2026 Oak Ridges Moraine Adventure Relay

Checkpoints, Route, and Maps

Good news for returning racers- 2026 Checkpoint locations and routes are all virtually identical to 2025! The familiarity you built last year will serve you well in 2026. New to the race? Don't worry! We have all the information needed to get you where you need to go below!

The table below provides a high-level view of the checkpoint and stage layout, with detailed course maps and descriptions following:

Detailed Stage Information

Below, you can find:

• Start and finish locations and default start times for every stage of the course
• PDF Course maps for each stage of the course. These provide essential information about the real-world view and conditions of the course- review them!
  • PDF course maps can all be viewed at this link
• GPS Course Maps (provided on Trailforks, Garmin, Komoot) for each stage of the course. These GPS courses can be exported for use on phones, GPS watches and other devices. Every racer should ensure they come prepared with a GPS course map for their segments of the course. The GPS course maps are essential navigational guides on the course as route marking can be inconsistent and unreliable. Please note that the GPS course maps will generally slightly underestimate the total length of the course.
  • .gpx files for each stage of the course can be found at this link if you wish to import into a different app/device of your choice.

Stage 1- Gore’s Landing to Bewdley (8km Canoe)

The relay’s only canoe segment, this is all open water!

• Canoes will put in at the start line and depart in a couple of waves to ease congestion, with a lead and follower boat to support the fleet.
• Canoes will track along the southern shore of Rice Lake to the finish line for this stage at Bewdley Optimist Park.
• Remember to dress appropriately for being on the water, bring your required safety equipment (as well as your canoe!), and waterproof any technology!

Stage 2- Bewdley to Ganaraska Forest Centre (18km Bike; Half Relay Start!)

This section starts with pavement, and then a varying mix of pavement, gravel, sand and dirt trails, and road allowances. Can be very sandy in places!

• Bikers will depart Bewdley Optimist Park and head northwest out of Bewdley along Rice Lake Drive N.
• Bikers turn west on Dieppe Rd/Line Rd 9 and cycle west for nearly 2km. Here, you depart the pavement and head onto a sand/dirt forest road to continue west.
• Bikers will emerge from the forest near Gilmour Road and Beatty Lane and continue west on Beatty Lane (gravel) for 750m before entering a short trail connector to Wright Road. Watch out for poison ivy!
• Head north on Wright Rd for 2km to 10th line.
• Turning west onto 10th line, the course heads west for approx 8.5km along 10th line, changing from pavement to dirt road to road allowance/trail along the way.
• Enter the Ganaraska Forest off the north side of 10th line at the Horse Trailer Parking lot
• Join the Orange Trail westbound for a short trail ride to the checkpoint at Ganaraska Forest Centre.

Stage 3- Ganaraska Forest Centre to Ganaraska P2 Lot (11km Run)

This segment is primarily dirt and sand forest roads and trails of varying widths.

• Runners depart the checkpoint and follow the Green Trail around the rear of the Forest Centre before joining the parking lane to access Fire Route 101.
• Head briefly northeast on Fire Route 101 before looping back around headed west and then north.
• Runners depart Fire Route 101 westbound at trail marker WF67, and proceed along the dirt/sand forest roads and multi-use trails via WF67, WF58, WF57, WF50, WF40, WF41, WF34, WF33, WF25, WF15 before arriving at the P2 lot. Please note that this route does NOT follow the Oak Ridges Trail blazing; if you follow the blazes, you will get off course. Runners must follow the Ganaraska Forest markers noted above.
• A map showing all the trail markers through the Ganaraska Forest can be found here

Stage 4- Old Highway 35 and Beaucage Road to Darlington-Clarke Townline (8km Run)

NOTE THAT THIS STAGE DEPARTS FROM A DIFFERENT LOCATION THAN THE END OF THE PREVIOUS STAGE

This segment has a mix of gravel road and forest trail.

• Runners depart the checkpoint at Beaucage Road and head briefly west (350m) along Beaucage road (gravel) before turning south to follow the trail/road allowance for 1km.
• At Skelding Road (gravel), turn west onto Skelding and follow for 2.5km to Leskard Road.
• Head south on Leskard Road for 1km before entering the ORTA trail on the west side.
• The forest trail tracks north-west and then west for 4 km total before arriving at the checkpoint.

Stage 5- Darlington-Clarke Townline to Long Sault Conservation Area (11km Run)

This segment has stretches of pavement between largely dirt/sand/gravel roads and trails.

• Runners depart the checkpoint and head north along the Darlington-Clarke road allowance for 2km.
• Runners cross Concession 10 and Durham Regional Road 20 and continue north on Darlington-Manvers townline for 1km.
• Runners depart the paved road as it veers west to continue north along the dirt trail/road allowance for 750m.
• Where the trail rejoins the road, runners turn west to follow Concession 10 (dirt/sandy unmaintained road) west for approx 3km.
• Runners turn south to enter Long Sault Conservation Area via the Oak Ridges Connector Trail (watch for a narrow opening in the fence on the south side of the road). Follow the white blazes via the Porcupine, White Tailed Deer, Connecting Trail East, and Cottontail Rabbit trails to access the checkpoint at the Woodley Road parking lot. Note that runners should travel in the OPPOSITE direction of the mountain biking directional signage.
• A map showing the trail layout in the Long Sault Conservation Area can be found here

Stage 6- Long Sault to Purple Woods (19km Bike)

This section is a mixture of some paved road as well as long stretches of sand/dirt trails and minor roads.

• Cyclists depart the checkpoint at Long Sault via the Barred Owl trail west and then northbound (cyclists should travel in the direction of all directional arrows).
• Use the short Connecting Trail West to exit the forest onto Avery Road.
• Head north on Avery Road (paved) for 1km to Boundary Road, and head west on Boundary.
• Continue west on Boundary for approx 6km as it varies between a sandy/dirt unmaintained road, pavement, and forest trail.
• Turn north on Cartwright West Quarter Line for 1.4km before turning west onto Byers Road (dirt/sand road/trail).
• Follow Byers west for 3.6km to Russel Road, heading south around the golf course to Coates Road.
• Follow Coates Road westbound for 3.75km to the Purple Woods parking lot.

Stage 7- Purple Woods to Houston and 7th (17.5km Bike)

This stage is largely paved/gravel road with a segment of generally wide dirt/sand forest trail near the end.

• Cyclists depart Purple Woods parking lot onto Coates Road, heading west across #2.
• Continue west on Coates for 3.2km to Diamond Side Road before turning north on Diamond and continuing for 1.5km to Scugog Line 2.
• Turn west on Scugog Line 2, crossing #7.
• Continue on Line 2 westbound for 1.1km to Smith Side Road northbound
• Take Smith Side Road north for 700m until High Point Road.
• Head west on High Point until it ends at Ashburn, and follow Ashburn (paved) northbound for 1.3km until Mast Road (gravel) forks off of the main road
• Take Mast Road (the west fork) north-west for 1.8km until it forks left into Pine Gate Road.
• Take Pine Gate straight west to Lakeridge Road, and shortly traverse Lakeridge southbound to the Houston Road access to Durham Forest.
• Follow the Houston Road access westbound to the Durham Forest trails, and follow trail marker routing DE1, DE3, DW6.
• Turn south on the Red Oak trail from DW6, following markers DW4, DW3, DW2, DW1 before arriving at the checkpoint at Houston and 7th Concession.
• A map showing the Durham Forest trail markers can be found here

Stage 8- Houston and 7th to Trail Hub (5km Run- FINAL STAGE OF HALF RELAY)

This stage is exclusively on forest trails.

• Runners depart the checkpoint in the direction of the incoming bikers, following DW1 to DW2 before heading southeast on the Red Oak trail via DW3 and DW4.
• Use the short connecting trail eastbound to Return to Sender, following Return to Sender southbound (in the opposite direction of bike travel) to DW5
• Connect to the trail eastbound into TRCA Skyloft S3.
• From S3, continue east and then south to S4, and continue west from S4 to S2.
• Briefly turn north in the direction of S3, and then take the westbound connector trail to Trail Hub property.
• Turn south on Hub Trail East/Easy Up and follow to climb the hill towards the Trail Hub main building.
• At the top of the hill, before approaching the main building, bear left to follow a short laneway to the checkpoint located in the lower parking lot
• A map showing the Durham Forest trail markers can be found here, and the TRCA Skyloft trails found here

Stage 9- Trail Hub to Secord Conservation Area (15km Bike)

This stage is largely forest trails with some paved road connections.

• Cyclists depart Trail Hub by following the laneway/Hub South trail to Chalk Lake Road.
• Head west on Chalk Lake Road and enter Walker Woods by continuing west through the junction of Chalk Lake and Concession 7 (the trailhead is very slightly north of the intersection, near the 2000 green municipal number).
• Follow trail markers W24, W23, W22, W20, W17, W14, W10, W2, and W1 through Walker Woods to arrive at 6th Concession and Allbright Road.
• Head north on 6th Concession to the North Walker Woods trailhead on the west side of the road.
• Follow trail markers N8, N9, N10, N11, N2, N1 through North Walker Woods to arrive at Brock Road.
• Head briefly north on Brock (700m) to enter the Norton Tract on the west side of Brock.
• Head west on the trail through Norton and Clubine forests, following markers NT4, NT3, NT2, NT1, CL4, CL3, CL2, CL1 to arrive at Concession 4.
• Cycle 1.4km south on Concession 4 to access the Secord trail on the west side of the road. Trail access is from the road via a set of stairs, bikes can be walked alongside the stairs. There is also a tractor path about 20m before arriving at the stairs that rejoins the trail.
• Follow SF7, SF6, SF5 to arrive at the checkpoint on the south side of the pond. Note that there are some boardwalks and rough sections as you approach the checkpoint- be aware and you may need to walk your bike.
• A map showing the Walker Woods and North Walker Woods trail markers can be found here, the Norton/Clubine tract here, and the Secord Forest here

Stage 10- Secord to 10th line and Lincolnville Lane (10.5km Run)

This stage is primarily on trails with some paved road sections.

• Runners depart the checkpoint at Secord pond and follow trail markers SF4, SF3, SF2, SF1 to emerge at Concession 3.
• Head briefly south (~100m) on Concession 3 to the Goodwood Conservation Area trail head (GW6) on the west side of the road.
• Follow the northern trail through Goodwood Conservation Area via trail markers GW7 and GW8 and emerge onto Concession 2.
• Head north on Concession 2 for ~800m until the Oak Ridges Trail marker on the west side of the road.
• Head straight west on the Oak Ridges Trail for ~2km to emerge onto York-Durham line.
• Follow York-Durham line north to the intersection with 10th line. Cross 10th with a small jog southward to access Lincolnville Lane and the checkpoint.
• A map showing the trail markers for the Secord Forest can be found here, and for Goodwood conservation area here

Stage 11- 10th Line and Lincolnville Lane to Hollidge Tract (11.5km Bike)

Largely on paved road, with some short gravel road allowance and trail sections.

• Cyclists set off from the north side of Bloomington road, following 10th line northbound until York-Durham line, and then continue north on York-Durham line for 1.1km until you encounter Hillsdale Drive on the west side.
• Head west on Hillsdale, crossing the barricade, and continue west along the gravel road allowance for 700m until the road resumes.
• Continue on Hillsdale for 1.1km to 9th line, and follow 9th line north around Musselman’s lake.
• Continue north on 9th line, crossing Aurora Road and St. John’s sideroad, until you encounter the York Regional Forest Hollidge Tract trailhead on the west side about 800m north of St. Johns.
• Follow the Oak Ridges Trail westward through the forest towards the checkpoint located just south of the parking lot and Bill Fisch Forest Centre.

Stage 12- Hollidge Tract to McCowan and Jesse Thomson (8km Run)

This stage is almost entirely forest trails.

• Runners depart the checkpoint briefly in the direction of the incoming bikers before heading west along the Oak Ridges Trail toward Highway 48.
• Runners cross Highway 48 with a short jog southward to enter the Eldred King Tract.
• Note: due to a trail closure, runners will briefly leave the trail to pass through the Eldred King parking lot, rejoining the trail at the northwest corner of the parking lot.
• This is a dense network of trails and trail users- follow the Oak Ridges Trail (white blazes) generally southward through Eldred King, Hall, and Patterson tracts before emerging at Aurora Road.
• Head 50m east on the trail before crossing Aurora Road to Sandy Lane
• Head South on Sandy Lane to the trail access at the end of the road to enter the Clarke Tract.
• Use the blue-blazed Oak Ridges Side Trail to head east, south, east, south, west, north, west, and then north alongside McCowan road to emerge at the intersection of McCowan and Jesse Thomson, where the checkpoint is located.

Stage 13- McCowan and Jesse Thomson to Evans Park, Aurora (13km Bike)

Primarily on paved road with a short forest trail section. This stage is late in the race, remember your lamps and flashers!

• Cyclists depart the checkpoint and head west on Jesse Thomson to Kennedy Road.
• Directly cross Kennedy to Elia Drive, taking the right/north fork and proceeding for about 450m to the Robinson Tract trailhead.
• Enter the forest and follow the Oak Ridges Trail (white blazes) generally westbound until exiting the forest at Warden Ave.
• Cycle briefly south on Warden (~550m) to Slaters Road and continue west along Slaters to Woodbine.
• Head south on Woodbine for ~750m to Vandorf. Then turn west onto Vandorf.
• Follow Vandorf west for 4km to Bayview
• Head south on Bayview, using the recreational path on the west side of the road, for ~680m to the checkpoint at Evans Park.

Stage 14- Evans Park to Aurora Family Leisure (5km Run)

Gravel/pavement urban trail

• Runners depart Evans Park heading north along the Tim Jones/Nokiida trail, crossing Vandorf Road, and continuing north through Vandorf Woodlot following signs for the Klaus Wehrenberg Trail towards Sheppard’s Bush.
• Cross the river eastbound before entering Sheppard’s Bush and rejoin the Tim Jones/Nokiida trail northbound to Wellington Street East.
• Head briefly west along Wellington to cross Wellington northbound at Mary Street, and resume following the trail generally northbound towards the finish line at the pavilion at the Aurora Sports Complex.