Ontario Snowmobiling: Muskoka

By Craig Nicholson—The Intrepid Snowmobiler Craig Nicholson is an International Snowmobile Hall of Fame powersports journalist, who specializes in writing about snowmobiling.

September 26, 2024

One of the best things about the Muskoka Snowmobile Region (MSR), located in the tourism region called Explorers’ Edge, is its easy access for the six million plus population of Southern Ontario. From downtown Toronto, it's barely two hours until you're riding smooth Ontario snowmobile trails operated by the OFSC in Muskoka. The MSR is a banding of nine snowmobile clubs into a regional snowmobile trails system, and it provides snowmobilers with hundreds of kilometers of 12- to 16-foot-wide snowmobile trails and some of the finest scenery in North America.

The region is also home to four of the biggest lakes in Ontario and a significant collection of smaller ones, too. Ontario snowmobile trails wind around the vast shorelines of Lake Muskoka, Lake Rosseau, Lake Joseph, and Lake of Bays where superb snowmobile conditions are the norm. The association's central grooming program allows efficient use of grooming equipment shared between the nine clubs, and that results in consistent quality trails for permit holders. Check out the self-guided snowmobile tours in OFSC District 7.

At the top of the system, MSR trails link up with Parry Sound and the Near North and their clubs, allowing great opportunities for high-mile adventures. At the opposite end, the MSR's trail network adjoins the massive Haliburton County Snowmobile Association grid and from there you can experience the MSR's Tall Pines Snowmobile Club trails through the busy town of Dorset and make a stop en route at the famous Oxtongue Shelter. If you approach from here, you'll link up with the Algonquin Snowmobile Club's trails, another MSR member.

At this end of the trail system, you can also connect to the Deerhurst Resort and all the other great winter resorts in the Huntsville area. Departing Huntsville, you can head toward the town of Port Sydney on Mary Lake. On our last trip there, the quantity of snow we encountered was amazing. Feet deep and still falling, another mid-winter squall had brought amazing quantities of our favorite form of precipitation. At some points, we actually had to sweep destination signs to verify our route.

Good snowfall is typical of this region mostly because of its geographical location and the fact it receives a steady diet of winter streamers off Georgian Bay. With plenty of snow early on in the season the clubs can get out grooming as early as December some years and with consistent in-season snowfall, MSR routes have a tremendous base able to hold up late into the winter.

Speaking of routes, this region is well signed and easy to navigate. With the MSR's excellent trail map onboard, you simply cannot get lost. You're never far from good places to stay or eat, or from gasoline stops or repair facilities. It all works together to make the riding fun, convenient, and easy. You can refuel in Port Sydney and ride the amazing trails groomed by the Muskoka Sno-Bombers and the Hill and Gully Riders between Port Sydney and Bracebridge.

Another option is to head toward Gravenhurst, Snowcrest Riders country, then the Town of Baysville in the Happy Wanderers Snowmobile Club area on beautiful Lake of Bays for lunch. The MSR offers tremendous opportunities to sample great dining and to experience some of the most impressive winter accommodations in Canada. Our last trek there produced better than 300 kilometres of riding and was handled in total comfort and confidence without a guide. Think about visiting MSR trails for your next ride. You'll be glad you did!

Supertrax International Magazine

Snowmobiling Tourism Contacts:

Contributing partners for this Ontario snowmobiling site about great Ontario snowmobile trails and snowmobile conditions include Intrepid Snowmobiler, Murphy Insurance, Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs, Ontario Tourism, Snow Goer Media, Supertrax Media.

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About Craig Nicholson—The Intrepid Snowmobiler

Popularly known as The Intrepid Snowmobiler, Craig Nicholson is an International Snowmobile Hall of Fame journalist who specializes in recreational snowmobiling activities. Craig has snowmobiled in every region of Canada and many states. His one-of-a-kind tour book, “Canada’s Best Snowmobiling – The Ultimate Ride Guide”, chronicles his adventures, as does his website and Facebook page.