It’s the official end of the snowmobile season, according to Cataraqui Conservation, who will be closing and securing the Cataraqui Trail gates on Wednesday March 31, 2021.
These gates are open for snowmobile season so snowmobilers with a valid OFSC permit can ride the route, and closed during the rest of the year to prevent motorized vehicles from entering the Cataraqui Trail.
Aside from snowmobilers during the winter, only authorized maintenance vehicles are permitted to have access to the Trail.
The Cataraqui Trail stretches along 104 km of a former railway line – with Smiths Falls at one end and Strathcona near Napanee at the other. Along with snowmobilers in the winter season, the public is also permitted to use the Trail for hiking, cycling, skiing and horseback riding.
More information about the Cataraqui Trail can be found at cataraquitrail.ca.
Update – See also this release issued by the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC):
OFSC Provides Final Update For Snowmobile Trail System and Interactive Trail Guide
During this OFSC Landowner Appreciation Week, the Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is confirming that there are now no OFSC Prescribed trails available for snowmobiling anywhere in Ontario. All of our more than 30,000 kilometres of trails are showing RED on the OFSC Interactive Trail Guide (ITG), meaning that the entire provincial trail system is now shut down for the season, thereby ending safe and legal snowmobile trail riding opportunities in every OFSC district until next winter. Meanwhile, we join the Ontario Provincial Police and other police services in warning snowmobilers to stay off any ice, which is disappearing rapidly now that Spring has officially arrived.
Out of respect for our landowners and to protect private property, crops and livestock from off-season trespass by other trail motorized users, the ITG will go offline effective March 26, 2021 until November 2021. Our Go Snowmobiling Apps will not show OFSC trails until December 1, 2021, while your subscription to PRO remains valid for 12 months from your date of upgrade purchase.
The OFSC cautions all motorized trail users that OFSC Prescribed Trails on private property are for winter use only by snowmobiles displaying valid Snowmobile Trail Permits. Illegally entering any of these OFSC snowmobile trails in the off-season is not only dangerous, it is also a chargeable act of trespass under Ontario law, so please respect our landowners and stay off.
The OFSC thanks our landowners and club volunteers for making trail riding as enjoyable and safe as possible this past winter, and we look forward to welcoming permit holders back to our trails as they become available for snowmobiling again next season.
The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs (OFSC) is a volunteer led, not for profit association that provides the voice for organized snowmobiling in Ontario. OFSC snowmobile trails managed by 200 community based, member clubs generate up to $3.3 billion in economic activity in the province each year.
Photo: Paul Williams (cc)
