Snow Adventure.
Arrowhead Provincial Park's 1.3-kilometre man-made skating trail winds through the forest north of Huntsville and is one of the most distinctive winter products in Ontario Parks's portfolio. The same park base carries winter tubing on the slopes and snowshoeing across the wider trail network, with ice skates, snowshoes, sit-skis, and ice sledges all available to rent at the park store through the cold months.
The brief.
The skating trail is the marquee draw: it's man-made (so it doesn't depend on natural lake or pond ice), about 1.3 km long, and routes through forest under string lighting on busy weekends. Best season is mid-December through early March, but the precise opening and closing dates depend on weather — check Ontario Parks before driving up.
Arrowhead's tubing slopes and snowshoeing routes operate on the same season window. East of the boundary in Lake of Bays township, Limberlost Forest's 70+ kilometres of multi-use trail run free in winter for snowshoeing with the same safety-waiver access that applies in summer (9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily).
Beyond the parks, OFSC District 7 snowmobile trails route through Huntsville on the way north and east; Huntsville averages around 282 cm of annual snowfall and Hidden Valley's higher elevation records closer to 343 cm.
4. places.
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Arrowhead Provincial Park ice skating trail
1.3-km man-made skating trail winding through the forest; one of the most distinctive Ontario Parks winter products. Sit-skis, snowshoes, ice sledge, and ice skate rentals available at the park store through winter.
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Arrowhead Provincial Park tubing slopes
Winter tubing inside Arrowhead Provincial Park.
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Limberlost Forest (Lake of Bays township)
70+ km of trail open in winter for snowshoeing.
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OFSC District 7 snowmobile network
Routes through Huntsville on the regional Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs network.
Today's read.
Outside the typical season window.
By the book.
- 01Arrowhead Provincial Park operates year-round; the skating trail and winter rentals (skis, sit-skis, snowshoes, ice sledge, ice skates) operate during the winter season. Day-use or camping permits required.Source ↗
- 02Limberlost Forest and Wildlife Reserve requires every visitor to complete an online safety waiver before arrival; access is daily 9 a.m.–5 p.m.; trails are free; all dogs must be leashed.Source ↗