Simcoe County Loop Trail 3 Day Tour (reg open)
Sep 12-13-14, 2026
Trip Leader: Carl Friesen. 647-998-4057. cfriesen@rogers.com
For those who missed the earlier Simcoe County Loop multi-day ride, here’s another chance to ride a similar route, the Simcoe County Loop Trail, that is an Ontario gravel classic. It’s got gorgeous lake views, the riding is mostly off-road on crushed-stone rail trails, and there are plenty of quaint villages, towns (and bakeries) along the way. Three days, 170 km total, for an easy-paced ride at an Advanced Leisure Wheeler pace (14-18 kph), and about 57 km per day. You’ll need a bike suitable for unpaved surfaces, panniers to carry your spare clothing and rain gear, and necessities for minor bike problems such as a flat tire. Accommodation in hotels, meals will be in local restaurants. Maximum ten people.
When you finish request your free Simcoe County Loop Trail T-Shirt: https://cyclesimcoe.ca/shirt-request/
Cost: $165.00 per person, tax-included, plus your meals and other incidentals. The registration fee includes two nights’ accommodation, based on double occupancy. The trip leader will try to arrange rooms and roommates; please let me know if there is someone you prefer to share with.
Add in your cost of meals, coffee, and butter tarts. Since the hotel breakfasts tent to involve mostly orange juice, bagels, and Froot Loops, you may want to pack some of your own protein. And snacks.
Riding pace and bicycles: This will be an Advanced Leisure Wheeler ride, pace 14-18 kph, no drop. It’s mostly flat along rail trails, on crushed stone, so it’s not as fast as pavement. Skinny-tire road bikes don’t do well on these surfaces; it’s better to have gravel width tires, with minimum 700x32 and preferred 700x38 or wider.
What to bring: You’ll need the ability to carry your luggage: clothing for the evenings, plus cool-weather clothing, and rain gear. It’s September, so bring your gloves and arm warmers, plus jacket.
Cancellation policy: TBN overnight rides are priced to break even. If you register and then cancel before 5 September (a week before the ride start), we’ll refund your money less a $20 cancellation fee. For cancellations made starting 5 Sept. and onwards, there won’t be a refund for you unless you can provide a replacement rider to take your place, or we can get a replacement from the Wait List. The $20 cancellation fee still applies.
Cancellation due to weather: The trip will proceed unless the weather forecast for the area, 48 hours ahead, is irredeemably bad.
Staying informed: A WhatsApp group will be created so we can stay in touch. So if you’re not already using WhatsApp, you should sign up for a (free) account from your phone’s App Store or equivalent. Important messages will also go out on email.
ITINERARY
Saturday, 12 September: We’ll meet near Barrie at 10:00 AM at the Simcoe County main office at 1110 Highway 26, Midhurst ON. We’ll meet in the parking lot to the right, after you enter the driveway off Highway 26. Overnight parking is free if we register our vehicles. There is a FLO recharge station marked. Washrooms are available. We’ll park, load up the bikes and ride through central Barrie, the only “urban” area on the route. From there, we pick up the Oro-Medonte rail trail, with views of Lake Simcoe, to Orillia. We’ll stay at the local Comfort Inn, 75 Progress Avenue, Orillia ON. Distance 45.4 km and climbing 269 m.
First day route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56289995
Sunday, 13 September: We’ll ride from Orillia to Midland, pausing to enjoy the Georgian Bay views, along more rail trail. We’ll stop in Coldwater for lunch and/or coffee. We’ll pass by the well-known Ste-Marie-Among-the-Hurons historic site, and the Martyr’s Shrine. Overnight, we’re at the Midland Inn & Suites, 720 Prospect Blvd. in Midland ON. Distance 59.4 km and climbing 306 m.
Second day route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56290002
Monday, 14 September: We’ll ride more rail trail through the port town of Penetanguishene, and back to our cars in Midhurst, for the journey home. Ride distance 65.7 km and climbing 433 m.
Third day route: https://ridewithgps.com/routes/56290009
Trip Leader: Carl Friesen. 647-998-4057. cfriesen@rogers.com
