Safety Tips

Safety awareness and the related precautionary measures are important matters to be considered before venturing into and enjoying the wilderness.
A group focus on the subject before venturing forth, whether canoeing, hiking or swimming, is a wise and worthwhile endeavor.
Also, make sure you are aware of the habits of the local wildlife. This will help you and your family determine the appropriate respect and caution to be exercised.

Your Family’s Safety is Your Responsibility
Your visit to Limberlost and participation in the related recreational activities is conditional upon your acceptance of terms of the Safety Responsibility Contract, holding Limberlost and its associates harmless in the event of an injury or accident.

Day Hikers

We encourage day hikers and lodging guests to always check in at the office before your hike, even though you may have already filled out our Safety Responsibility Contract. It is important that we know when you are on the property and where you are hiking in case you are injured or lost and need assistance. We cannot help you if we don’t know where you are. Please think of your own safety and sign-in at the office.

Safety Priorities

Initially, the Limberlost trails were designed to speed horseback riders across the property and into Algonquin Park. In time, however, they were used by hikers and safety became increasingly important. Today safety continues to be the highest priority and is expected to be practiced by all visitors using the trails.

Visitors are reminded about the importance of safety measures upon arrival at the Limberlost Reserve. They are asked to read and sign a Safety Responsibility Contract which highlights the need to be safety conscious at all times, and records their responsibilities in this regard.

To protect hikers and wildlife on the woodland roads, vehicles are required to be left at one of a number of designated parking areas. Each of these are a short walk to the start of a major hiking trail. Be sure to have a copy of the Master Trail Guide.

To a large extent, the major trails are linked directly with other trails or by short walks along woodland roads. Visitors are therefore able to expand the length of their hikes to whatever distance they desire, assured that they can return safely along a trail or woodland road to their starting point.

GPS readings are listed in our Limberlost Master Guide for the major points of interest on each trail to help visitors locate them. These also assist visitors who detour from the prepared trails, which is generally not encouraged, to return safely.

Trees along the trails are scaled, typically to a height of ten feet or more, to avoid injuries and minimize surprise encounters with black bears or other large animals.

By providing the safest and most effective route, Limberlost’s wilderness trails ensure visitors do not become lost. The trails also discourage individuals from trudging through sensitive areas where they could injure themselves or where their foot-prints could damage young plant growth, emerging fungi and hollowed-out areas used by small animals for shelter.

For safety reasons, until greater control is established over the road allowances on the southern and western boundaries of the reserve, visitors are encouraged to confine their hikes to the trails located in the central and northeast quadrants of the reserve.