Hasty Highlander 

The Hasty Highlander is a multi-day jaunt through wildly varied countryside in Central Ontario, including the best of the Haliburton Highlands and Hastings County. Mostly on unsurfaced terrain, the adventure route traces 700 kilometres of rolling hills, hidden lakes, gritty rail trail, and enticing backcountry gravel, largely free of car traffic, with wildlife and picture-ready views. It all feels unspoiled and, in many instances, rugged. Not to be overlooked is that the Hasty Highlander is within easy striking distance of the major hubs of Toronto and Ottawa.  
 
A key feature of the Hasty Highlander is the use of an extensive network of trails, including the Haliburton Country Rail Trail and the Trans Canada Trail, which have been converted over from a once thriving railway that was used to support industries of years gone by. A surfeit of wilderness and local hospitality awaits any participant.  Come and find out why this slice of Ontario was naturally made for bikepacking. Full of thrills and challenges for cyclists of all abilities.  It is not designed to be the most gentle, direct, or fastest route, but one that inspires a sense of two-wheel adventure, whilst providing eye-catching scenery, rewarding riding, and plenty of memories. 

By the Numbers
 
Distance: 707 Kilometres
Total Ascent: 7,500 metres
Unpaved/Paved: 80%/20%
Non-paved surfaces are in the form of gravel roads, unmaintained roads, forest paths, and rail trail.

See below for a lighter version of this route with less mileage and elevation. 

​Highlights

Take a spin on a section of the Trans Canada Trail
 
A route punctuated by classic Ontario dense forest, marshlands, idyllic backcountry lakes, meandering rivers, and rugged Canadian Shield
 
A bounty of sleepy dirt and gravel roads that stretch across bucolic landscapes
 
Visit the Trent Severn Waterway – some of the locks even allow for camping

The path less traveled into Algonquin Provincial Park. Established in 1893, Algonquin is Ontario's first provincial park and one of the oldest in the country
 
Ride on paths once used by locomotives during the region's industrial past
 
Historical trestle bridges, including the fetching 200-metre-long Doubes bridge
 
A collection of small towns and rural hamlets oozing with hospitable charm
 
A glide along the Ranney Gorge Suspension Bridge in Ferris Provincial Park
 
A chance to ride in the trail and gravel nirvana that is the Haliburton Forest – a 100,000 acre lake-studded outdoor amphitheater
 
Local breweries to raise a toast to a ride well done.
 
Iconic Ontario wildlife. Don’t be surprised if you spot beaver, deer, moose, and maybe even bear. And fall asleep to the sound of howling coyotes (or the buzz of mosquitoes)

Take advantage of an abundance of Crown Land to pitch your tent without another soul in sight.  
 
Sections have a true north feel without being, well, too north

Route Notes

Trip Start: The Hasty Highlander begins in the town of Lindsay; however, there is no set start and finish point for the route. So riders can enter and exit the loop at any location that serves them best. Though it was designed purposefully to run in a counterclockwise direction, it is also possible to ride the route clockwise. 

It's possible to obtain a multi-day parking permit in Lindsay using this form: https://kawartha.gtechna.net/permit-portal/index.xhtml
​It is best to submit your parking request at least 3 days in advance, as it can take that long to get a permit. But I obtained a permit for parking in Lindsay as soon as I submitted my car details. There are a few other possible parking options listed on the route file, including a landowner by Haliburton, but riders are responsible for securing their own parking and take responsibility for cars left anywhere overnight.
 
Difficulty: The nature of the route varies in different areas – from more rugged highland terrain to less testy riding among open pastureland to sections of smooth or bumpy paths using disused railway lines. Overall, the Hasty Highlander should not be considered an exceptionally hilly route, but there is enough elevation here to get the heart pumping, especially the section of the loop in the Haliburton Highlands and Haliburton Forest, which kicks things up a notch with some testy inclines. Expect the terrain to be hard going at times, and you’ll want your climbing legs. The section of trail between Marmora and Bancroft tends to flood most easily, and at any time of year there can be standing water on some of the backcountry gravel/dirt roads. During dry periods, there can be sections of the route that are particularly sandy, which may make for some slow going. Additionally, ATV use on some sections of the route can rough things up. With that said, none of the roads or trails require expert off-road riding skills.

Overall, the Hasty Highlander can be considered an intermediate adventure route, but also a good introduction to multi-day bikepacking. Remember, the degree of difficulty can also come down to how fast you are riding the route. A more casual touring pace is likely not as arduous as a go-as-fast-as-I-can pace. 
Here is some additional information about the route difficulty. ​

Cycling Tips put together this excellent grading system based on riding surfaces, and it can be said that the Hasty Highlander wanders predominantly between Grade 2 and Grade 4.
 
Trip Length: Full of sights that should not be rushed, the ride is best spread across four or more days. But nothing is stopping a keen endurance cyclist from gunning for a time goal. Your physical condition, time goals, and schedule will determine the pace.  

There is also the option of riding the shorter Hasty Highlander Light route. See below for details on that route option.
 
When to Ride: The recommended time of year for this ride is after the spring thaw and before the snow flies later in the season. Therefore, mid-May through October. Expect to be pestered by bugs, particularly between May and July, and the hottest riding conditions typically occur in July and August. Perhaps the best time to tackle the Hasty Highlander is the months of August and September. Bugs will be less likely to be out in full force, and as a rule of thumb, some sections of the trail will be less swampy. Mid-September to mid-October can offer a superlative burst of autumn colour. However, riders do report enjoying the route earlier in the season as well, but maybe with a bigger supply of bug spray.
 
Services: For the most part, there are sufficient resupply opportunities available along the route in the form of larger supermarkets, general stores, gas stations, cafes and bakeries. However, in a few cases, riders will need to be more self-sufficient in terms of food and water, including the northern terminus through the Haliburton Forest, and the ride into Algonquin. There are also likely sections where mobile service will be spotty. 
 
Numerous resupply options are marked on the map file, though they sometimes require a short detour off the course. Again, the master route file can help you plan accordingly. Bear in mind that some eating establishments are closed on certain days of the week, so it’s a good idea to confirm operating hours if counting on a particular place to refuel. Some riders will find it helpful to bring along a water filter to take advantage of natural sources like streams. Water that is not sourced from municipal water supplies should be filtered.

If you live on or near the route and would like to be a 'trail angel' by providing tenting space for riders, water bottle refills, or other services, please let me know. This is a great way to build up the bikepacking community and improve rider experiences on the route. 

When riding through the Haliburton Forest, riders should purchase a day pass to ride on this vast private property. You can do so at the main office upon arrival or online here: https://www.haliburtonforest.com/book-online/book-property-day-pass/
Riders may also want to spend a day here exploring the large network of backcountry roads and forest trails. Here is a map of the Haliburton Forest with roads and trails. The campsites in this forest reserve do tend to book up fast, particularly the ones on MacDonald Lake and Wolf Lake, so riders should consider reserving sites before arrival. However, there are other sites, including Minna Lake, that are less popular.  

Overnight Pit Stops: The Hasty Highlander has been designed so that there is accommodation at fairly frequent intervals along the entire route in the form of paid campgrounds, "wild" camping, camping at the Trent-Severn lock stations, B&B’s, Warmshowers, Airbnb, and motels. Larger towns including Haliburton, Lindsay, and Peterborough will have more lodging options. Sleeping on the ground is not a requirement for a bikepacking adventure. During busy times such as holiday weekends, it is advisable to book ahead. The master Ride with GPS route file lists the vast majority of accommodation options along the HH route. Hipcamp can also be a good resource for finding somewhere to pitch your tent. There are also a few areas of Crown land highlighted on the route file where Canadian residents can camp for free with the stipulation of leaving no trace. This map (https://www.ontario.ca/page/crown-land-use-policy-atlas) can help you identify areas of Crown land in Ontario. If “wild” camping, please respect any no trespassing signs. 

Route Updates

The route will be updated as needed. However, if you ride the route and come across any route issues or services that I should know about, please contact me about this. 

What Bike? 
 
The Hasty Highlander can be tackled on a drop bar bike with 700c, 650b or 29-inch wheels. If using 700 wheels, it’s advised to use 40mm tires or larger for improved comfort in sandy, rocky, flooded, or fresh gravel sections. Tires narrower than 38mm would probably make the ride less fun, especially on the rougher rail trail and dirt road sections. Tires in the range of 2.1 to 2.3 will work well on 650b or 29-inch wheels. A rigid or hardtail MTB would also be perfectly suitable for the route and a good option on some of the rougher stuff. There have been riders who have also completed large portions of the route on big plus-size tire set-ups, but in many cases, this is overkill. It’s recommended to use a bike with gear ratios that allow for riding testy inclines while loaded down with gear. Run tubeless if possible. You can use bikepacking style bags or old-fashioned panniers. A lighter set-up allows for easier riding, especially in the hillier sections.
 
Here is some additional information from bikepacking.com about gear selection for your bike, including what some of the top guns bring along.

Route Options: I encourage riders to attempt the route as plotted for the ultimate Hasty Highlander experience, but several detour options are available on the route and listed with a Control Point of Interest on the master route file. These include options to spend more (or less) time on rail trail. There are a handful of sections along the route that veer off the rail trail and onto some excellent undulating gravel roads that see very little vehicular traffic. This is done with the purpose of adding variety to the overall terrain – rail trails can be predictable to a fault. The Hastings Heritage Trail between Marmora and Bancroft is notorious for being rutted and sandy, so this route bypasses many of these sections for better gravel/dirt road alternatives.
 
It is a rider’s responsibility to know where detour options are located and to make use of them as needed. At no time are you required to stick to the route 100 percent of the time.
​
Route Development: A special thanks to Haliburton-based rider Thom Lambert, who lent his local expertise on locating some of the best gravel roads and dirt paths that populate the Hasty Highlander. 

If interested in tackling the Hasty Highlander but have additional questions, send me a message using the contact form, and I will happily supply any additional information you may need.  

If you are active on social media,  please tag us in any posts/stories about your ride: @btbikpacking  Hashtags: #hastyhighlander
 

Hasty Highlander Light

Not ready to tackle the whole Hasty Highlander route? Then it is possible to ride a pared-down version of the Hasty Highlander. The light route is 515 kilometres long and avoids the loop through Algonquin park and the Haliburton Forest. However, the ride between Bancroft and Haliburton on this route is excellent. 

To obtain the Hasty Highlander light route file for navigation, go here. 

Lastly
 
It must be stressed that the route is entirely unsupported and unsanctioned, with no insurance provided. All riders are responsible for their own well-being on the Hasty Highlander or Hasty Higlander Light route and ride at their own risk. The route developer takes no responsibility for personal injury, damage to personal property or any other circumstance that might happen to individual riders cycling the Hasty Highlander or Hasty Highlander Light route. There is no guarantee of route conditions at any given time and the route developer takes no responsibility for disrupted route conditions. You are entirely responsible for your own safety and decisions that are made, including accommodation and necessary detours. It is advised to study the route map and make note of your supply options as well as some possible detours (these are marked with a Control Point symbol). If you are not comfortable riding a section of the route, take any necessary alternatives. Planning and due diligence is imperative as is riding within your means.  People "racing" the route do so at their own risk.