Ultimate Guide to Adventure Races in Ontario

If you've never heard of adventure racing, but love being outside and challenging yourself, you're in for a treat. Adventure racing is a challenging outdoor pursuit—one of the most fun activities you can do with friends and something we're willing to bet you'll spend the rest of your life participating in. This article will get you stoked on adventure racing by explaining what it’s all about and where you can participate in races all across Ontario. If you’re intrigued, be sure to become part of Ontario’s adventure racing community at Adventure Racing Ontario.   

What is Adventure Racing?

Adventure racing tests your outdoor skills in multiple endurance disciplines, with teams of two or four competing in wilderness settings (individual races are also available). Orienteering and navigation is a common element in all events; you can also expect to be challenged with running and trekking, mountain biking and paddling. Each race has the distinction of having unique elements and attributes. Shorter, two- to five-hour sprint races are a great way to try adventure racing for the first time. From there you can also register for expedition-style events taking place over up to 10 days. Twelve- and 24-hour adventure races are most common, ranging from relaxed, beginner-friendly events to extreme expeditions.  

Adventure Racing and Orienteering Clubs in Ontario

Ontario adventure racing clubs organize weekly training and various racing opportunities for adventure sport enthusiasts. This includes short races to multiday adventure races, endurance adventure races, expedition adventure races and family adventure races. Meanwhile, orienteering clubs in Ontario help you learn how to use a compass, read an orienteering map and get through an orienteering course. Many include racing programs.   

• Adventure Racing Ontario
• Orienteering Ontario
• Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running (Halton, Hamilton, Niagara)
• Stars Orienteering /Adventure Racing Club (Kitchener-Waterloo region)
• Toronto Orienteering Club
• Orienteering Ottawa
• Ukrainian Orienteering Club

Ontario Adventure Races 2025

Below, you'll find a list of the outdoor adventure races in Ontario. Some of the race dates have not yet been determined (TBD) so bookmark the race webpage or visit Adventure Racing Ontario for updates.

January

25 - Snowshoe Raid Adventure Run is hosted by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running in the snowy Blue Mountains, near Collingwood. Categories are available for adults, family and juniors. Enjoy a three-hour snowshoe race for teams of two, including navigation by map and compass. This no-pressure event encourages participants to go as hard or as easy as they wish.

February

9 - Stars Winter Adventure Race is a half-day snowshoe off-trail race hosted by the Waterloo region’s Stars Orienteering Club at Klondike Park, just outside of the town of Wasaga Beach.

April

13 - Raid the Rib Adventure Run by Don't Get Lost Adventure Racing takes place on the Niagara Escarpment, starting at the Balls Falls Conservation Area. Technical trekking challenges including steep cliffs, rocky ground and large creeks to cross. You'll have three hours to gather mandatory checkpoints and test your abilities by locating more difficult, optional checkpoints.

May

4 – Challenge the Shield Adventure Run takes place in Parry Sound. Join in for the two- or six-hour run where teams of two must navigate to as many of the 35 checkpoints as possible within the time limit. Checkpoints have different points based upon their difficulty.

24-25 – Storm Adventure Race is billed as Canada’s largest and most inclusive adventure race weekend, taking place at the Tiffin Lake Conservation Area in southwestern Ontario, near the community of Angus. A 3- to 5-hour short course appeals to beginners; a 4- to 7-hour medium course is best for intermediates; and a 6- to 9-hour advanced course will challenge expert adventure racers. Test your trekking, mountain biking and canoeing skills while collecting checkpoints along a semi-marked course within a set period of time.

TBD – Gopher Kids Trail Run is organized by Don't Get Lost Adventure Racing in late May, featuring a fun day of cross-country style racing for kids aged 14 and under, around Camp Marydale in Mount Hope, near Hamilton.

June

1 – Spring ARK Fest in Burlington for Adults and Juniors, hosted by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running. This one-hour run is through the Southern Ontario woods as they are springing to life, as you search for as many checkpoints as possible.

14 – Mattawa Canoe Race appeals to canoe trippers looking to paddle, portage and navigate their way down the historic Mattawa River in northeastern Ontario–as fast as possible in a one-day, 64-km endurance challenge.

21 – The Smokey welcomes a limited number of participants to race in a full 10-hour course or the shorter Half Smokey. Hosted by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running in southwestern Ontario, these tough races feature tight timelines, difficult navigation and rugged terrain. Both events are for advanced competitors only.

July

21 – SOO 200 is aptly described as “200 miles of pure brutality” by its organizer, Sinister Sports. This brand-new event involves trail running, trekking and navigation as competitors race through the rugged Canadian Shield hills north of Sault Ste. Marie in eastern Canada’s longest ultra-marathon event.

26-27 – Wilderness Traverse brings some of the best outdoor athletes to Sudbury for the Adventure Racing World Series North American Championships. This 30-hour event involves teams of three to four participants racing across rugged Canadian Shield terrain on foot, mountain bike and canoe. Registration is open through June 19.

August

9 – Bruce Peninsula Multisport Race is for adults, youth and kids. The Suntrail Course involves paddling, biking and running while the Subaru Long Course offers the same but with more off road opportunities and more distance. There is also a Run Duathlon with just running and biking and a Kids Race offering a run with obstacles.

24 – Raid the City Adventure Run in Hamilton is organized by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running for adults, family and juniors. This is a three-hour race for teams of two. Go as easy or as hard as you want as you explore the green spaces of the Golden Horseshoe.

TBD – Cataraqui Adventure Trek in Kingston is an adventure race crossed with a triathlon. The seven- to 10-kilometre course consists of mountain biking, trail running and paddling. Racers have four hours to complete the course as many times as they can. Held annually in August or September.

September

7 – Challenge the Shield is back for another year, organized by Multi-Sport Adventure Race in Parry Sound. Teams of two have six hours to navigate to as many of the 30 checkpoints as they can within the time limit. Checkpoints are attained by either trekking, paddling or mountain biking and are assigned varying points based on how difficult they are to reach.

12-14 – Algonquin Outfitters Muskoka River X This year’s epic paddle and portage race span a rugged and challenging course from the east to the west side of Algonquin Provincial Park. Participants must use analog navigational instruments while facing over 90 km of lakes, rivers, wetlands and portages. The race is open to individuals and teams in several categories, including canoe, kayak and standup paddleboard. Sign up early: The Muskoka River X is a perennial sell-out. 

October

TBD – Kolapore Old School Orienteering challenging your routefinding skills using analog map and compass at the Kolapore Wilderness Trails, an area with a rich orienteering history. The event is typically held in late October or early November; stay tuned for the 2025 date.

TBD – Peak-2-Peak Adventure Run is organized for adults and juniors by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running. This two-hour race in late October has lots of climbs with checkpoints on top of peaks. It is a must-do event to prepare for the Raid the Hammer Run.

26 – Raid The Hammer Adventure Run is Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running’s premier autumn event, held in the Dundas area. The full Raid is a 20- to 25-kilometre course for adults. The Half-Raid is a 10- to 15-kilometre course for adults and juniors. Both feature challenging Niagara Escarpment terrain to test your skills and stamina.

November

15-16 Golden Leaf Orienteering Fest is a two-day navigational challenge to help you get through the dark days of November, hosted by Don’t Get Lost Adventure Running in the Hamilton area. Come and test your skills and build confidence in your abilities to navigate by map and compass.

30 Icebreaker and Ark Fest is for adults and juniors in the Golden Horseshoe area. This two-hour race with many checkpoints is a run through varied terrain, likely made even tougher under a skim of ice or snow.

December 

TBD - The Hamloppet is Don't Get Lost Adventure Running's traditional end-of-year run. You'll need to visit checkpoints—in this case holiday decorations—in the order prescribed. Racers need to guess how long it will take them to visit all the checkpoints they've planned out. No watches allowed! Whoever is closest to their predicted time wins.
 

Adventure racing is more than just a sport. It is an experience that rewards creativity, mental ability and teamwork. It is about community, family and exploration. There’s no better time than now to get into adventure racing.
 

Get Into Adventure Racing Now

Adventure racing is more than just a sport. It is an experience that rewards creativity, mental ability and teamwork. It is about community, family and exploration. There’s no better time than now to get into adventure racing.

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