Hastings County Acquires Multi-Use Trail System
Hastings County has invested the Canada Community-Building Fund into the purchase of a multi-use rural trail system, ensuring locals and tourists can continue using it for years to come.
The Hastings Heritage Trail is a four-season recreational corridor that stretches 156 kilometres, from Quinte West in the southern end of Hastings County, to Lake St. Peter Provincial Park in Hastings Highlands.
The trail has been enjoyed year-round by people for years. Its multi-use designation makes it a destination for ATVs, horseback riders, cyclists and hikers in the summer, and cross-country skiers, snowmobilers and dog sledders in the winter months. Its location, midway between Toronto and Ottawa, makes it a day trip location, and it's often used by people traveling to the most northern part of the County.
The Heritage Trail was formerly the Central Ontario Railway Route. It runs north along Highway 62. For years, a portion of the trail was provincially-owned. In 2022, the Province approached County staff about purchasing the Province’s share of the trail, and the County accepted.
The Hastings Heritage Trail is maintained by the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance (EOTA). According to statistics from EOTA, more than 25,000 people enjoy the trail annually, spending an estimated $6 million in the region.
