9 Stunning Places to Go Snowmobiling in Ontario

It’s said that beauty is in the eye of the beholder. When it comes to snowmobiling, nothing’s more beautiful to me than trail riding on a sunny, blue-sky day with a perfectly groomed ribbon of white stretching ahead to the far horizon. 

So when asked to list my 9 most beautiful destinations to snowmobile in Ontario, I thought to myself: Any place can be most beautiful at any moment in time when trail conditions are perfect. You know, those places when you and your riding buds look at one another and exclaim, “Boy, it sure doesn’t get any better than this!”

But that wow-worthy beauty isn’t something that can be pin-pointed on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG) or captured in a tourism brochure. It has to be experienced up front and personal from the seat of your snowmobile. So I concluded that the question really should be: “What are 9 Ontario destinations where I’ve had exceptional trail rides?” 

Fortunately, this province has over 30,000 kilometres of OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails for recreational riding. So, the odds of having an exceptional trail ride on any given day are remarkably high. 

Listed alphabetically, here are 9 memorable destinations in Ontario that have delivered beautiful trail experiences for me. Each has enough Trans Ontario Provincial (TOP) Trail and Club Trail options that day ride distances can be tailored to suit big milers, couples rides or families looking for great sledding getaways. You can bet that whichever destination you choose will be a thing of beauty for you!

1. Bancroft      

Founded in the mid-1800s for the mining and lumber industries, Bancroft (population 3,500) is surrounded by a legacy of old logging and resource roads and rail lines. These historic corridors form an incomparable network of excellent snowmobile trails that enable easy snowmobile access to all area trails. As a town that welcomes snowmobiling, Bancroft even built a snowmobile bridge across the York River so riders can access services more easily from the TOP Trail B106E that runs right through town.

• Tourism Region: Ontario’s Highlands
• OFSC District: 2 & 6
• Road Access: Hwys 28 & 62
• Trail Access: TOP B106E
• Where We Stayed: Bancroft Inn & Suites
• Other Lodging Options: The Sword Inn

Day Rides

• Southeast: Bon Echo Loop
• North: Madawaska Highlands Loop
• Southwest: Kawartha Highlands Tour

Get More Info: Riding Bancroft Area

2. Cochrane  

Cochrane (population just over 5,000) has lived up to its reputation for delivering “The World’s #1 Snowmobile Trails” for over 25 years. This Francophone community has established itself as the gateway community to the popular Northern Corridor and is big enough to have all the services and amenities snowmobilers need – but small enough that it’s friendly and easy to get around. 

• Tourism Region: Northeastern Ontario
• OFSC District: 15
• Road Access: Hwy 11
• Trail Access: TOP A
• Where We Stayed: Thriftlodge Cochrane South
• Other Lodging Options: Best Western Swan Castle, Travelodge by Wyndham, Westway Motel

Day Rides

• Southwest: Gateway to North Tour
• North: Abitibi Canyon Tour
• West: Lumberjack Loop

Get More Info: Riding Cochrane Area

3. Huntsville 

Thousands of vacationers flock to Muskoka every summer, so this region has become iconic as Ontario’s ultimate cottage country playground. No wonder then, that this notoriety has also made Muskoka a magnet for winter lovers in search of memorable snowmobiling – and Huntsville (population 19,816), located at the region’s north end provides easy access to the best trails in the area.

• Tourism Region: The Great Canadian Wilderness
• OFSC District: 7
• Road Access: Hwys 11 or 400 (from the south or north), Hwy 35 (from the south), Hwys 118 or 60 (from the southeast)
• Trail Access: TOP D102B, Club Trail 78
• Where We Stayed: Deerhurst Resort
• Other Lodging Options: Blue Spruce Resort, Hidden Valley Resort, Spring Lake Resort

Day Rides

• Southeast: Lake of Bays Watch Tour
• North: loop to Kearney
• Southwest: loop to Bracebridge + Muskoka Magic Tour

Get More Info: Riding Huntsville Area

4. Mattawa 

Positioned in the Laurentian Mountain Range and the Canadian Shield, Mattawa (population 2,000) always seems to get good snow conditions and offers a variety of uncrowded and underused trails. Mattawa really embraces winter and caters to snow lovers. It offers a variety of lodgings and restaurants. Most provide easy access by TOP A112A that runs beside and through town.

• Tourism Region: Northeastern Ontario
• OFSC District: 11
• Road Access: Hwy 17
• Trail Access: TOP A112A
• Where We Stayed: Valois’ Motel & Restaurant
• Other Lodging Options: Mattawa Adventure Camp, Le Voyageur Inn

Day Rides

• East: Ride TOP A toward Pettawa and return on local club trails
• West: Explorers Snow Tour Loop
• Northwest: TOP A102D to TOP A/D, then do a Field-Marten River loop, returning on NB Trail 308.

Get More Info: Riding Mattawa Area

5. Owen Sound       

Midwestern Ontario includes what’s commonly referred to as “the Grey-Bruce.” Sandwiched between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay, it also boasts a large chunk of the famous Niagara Escarpment known as the Bruce Peninsula. Its largest centre is The City of Owen Sound (pop. 21,341). Located to the north of the region at the eastern base of the Bruce Peninsula, this urban centre is an ideal destination for staging day loops.

• Tourism Region: Bruce, Grey, Simcoe
• OFSC District: 9
• Road Access: Hwys 6 & 10 (from south), Hwy 28 (from east), Hwy 21 (from west)
• Trail Access: TOP B (from east or west, TOP B110 (from south)
• Where We Stayed: Best Western Inn On The Bay
• Other Lodging Options: Inn on 6th, Quality Inn

Day Rides

• East: Walter’s Falls Tour + local options
• Southwest: Saugeen River Tour
• North: Bruce Peninsula Tour

Get More Info: Riding Owen Sound Area

6. Pembroke    

Positioned in the heart of the beautiful Ottawa Valley, Pembroke (population: 24,000) is at the juncture of TOP Trails A and B, which offer excellent access to a network of well-groomed and signed trails through the Madawaska and Calabogie Highlands, and around “behind the Park”, the strip of territory sandwiched between Algonquin Park and the Ottawa River.

• Tourism Region: Ontario’s Highlands
• OFSC District: 6
• Road Access: Hwy 17
• Trail Access: TOP A
• Where We Stayed: Best Western Pembroke Inn
• Other Lodging Options: Holiday Inn Express

Day Rides

• Northwest: TOP A behind Algonquin Park to Rolphton or Stonecliffe, then exploring the 100-series club trails back to Deep River & back on TOP A.
• West: Travel TOP B to TOP B102 through Barry’s Bay and Killaloe, returning on TOP B101A /Club Trail 122 back to Pembroke.
• Southeast: Loop through Eganville, Arnprior & Westmeath, returning on Top A. 

Get More Info: Riding Pembroke Area

7. Smiths Falls    

With a population of 8,780, Smiths Falls is big enough to offer a full range of amenities and services for snowmobilers. It also retains its hospitable, small-town friendliness and a charming, vibrant downtown. Most important, TOP Trail E runs right through town, providing easy access to interesting day loops in every direction.

• Tourism Region: Ontario’s Highlands
• OFSC District: 1
• Road Access: Hwys 7 & 15
• Trail Access: TOP E (from west & south), TOP A311E (from north).
• Where We Stayed: Best Western Smiths Falls

Day Rides

• East: loop thru Athens, Brockville, Osgoode, Kemptville, and Merrickville & back into Smiths Falls. Loop north thru Carleton Place east to Constance Bay, west to Pakenham, and returning to Smiths Falls on TOP A311E.
• West: loop thru Lanark to the famous Wheeler’s Pancake House (Local Trail 1 south of MacDonald’s Corners) for lunch, then Sharbot Lake, returning on TOP E to Smiths Falls.

Get More Info: Riding Smiths Falls Area

8. Sudbury     

Located in OFSC District 12, Sudbury (pop. 160,000+) is Ontario’s largest urban centre north of the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). It offers big city services, amenities, shopping, nightlife, and attractions to more than fill any non-sledding hours and desires. These two attributes make Sudbury an ideal snowmobiling hub.

• Tourism Region: Northeastern Ontario
• OFSC District: 12
• Road Access: Hwys 69 & 17
• Trail Access: TOP D & C
• Accessible Snow Tours: Cartier Moose Loop, Chiniguchi Wolf Loop, Rainbow Elk Loop, Deer Loop
• Where We Stayed: Moonlight Inn & Suites
• Other Lodging Options: Northland Motel, Valley Inn Motel & Suites, Chateau Guay Motel

Day Rides

• Northeast: Chiniguchi Wolf Loop
• Northwest: Cartier Moose Loop
• South: Rainbow Elk Loop
• Southwest: Deer Loop

Get More Info: Riding Greater Sudbury Area

9. Sundridge      

The Almaguin Highlands is a majestic, 8000 square kilometre swathe of Canadian Shield wilderness, tucked away between Muskoka and Lake Nipissing. The region is sprinkled with rural communities, unspoiled lakes, mixed woodlands, rolling hills, and rocky crags. So it’s perfect terrain to deliver an excellent network of sledding trails for your Sundridge Ontario snowmobile ride.

• Tourism Region: The Great Canadian Wilderness
• OFSC District: 7, 10, 11
• Road Access: Hwys 400, 11
• Trail Access: TOP C104D
• Where We Stayed: Caswell Resort Hotel

Day Rides

• South: loop on TOP D thru Kearney & Burk’s Falls, returning by TOP D123
• Northwest: loop thru Port Loring and Restoule
• Southwest: loop via TOP C104D thru Magnetawan, Ahmic Harbour, and Sprucedale, returning by TOP D.

Get More Info: Riding Sundridge Area

All of these Ontario destinations have several key factors in common. First, each is designated by a snowmobile-friendly town that’s a good staging hub. Second, each is located in an active snowbelt with typically reliable snow. And third, they’re all surrounded by hundreds of kilometres of well-maintained and inter-connected OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trails with good fuel & food options. That makes each of these destinations suitable for your choice of day rides, snow tour loops, or launching a regional saddles bag tour. Best of all, each of them is poised to deliver visiting riders the exceptional trail ride that makes snowmobiling such a beautiful thing!

Ontario law requires a snowmobile entering an OFSC Prescribed Snowmobile Trail to display a valid Ontario Snowmobile Trail Permit.

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