Popeye Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Looking for some scenic trails to cruise and enjoy. We've done the Twin Mountains area (Enjoyed), Orillia-Coldwater-MtSt-Louis-loop (too much road-running), and north of Dorset (Enjoyed). Heard that there is deer to be seen around Madoc, can anyone confirm and the trails we should take. A loop would be nice. Hoping to make it a weekend, either in Cloyne or Madoc, with ~150km days. see attached .. looks like the trail south of Madoc is still closed. @locals -> any other local trails that can make the suggestion a loop? thanks in advance. "We are newbs out to enjoy the wilderness. Not running any races or breaking the speed record." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
revrnd Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 PM Nimrod, he's from that area and may be able to help you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pt3189 Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 i would recommend maybe a looking a little more East and North. the Cloyne area and Bon Echo to Macarthurs Mills have better conditions than West of Madoc, Loops are possible as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjbffb Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I'm in the Bancroft area and generally see at least 1 deer every time I'm out. lots of nice loops, basically take your pick. They finally turned the E110 yellow so I can loop through Bancroft, Coe Hill, Silent Lake Provincial Park and Paudash. Gas and restaurants in Bancroft, Coe Hill and Cardiff(E110/615). East of Lamable is nice to, towards Mcarthurs mills, I've heard the Marmora, Havelock, Madoc loop is nice, haven't done it yet, maybe this weekend. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I'll Ride Anything Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 Heard the E110 south of Bancroft was smooth once. Hasn't ever been my experience Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dweese Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I've riden that loop may times. My dad lives right on E212 where it crossed Hwy62. It's a great ride, 90% rail bed however. The forest trails north of Madoc is where you'll see the deer, along with turkeys, the bird not local riders The Bon Echo loop is really nice as well. Some of the best riding in southern Ontario can be found in this area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjbffb Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 LOL, we're not all turkeys!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinental couch Posted February 6, 2017 Share Posted February 6, 2017 I have been called worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeye Posted February 7, 2017 Author Share Posted February 7, 2017 19 hours ago, dweese said: The forest trails north of Madoc is where you'll see the deer, along with turkeys Awesome info as always. thanks to all who took the time to respond. Will post some pics if we (hopefully) cross bambi et al. BTW, are there any trails in the Bon-echo park itself? i see only E101 on the east side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dweese Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 3 hours ago, Popeye said: Awesome info as always. thanks to all who took the time to respond. Will post some pics if we (hopefully) cross bambi et al. BTW, are there any trails in the Bon-echo park itself? i see only E101 on the east side. Local trail 1023 runs the main road into the park down to the lake and becomes an ice trail south. I've never run the lake but have run in to the park. They don't plow it in the winter but normally others sleds have already cut trails to follow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
signfan Posted February 7, 2017 Share Posted February 7, 2017 Try riding the south half of the Hastings highlands loop. You can unload where trail 702 crosses county Rd 6 (the second time it does at the north). Then it's a short ride up 702 to get onto E-107. This is all just to the northeast of Stoney Lake which is northeast of Peterborough and Lakefield. From there there is a great loop with lunch and fuel in Apsley. Perfect loop size for Newbies (roughly 80km round trip). I love the Bon Echo trails, but for beginners there aren't many options for lunch that include a loop in the Mazinaw system. You need to look at 200km plus rides in that area to get to services. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeye Posted February 8, 2017 Author Share Posted February 8, 2017 Thx dweese and signfan. i am taking notes and will start another thread that i hope to update with small loop information with staging locations, food n gas stops and a description of what to expect, especially for us new to the sport. I am sure everyone goes thru these pain points when starting off and then gets really familiar with all the acronyms and trail #s. Every time i read a thread i am jumping all over sites to figure out where and what. Hope the new thread will help the next new-comer. anyway, any suggestions on a staging location in Madoc? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjbffb Posted February 8, 2017 Share Posted February 8, 2017 23 hours ago, signfan said: Try riding the south half of the Hastings highlands loop. You can unload where trail 702 crosses county Rd 6 (the second time it does at the north). Then it's a short ride up 702 to get onto E-107. This is all just to the northeast of Stoney Lake which is northeast of Peterborough and Lakefield. From there there is a great loop with lunch and fuel in Apsley. Perfect loop size for Newbies (roughly 80km round trip). I love the Bon Echo trails, but for beginners there aren't many options for lunch that include a loop in the Mazinaw system. You need to look at 200km plus rides in that area to get to services. Did that loop last Thursday, was an excellent ride, the last portion of trail #747 heading east was rough just past I believe was James rd. going in to Apsley. Had lunch at the Swiss Bear. Just curious Popeye, why Madoc? If coming from Pefferlaw Apsley would be a little closer with unlimited trail tours. Madoc's a little further south and is touch and go with trail availability. Just a thought. Good luck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeye Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 We (ok the wife) heard that there was deer to be seen around Madoc, so Madoc it is/was! If there is guaranteed/suggestion of Bambi/wild life sightings then plans can be changed. Having said all that, the plan is to get a Motel in Cloyne, do the Bon-echo east loop, and do the Madoc trails on the 2nd day. Hastings South loop is also on the cards but on another day, our plan avoids the 747, go up 719/619 and come down on E107. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
02Sled Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Mother nature hasn't cooperated this year for getting the trails open however if you (your wife) are looking for wildlife (deer) there is an ideal spot to keep in mind for next year. It's at the junction of trails 12 & 17. They are at the lock at Swift Rapids where the trail crosses the Trent Severn Waterway. The lock also has a power station and a house there. The person living in the house feeds the local deer in his yard. It's not unusual to come out of the trees from 12 or around the bend of 17 and see a dozen or more deer in the yard. As you cross the lock looking down below at the water you will also often see the deer walking around the shoreline munching on the branches. This is the first place I saw deer walking around on their hind legs. We have also come across deer quite often on 12. We weren't there last year due to lack of snow but the year before while riding 12 toward the lock we came across 4 deer walking slowly down the trail. We stopped, they looked back at us and just kept walking down the trail. We waited a while then moved on slowly. Soon we caught up to them again. Once again they looked back as if to say "You again". This happened a couple of more times until they walked off the trail into the deeper snow and waited for us to go by. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popeye Posted February 9, 2017 Author Share Posted February 9, 2017 As always thanks 02Sled. We really appreciate the information. We are avid nature lovers and to see them in their natural habitat is IMO a blessing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjbffb Posted February 9, 2017 Share Posted February 9, 2017 Cloyne will be a good location, if heading north on E101 I'm sure you'll see some wildlife between there and McArthurs Mills and around Weslemkoon lake. Trail 1006 is a nice trail, E trail has a little road running and logging going on in McArthurs Mills which has gas FYI. I have best luck in morning and evening, you may see some Elk as well as they introduced them years ago in the Hartsmere area just south of McArthurs Mills, I believe there was some one feeding them I remember seeing them of either Mayo lake road or Hartsmere road. Remember if you're looking for them you never see them LOL. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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