Discovery Routes: Remembering the Forgotten Trails in Ontario
It’s a chilly mid-February morning in the heart of the Almaguin Highlands, 20-some kilometres down the old Chemical Road, when long-time trail steward Rick grabs his clippers and sets out to find one of the area’s forgotten trails. He’s accompanied by Eleonora, who’s new to South River and had noticed some old Forgotten Trail signs hidden by overgrown brush when out wandering in her new backyard.
Nestled across an expansive wilderness west of Ontario’s Algonquin Park, a small cluster of backcountry hiking trails are cared for by volunteers and cherished by local outdoor enthusiasts. The Forgotten Trails, as they are known, evoke a sense of mystery of tales forgotten in time.
Like many of Canada’s recreational trails, the Forgotten Trails trace the footsteps of the area’s first inhabitants. Their origins are the paths of the Huron, Ojibway and Algonquin people who shared the vast area as hunting grounds. When crown surveyors discovered the area’s rich timber stands in the late 1800s, logging companies began to carve out timber trails to harvest the white and red pine stands. By 1880, the government began upgrading logging roads to promote settlement, luring families north with “free land” grants. But dreams were dashed by the harsh northern climate, infertile soil and isolation. By the time the railway reached the area in 1886, many disillusioned families took the opportunity to move back to southern Ontario or into western Canada. The trails and communities they left behind fell into disrepair and were forgotten in time.
In the early ‘90s, the South River Chamber of Commerce recognized that the paths winding through the beautiful Almaguin Highlands’ forests were the source of many forgotten tales, and so the Forgotten Trails project was born. Students were hired to research the pathways of old and to help clear and mark them for recreational use. The network of trails thrived for many years with a community of volunteer trail stewards who formed the Forgotten Trails Association.
Fast forward twenty years, and the Forgotten Trails have faced many of the same challenges typical of volunteer trail organizations: volunteer burnout, frustration over red tape and escalating insurance costs. By 2019, many of the once thriving trails had once again become lost in time.
When Rick and Eleonora began rediscovering these routes, the Forgotten Trails gained a new burst of energy and enthusiasm. Participation in outdoor activities is at an all-time high, and a new generation of caring people have relocated to the Almaguin Highlands to escape the city. Holding firm to the original mission to create, maintain and promote non-motorized, ecologically sustainable trails of natural or historical significance, a small and growing group of volunteers are working to revitalize the organization and its beloved hiking trails.
The Tom Thomson Portage Trail follows a historic portage route used by the famous painter to access the village of South River back in the day. The trail was reopened over the winter thanks to that small group of volunteers equipped only with clippers and a strong desire to give others the opportunity to experience the Great Outdoors. This spring, Moose Mountain Trail will be the first trail in many years to have a volunteer work party clear deadfall and renew trail signs so that hikers can once again take in the beautiful views of the Almaguin Highlands at the doorstep of Algonquin Park’s access point #1 at Kawawaymog Lake. The Laurier Tower Trail that takes hikers to the site of an old fire tower where only the footings remain of a decommissioned tower will also get attention this year. The old Loxton Beaver Loop will require a lot more volunteer effort to reverse the damage caused by motorized vehicles. But this new group is driven by a generous nature and a willingness to make an impact, and so they will undoubtably be successful in their endeavour.
Find the Forgotten Trails on Discovery Routes Adventure Trails Map. Volunteers are always welcome and can find opportunities to get involved through the Facebook Group @ForgottenTrails. Donations to help revitalize the trails and recognize the volunteer efforts are graciously accepted through the regional trails organization and charity, Discovery Routes, at discoveryroutes.ca/donation.
So happy to have these trails and especially thankful for the volunteers who maintain them.