Beaver River Wetland
Beaver River Wetland Conservation Area
Activities
Welcome to Beaver River Wetlands Conservation Area. A 500-hectare wilderness oasis located between Uxbridge and Cannington/Manilla. Featuring one of the largest intact wetland complexes in the Lake Simcoe Watershed, come experience nature along 34 km of fully accessible, smooth limestone, winter-groomed trail.
Beaver River Wetland Trail Bridge Closed to Motorized Vehicles
To ensure the safety of all visitors and protect the Beaver River Wetland Trail, the 11th Concession Trail Bridge is now closed to all motorized vehicles, effective immediately.
A recent preliminary assessment conducted by a structural engineering firm identified safety concerns, recommending the restriction of motorized traffic, including ATVs, snowmobiles, pickup trucks, trail groomers, and maintenance vehicles on the bridge. Pedestrians and cyclists may continue to use the bridge safely.
Barricades and signage will be installed to enforce the closure, which also applies to trail maintenance vehicles.
We appreciate your understanding and cooperation as we work to maintain a safe and enjoyable trail experience for all.
For more details, please contact
Dan Andrews, Land & Resources Planning Technician
905-895-1281, ext. 225 | d.andrews@LSRCA.on.ca
Come to get Active
A fantastic trail for all levels of walkers and hikers, from novices to experts. Cyclists and cross-country skiers enjoy the long straightaways. Come on wheelchair, horseback or snowmobile. Open year around, sunrise to sunset.
Come for the Wildlife
Excellent for wildlife viewing. Highlights include migrant birds who stop here in the spring + fall, frogs and turtles bask on the water and snakes sun themselves on the gravel trail. Mammals, like our national Beaver, use the long, linear stretch as a safe corridor.
Come for the Serenity
Immerse yourself in nature’s calm and tranquility. The largest of our Conservation Areas, this pristine area is as it was eons ago. Come breath in the fresh air, see the cattails sway and feel the sun shine through the blue open skies.
Located between Uxbridge and Cannington, the Beaver River Wetland Conservation Area is Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority’s largest landholding, at more than 1300 hectares. The area consists of two parts – a historic abandoned CN rail line which provides for a recreational trail through the conservation area, and an extensive provincially significant wetland.
Beaver River Wetland Trail
The Beaver River Wetland Trail is one of the best ways to access and savor the smells, sights and sounds of the pristine and largely undeveloped Beaver River wetland. The all-season trail is built upon the flat, wide bed of the historic Toronto and Nipissing Railway (T&NR) dating back to the late 1800’s when it supplied the Toronto Distillery District with wood and wheat, but the line was abandoned in the early 1990’s and is now nearly 40km in length, connecting Uxbridge, Cannington and Manilla in a Y-like configuration. Blackwater is home to the hub at the centre of the trail enjoyed by hikers and cycling enthusiasts in the summer and snowmobilers in the winter enjoying this unique Conservation Area.
The trail section from Blackwater north to Cannington is owned and managed by the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority. Retrofits were completed in 2023 with Government of Canada support through the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario (FedDev Ontario), to improve infrastructure and drainage, and trail safety and accessibility. Improvements included a parking lot plan and the addition of rest areas, bike repair stations and trail counters.
What makes this trail great is the abundant wildlife you can see as you travel along the trail – in the summer you might see a great blue heron, red-winged blackbirds, muskrats and beavers in the wetland. In the winter, the quiet calm soothes the spirit and mind as you watch the snow drift through the wetland.
Need some help finding your way?
Hours: Open daily, from dawn until dusk
Latitude: 44.2885175
Longitude: -79.0518634
Address: A linear property that stretches from Blackwater to Cannington. The trail runs the length of the property and can be accessed at any point where it crosses roads – at most of these locations, parking is available at the side of the road.
Who to Contact
Conservation Lands
✆ 905-895-1281
✆ 1-800-465-0437 Toll free
✉ info@LSRCA.on.ca
Amenities
Hiking / Cycling / Cross-country Skiing Trails
Connected to The Great Trail and Lake to Lake Trail
Trails are maintained in the winter by the Heart of Ontario Snowmobile Club
Natural Features
River
Wetlands
