Top Off Road Trails in Ontario
Posted on July 23, 2021
Jeep types are a special breed. The good people at Jeep know it. That’s why they’ve developed the catchphrase, ‘it’s a Jeep thing, you wouldn’t understand.
If you’ve ever driven a 2021 Jeep Wrangler, you may get this statement. You know that it means that the Jeep Wrangler is for people who are a little bit wild at heart. Sure, they may be the types who hold down a 9-5 and take care of errands on city roads all week but when the weekend rolls around, they’re ready to hit the road and head out into the open country and get their car dirty.
The best news for all of the Wrangler fans out there is that the very province that we live in offers an incredible array of off-road trails to delight even the most hardcore dirt devil.
So, without further ado, here’s CarHub’s list of the (a selection of) the top off-road trails for you and your Wrangler this summer. It’s the type of list that will have you frantically punching ‘Jeep Wrangler near me’ into your phone, whether you are the proud owner of a Wrangler already or not.
It should be noted that not all of these trails are meant for beginners! Some require experienced drivers, safety equipment, and a group ride to be done safely and effectively. Make sure you know what you’re getting into!
1. Ganaraska Forest & Oak Ridges Trail
Hey GTA’ ers, this one is for you! Amazingly, since it’s not one that you hear about often, Ganaraska Forest is the largest forest in southern Ontario. The reason that you probably haven’t heard about it as much as others, such as Algonquin, is that it’s not a national park, it’s owned by the Ganaraska Conservation Authority. That being said, it’s a great starter option for anyone looking to do a day trip out of the city. It’s just an hour east of Toronto and it offers a variety of trails that will accommodate anything from an ATV to a, you guessed it, 2021 Jeep Wrangler.
2. Gun Mountain Loop Trail
This gem is just outside of Algonquin Park. Now there’s that name that everyone should recognize! That makes it a bit more of a hike out of the city but once you get to the Gun Mountain Loop Trail, it offers a varied terrain that is nothing but fun for the off-road enthusiast with steep inclines and harrowingly low low-points.
The prevailing wisdom is to take this one on in the drier summer months. Wet conditions can be fun but this is a particularly swampy course!
3. Concession Lake Trail
Peterborough people know what’s up when it comes to hitting the trails. Concession Lake Trail is a 20-kilometre off-road trail that offers dips, dives, and thrills without taking away from the nature views that are a cherry on top for any off-roader. This is a perfect place to get your Wrangler muddy.
4. Ahmic Lake Trail
Forty-two kilometres of winding, rolling, ripping good time, the Ahmic Lake Trail is a multi-medium off-road trail that will offer you gravel, dirt, mud, and scenery. This one is a safe bet for the beginner with nothing that could be construed as death-defying in the mix.
The trails themselves stretch for 42 kilometres so you’ll have lots of space to open it up and see what you 4x4 can do.
5. California Road Trail
Warning: this one is not for the faint of heart! The California Road Trail offers a plethora of down and dirty tracks but be forewarned, these aren’t maintained so they can get a bit hairy. It’s recommended that they are used by experienced offroad drivers only. You’ll get the type of range from the terrain here that floats any car enthusiast's boat. The real kicker here is that the trails aren’t maintained.
6. The Raglan Pits
Sandpits and forest trails, this patch of heaven just north of Oshawa is an offroader's dream. On any given day you’ll find dirt bikers, ATV’ ers, and Jeep’ers there in droves, kicking up a prodigious dust cloud in their wake.
There’s one big problem though: nobody is officially allowed to off-road at Raglan Pits. The site is owned by a company called Lafarge Aggregate and Concrete and they do not allow the use of the area. That means that anyone using the area can be issued a trespassing ticket. The problem, according to some locals, is that the ticket is too low to act as much of a deterrent. Many of the people who use the site say that they would gladly pay the cost of the ticket just as admission to it.
Here at CarHub, we don’t condone trespassing on private property but the Raglan Pits still deserved to make it onto this list just because everyone who we speak to who is an off-roading enthusiast mentions it. We can only hope that the owners of the pits open them up for day use to all of the people who want to get in there and ride. It would be an ideal place to send some dirt flying behind a Jeep Wrangler!
Conclusion
Ontario is one large, beautiful province. We sometimes get hung up hanging out in the cities and forget to check out what’s happening in our backyard. Off-roading can be the perfect cure for that ailment, especially if you’re taking out a vehicle that was born for hitting the dirt trails, like the Jeep Wrangler. Now, you know what would be really neat? Hitting the trails with some serious innovation under you, which is what you’d be in for if you took out a new Jeep Wrangler 4xe, which is available at the CarHub lots. Did you ever imagine that you’d be able to churn up some dust in an EV? Well, you’re about to get a chance to find out if you can.
Are you ready to find out what type of off-road fun you can get up to in a Jeep Wrangler? You can contact us any time to see all of the amazing Wrangler (and other 4x4) options that we have on the CarHub lots and take one out for a spin.