Wye Marsh

Length –  20 km
Cross Country track set  ~20 km
Skate Skiing  groomed  none km
Snowshoe  trail   ~5 km +

Skill – for beginners, some hills on 2 loops

Terrain –  flat trail, gets hilly on two side loops out back, well treed

Hours – 9 – 5 every day 

Fee – Adult $11, Youth $8.50

Trail Map – trails well-marked, paper map

Facilities –  parking, bathrooms, large welcome centre, gift shop, rentals

Highlights – Welcome Centre, beginner level, swans by the boardwalk, close to Midland

Phone – 705 526 7809

Website – Wye Marsh

Current Conditions

Similar Trails – Wasaga Beach, Mountainview

Local Clubs – Wye Marsh Ski Club

Access –  At 16160 on Highway 12 East in Midland, take road south past Sainte-Marie among the Hurons to end of road Wye Marsh Wildlife Centre.

Wye Marsh near Midland is a great spot for beginner cross-country skiers. You can rent gear and ski many kilometres with no hills to scare you off.

The main corridor is the old rail trail bed that is flat and straight as train tracks tend to be. This is easy to ski and great for those who wish to learn their stride or boot it.

Return loops are almost as flat, easy and more interesting to navigate through stands of cedar.

For more advanced trails on the side of the hill start half way down the Red “freeway” rail bed trail – Mole Hill and Forget Loops.

As mentioned it is more of a beginner spot than a challenge for advanced skiers. There are ski and snowshoe rentals as well to get you started.

The map gives trail distances if you do the loop and return. It is about 5 km straight out to the end of the rail trail.

I guesstimate all the loops can give you about 20km to ski on. That’s worth it for a seasoned skier to do, and though mostly flat it’s quite a lovely area.

For snowshoers there are seven small loops to hike on flat terrain through mixed forest and open marsh. Some trails go out to the boardwalk area where you may see the swans.

Warmer weather may melt some areas making them too wet to walk on. One could even walk farther along the rail trail, just do not spoil the x-country track.

The Welcome Centre building serves as one the largest “warming cabins” around and has most services. Staff requires all to sign in and out when doing the trails.