Dear Laurentian Escarpment Community Trail Users,
RE: TEMPORARY CLOSURE OF STRUCTURE ON NEW HEMLOCK HAVEN TRAIL SECTION
The North Bay Mountain Bike Association (NBMBA) and Discovery Routes together with our partners at the North Bay-Mattawa Conservation Authority are asking all trail users to respect the closure of the wooden structure on the new Hemlock Haven trail (off McNutt Family Trail) within the Laurentian Escarpment Community Trails network.
The structure, built by community volunteers in late 2025, has been closed since the spring after severe flooding in April 2026 caused significant erosion to the banks of the valley it spans. While the structure itself remains structurally sound, the surrounding slopes must be stabilized before it can safely reopen.
Unfortunately, barricades and closure signs have been removed on multiple occasions by unknown individuals. This creates a safety risk and undermines the efforts of volunteers, land managers, and partner organizations working together to reopen the structure as quickly and safely as possible.
A temporary trail detour has been established around the structure and remains open for public use while safety concerns are addressed. We ask all trail users to use this alternate route and leave all barricades and signs in place.
Your patience and cooperation will help ensure the structure can be safely reopened and will support the volunteers who have invested hundreds of hours improving the Laurentian Escarpment Community Trails.
We have some exciting progress on the trails to share in the coming weeks. Project updates will be on the project page on Discovery Routes website here: discoveryroutes.ca/escarpment-trails-project/
If you aren’t already a member of NBMBA, we encourage you to join and become part of the community that helps make these trails possible. Membership directly supports the volunteers who dedicate their time to building and maintaining the Laurentian Escarpment Community Trails. Your support helps NBMBA continue to develop sustainable and inclusive trails for mountain bikers, hikers, and all trail users to enjoy.
Thank you for respecting the closure, supporting our volunteers, and helping keep our trails safe.
Sincerely,
Mike Ward, President, North Bay Mountain Bike Association
Jennifer McCourt, Executive Director, Discovery Routes