross country before, qualified instructors with Ski for Life will have you skimming the trails in no time. Visit the site for a list of workshops held on Sundays throughout the winter in Gravenhurst and Huntsville.

How about some dog sledding. Mushing across a frozen lake and through forest trails. Sounds cool doesn’t it? Call of the Wild has half day and full day trips to experience this unique winter activity north of Huntsville.

We have rental cottages available in winter throughout the Muskoka and Almaguin Highlands region. Take a look at the website and book an adventure weekend. The snow will be with us soon, so plan on getting active this winter.

Tomorrow: Winter fun in the Kawartha