Description
North Bay Nordic Ski Club is a family-friendly, volunteer-run club that maintains over 50 km of cross-country ski and 6 km of snowshoe trails. The club offers a variety of programming including a competitive Nordic ski team, ski lessons for all ages, school groups and night skiing. Cross-country ski and snowshoe rentals are also on offer to try out the sport and take advantage of North Bay’s epic snow.
For rates, trail maps and programming visit the club’s website.
Cross-Country Ski Trails
Sprint (0.6 km) Yellow (1.3 km) and Gold (2.0 km) The short distances and relatively flat terrain of these trails make them ideally suited to both novice skiers as an introduction to skiing as well as to more advance and elite skiers as a warm up and cool down. The Yellow and part of the Gold are lit for night skiing.
Purple (3.0 km) The Club’s most popular trail, suited to all levels of skiing. It features gradual uphills, rolling terrain and a scenic return through a coniferous forest. The trail may be a bit challenging to the novice skier as it includes a few more rolling hills than the yellow and gold trails.
Brown (4.3 km) This trail provides a challenging ski through hardwood forests and along scenic ridges. The uphills are steep but the long downhills are worth the climb.
Red (5.0 km) This trail is the Club’s primary race trail. It is both physically and technically demanding and is best suited to skiers with strong uphill and downhill techniques.
Blue (8.0 km) Winding through hardwood bush overlooking High Lake, this trail can push your cardiovascular system to its maximum. For those not so inclined, there are many spots to stop and enjoy the view. After an initial 3 km climb, the skier is rewarded with several kilometres of rolling terrain and a long downhill run of almost 1 km.
Blue X (9.0 km) The Blue Trail Extension begins as a combination of the Blue and Green trails, then parallels the pipeline, meets the Pipeline Access Road (part of the Green Trail), and then rejoins the Blue Trail. It provides a slightly longer climb and descent in addition to the regular blue.
Green (18.0 km) This trail branches off from the Blue Trail and leads you into a more remote wilderness setting. There is a spectacular view of Trout Lake from “The Lookout”. Most skiers carry a water or juice bottle, plus snacks or a lunch due to the the length of the trail. The Green Trail is showcased in the annual Loppet – a race for some (18 km or 36 km) but a more relaxed ski for others in late February or early March. Check website for details.
Snowshoe Trails
North Bay Nordic hosts a separate network of snowshoe trails that loop across the ski trails. The Ridge at Nordic (3.5km) takes snowshoers past an ice fall and up to a beautiful lookout over Trout Lake. A Storybook Trail was added in 2022 on the shorter Beaver Meadow Loop (1.6km). This trail is a great way to keep the little ones engaged as they snowshoe from one page to the next.
Trailhead UTM 629429 mE x 5133478 mN
Ownership Crown Land under Land Use Permit
Management North Bay Nordic Ski Club
Length 0.6 - 18 km
Amenities Parking, Rest Area, Washrooms
Fees User Fee
Seasons Winter
Directions
From the HWY 11/17 junction near Seymour Street, head northwest on HWY 11/17. Turn right onto Trout Lake Road for 8.5 km (5.3 mi). Turn right onto Peninsula Road and left onto North Shore Road.
For More Information
North Bay Nordic Ski Club
630 Northshore Rd., North Bay, ON.
(705) 495-0332
northbaynordic@gmail.com
