Size: 52-acres
Status: Open to the Public, with trails.
Protected: Feb 2, 2004
Donors: Bill Grant, in memory of his brother Jack
Background:
When most people think of the Couchiching Conservancy, they think of Grant's Woods. This Nature Reserve is the location of our office and a popular destination for a relaxing walk in the woods. The Grant family purchased this property in 1908, and in 2002 William Grant donated it to the Conservancy in memory of his late brother Jack.
A former house on the property has been extensively renovated to create the Conservation Centre office. Thanks to a grant from the Ontario Trillium Foundation and a legacy gift from the estate of Bill Grant, our office and gazebo are fully accessible, the office is heated and cooled geothermally, and 50% of our annual hydro bill is offset through solar power generation.
2023 UPDATE: Our newly upgraded Accessible Trail is officially open! We upgraded the Periwinkle trail to make it truly handicap accessible. This involved reframing the trail, laying new stone, flattening it, removing hazards, and refinishing a bridge. So much hard work, planning and support went into this process from staff, volunteers, local companies, and generous donors. Thank you to all involved! We hope that this accessible trail will be a great resource to every body at every ability.
Landscape and Species:
- mature upland forest has not been logged for over a century
- towering canopy of Hard Maple, White Ash, Red Oak, White Pine, American Beech and Eastern Hemlock
- deep moist clay and sand soil, ideal for tall, straight, healthy trees
- nesting area for many birds including Scarlet Tanagers, Black-throated Green Warblers, Broad-winged Hawk and Pileated Woodpeckers
- Indigo Buntings and Mourning Warblers nest along woodland edges
- in the shade of the forest, Christmas Fern, Maidenhair Fern and many spring wildflowers
- small cool streams in shallow ravines collect together to form on the headwaters of the North River.
Visit this Nature Reserve:
Address & Parking: 1485 Division Road West, Orillia, ON. There is parking for approximately 15 vehicles in our parking area. Keep in mind that this is also our office, so staff and volunteers also park here. If you are bringing a group, please let us know in advance. If we close the parking lot, we post signs in advance if we know, and we also post on our Instagram stories.
Trails: 4km all together, with many options for loops.
Estimated time to complete: it really depends on which trails you walk, but you can complete the outside loop in about 30 minutes.
Best time to visit: spring for wildflowers, early summer for birds, fall for colourful trees; interpretive trails open year-round with parking. Composting toilets available through the summer.
Washrooms: compost toilets are open seasonally and office washroom is open during regular office hours Monday to Friday
Accessibility: 230 meters of trail is wheelchair accessible. The Gazebo is also accessible. There is one reserved parking space in front of our office.
Description: a beautiful mixed old growth forest. Low elevation change, bridges (some with a step up), gravel or earth surface, watch for tree roots. Some gentle sloping areas.
What3words: ///clanging.evaporate.handles