The best walks and hikes around Tay

Following the shoreline of Georgian Bay, the Beach Trail links all four of Awenda Provincial Park's mainland beaches on an easy 4-kilometre route. Along the way, you'll experience a striking transition from the dry oak and maple forest above the Nipissing Bluff to the cooler birch, cedar, and hemlock forest below, with regular views across the bay toward Giant's Tomb Island. It's one of the park's most scenic walks and an excellent way to explore its varied landscapes in a single outing.

Awenda Provincial Park protects more than 2,900 hectares of forest, wetlands, and Georgian Bay shoreline on the Penetanguishene Peninsula. With over 30 kilometres of hiking trails, four sandy beaches, old-growth forest, and excellent birdwatching opportunities, it's one of Ontario's most diverse provincial parks. The Beach Trail offers one of the best ways to experience the park, linking all four beaches while passing beneath the Nipissing Bluff and along the shores of Georgian Bay. A valid Ontario Parks day-use permit or camping reservation is required to enter the park.

4th Beach is the westernmost beach on the mainland section of Awenda Provincial Park and one of the quietest stretches of shoreline in the park. Reached via a scenic walk along the Beach Trail, it rewards the extra effort with wide views across Georgian Bay and beautiful sunsets. Keep an eye out for the young sand dune forming behind the beach—a rare and fragile landscape that's constantly being shaped by the wind and changing lake levels. Please stay on the beach itself and avoid walking on the dunes to help protect this delicate ecosystem.

The Matchedash Bay Trail is an accessible way to experience the beauty of the Matchedash Bay Provincial Wildlife Area. The trail is flat and passes through wooded patches, marsh edges, and occasional viewpoints of Catfish Bay. Bring sunblock and a hat for a sunny day here.

The Matchedash Bay Provincial Wildlife Area protects one of the largest coastal wetland systems in southeastern Georgian Bay. Here visitors can enjoy protected open marshland, reed beds, and a low shoreline with big skies and flat terrain.

Catfish Bay Lookout is a nice viewpoint over Catfish Bay. This viewpoint can be reached on a short spur trail off of the Matchedash Bay Trail. On a calm, windless day, the sky is perfectly reflected in the bay, seeming endless.

Formed when the glaciers melted at the end of the last Ice Age, Little Lake has provided a hospitable home for many groups for thousands of years. The are was the site of many Ouendat villages and you can explore their history at the nearby Huronia Museum. Today the lake is home to the largest community park in Midland and offers a wide variety of outdoor activities.

The Huronia Museum sits in Midland’s Little Lake Park and gives you an easy way to explore the history, art, and cultures that have shaped Central Ontario. Inside, you’ll find a wide‑ranging collection covering Indigenous history, maritime heritage, archaeology, and regional art, including works by members of the Group of Seven. One of the highlights is the replica Huron/Ouendat (Wendat) village, complete with a longhouse, lookout tower, and wigwam. Walking through it gives you a sense of daily life in a pre‑contact community and adds an immersive experience to the museum’s exhibits. The museum is open year‑round and is a welcoming stop whether you came here to learn, explore, or simply stubmled upon it while visit Little Lake Park.