ATV & Snowmobile Trails
Cottage country is a four-season playground for outdoor enthusiasts. Explore over 2,000 km of OFSC snowmobile trails, 700+ km of ATV trails, and hundreds of kilometres of multi-use trails across the Bancroft, Haliburton Highlands, and Kawarthas region.
OFSC Snowmobile Trails
The Bancroft and Haliburton region is served by two OFSC districts, offering over 2,000 kilometres of groomed snowmobile trails. Trails connect communities across the Kawartha/Haliburton hinterlands, anchored in the southwest by Fenelon Falls, northwest by Haliburton, northeast by Bancroft, and southeast by Havelock.
OFSC District 2 — Central Eastern Area Snowmobile Region
Covers the Kawarthas, Bancroft, and Mazinaw areas. Contact: 705-775-3472.
- TOP Trail E — Trunk trail crossing the northern part of the Kawarthas/Haliburton near Bancroft and Haliburton
- Feeder Trails — Blue trails with letter-number combinations (e.g., TOP E108) connecting communities to trunk trails
- Club Trails — Local routes shown in orange with numbers
OFSC District 6 — Snow Country Snowmobile Region
Covers Haliburton, Bancroft, and Ottawa Valley. Contact: 1-877-376-7669. Website: snowcountrysnowmobileregion.ca
Local clubs include:
- Maple Leaf Snow Skimmers (Bancroft) — 613-332-6215, info@snowskimmers.com
- Haliburton County Snowmobile Association (HCSA) — 370 km of OFSC trails, trail guide available
- Haliburton Forest — 300-400 km of private reservation-required trails
Key Trail Resources
- OFSC Interactive Trail Guide — ofsc.on.ca/trails — Real-time trail status (Green/Yellow/Red)
- Go Snowmobiling PRO App — Works offline, available for iOS and Android
- OFSC Find Your District — ofsc.on.ca/find-your-district
- Trak Maps Snowmobile Ontario — GPS maps for Garmin, $79.99 from the OFSC website
ATV Trails in Cottage Country
Bancroft is a paradise for ATV enthusiasts, with a vast network of trails winding through some of the most beautiful landscapes in Ontario. The Town of Bancroft permits ATVs on roadways, making it an ideal hub for riding.
Hastings Heritage Trail
A 156-km multi-use trail following an abandoned railway line from Glen Ross south to Lake St. Peter in the north. This trail is part of the Eastern Ontario Trail Alliance (EOTA) network of over 700 km of trails.
Eastern Ontario Trail Alliance (EOTA)
A 700+ km network of multi-use trails stretching from the Bay of Quinte north to Algonquin Park. The EOTA interactive trail map shows routes winding through communities across the region.
Central Ontario Loop Trail
A 450-km multi-use trail open 12 months a year, consisting of old rail line trails and secondary roads. The trail passes through five counties: Hastings, Haliburton, City of Kawartha Lakes, Peterborough, and Northumberland.
OFATV Trails
The Ontario Federation of ATV Clubs (OFATV) maintains trails across Ontario. Use the OFATV Trail Map or the QuadON App for navigation.
Local ATV Clubs
- Bancroft ATV Club — Find them on Facebook
- Algonquin ATV Club — Madawaska, (613) 637-2016, atv@mv.igs.net
- Coe Hill ATV Club — Trails around Coe Hill
Haliburton Forest ATV Trails
Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve offers ATV trails alongside its snowmobile trails. Trail maps are available for the Avenza App for iOS and Android at haliburtonforest.com.
Permits and Requirements
ATVs must be registered and insured, and a trail permit is required. Day permits, weekly permits, and annual permits are available through the OFATV website. The Town of Bancroft allows ATVs on municipal roadways.
GPS Trail Maps
Trak Maps offers ATV Ontario GPS maps for Garmin devices, featuring 3,000 km of official ATV trails with turn-by-turn directions.
Find Your Trailside Property
Many cottage country properties offer direct access to ATV and snowmobile trails. Wade Kovacic can help you find a property with trail access for year-round outdoor recreation.