Hiking Trails

Nature is always just steps away in North Bay! With over 85+ km of hiking trails along the Laurentian Escarpment and multiple forest and wetland Conservation Areas, four seasons of hiking are awaiting you in North Bay. 

Hikes with A View

Hikes along the 60m high Laurentian Escarpment offer breathtaking views of summer sunsets, a blaze of fall colours and unforgettable panoramic winter scenes. The Laurentian Escarpment Conservation Area trails weave across this pre-Cambrian ridge bordering North Bay providing a picturesque scene across the valley that nestles Trout Lake. The Education Centre trails offer fantastic views of Lake Nipissing all year-round, and being adjacent to the powerful Duchesnay Falls, are a must-do in North Bay.

Four-Season Waterfall Hikes

The best time to feel the ancient healing power of Duchesnay Falls as it cascades down the escarpment into Lake Nipissing, is during the spring melt. The ever-changing waterfalls provide distinctly different experiences in each season. Visit in the fall when the waters are mellower, the big skies blue and the fall colours vibrant. In the winter, the ice formations give endless creative photo opportunities. 

Birding Walks and Rare Fall Colours

Take a guided walk in spring or summer through Laurier Woods to learn about the 33 species of birds nesting in the vast wetlands and surrounding forest. With 8km of well-groomed and flat trails, this conservation area offers an easy nature walk for the whole family. Fall hikes in Laurier Woods offer an experience rare in the rest of the world: the golden hues of the Tamarack, one of the only “evergreen” conifers to change colours and lose its needles in the fall. 

Off the beaten path, the Black Forest Trail and Otter Lake trails are hidden gems that will take you to the city’s edge for new hiking opportunities. If that’s not enough, the longest recreational trail in the world, the Trans Canada Trail weaves through North Bay along the Kate Pace Way which offers a picturesque trail that follows the shoreline of Lake Nipissing.

From gentle nature walks to challenging hikes in spring, summer, winter or fall, North Bay offers something for everyone, allowing visitors to connect with nature and discover the diverse landscapes that make this region so captivating.