The best walks and hikes around Tiny

Pete Pettersen Park sits right on Midland Bay and makes a useful stop along the waterfront trail. The 2.75-hectare park has a beach area, washrooms, playground, ball diamond and public boat launch, plus direct access back onto the trail. It was dedicated in 1975 in memory of Pete Pettersen, who helped develop a ski jump hill in Midland during the 1950s.

The Midland Rotary Waterfront Trail stretches for more than 8 kilometres along the town’s shoreline and forms part of the Trans Canada Trail. Along the way, it links downtown Midland with the harbour, parks and other waterfront areas, while interpretive plaques share some of the town’s maritime and industrial history. It also connects into longer trail networks towards Penetanguishene and Tay.

Midland Bay is a sheltered inlet of Georgian Bay, and this section of the waterfront trail gives you frequent views across the water towards marinas, boats and the opposite shoreline. The bay is closely tied to Midland’s harbour history, but today it’s also a quieter place to watch for waterfowl or stop by the shoreline. Around Pete Pettersen Park, the trail runs especially close to the water.

Spanning 8.5 square kilometres of marshes, open water, bogs, and upland forests, the Tiny Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area is Ontario’s inaugural provincially managed wetland and a recognized Important Bird Area (IBA) for birdwatching and nature photography. 250 species of birds have been recorded here, including nesting ospreys, 11 species of ducks, and provincially threatened species like the Least Bittern and Black Tern. The site is explorable though elevated dike trails above the water, along with boardwalks, observation towers and an interpretive centre designed for wildlife viewing and education.

A lot of the South Cell can be seen from a wide dirt road that traces the southern body of water's eastern edge. The road is built along a dike and is popular with bikers and hikers, with a flat, straight path to follow. There is little to no shade, so come prepared.

The North Cell is a small seasonal vernal pool surrounded by earthen dikes and wetlands. Tiny Marsh Provincial Wildlife Area does not have two formally named ponds. Instead, it is classified as a singular 600-hectare marsh complex feeding the headwaters of the Wye River.

Following the shoreline of Georgian Bay, the Beach Trail links all four of Awenda Provincial Park's mainland beaches on an easy 4-kilometre route. Along the way, you'll experience a striking transition from the dry oak and maple forest above the Nipissing Bluff to the cooler birch, cedar, and hemlock forest below, with regular views across the bay toward Giant's Tomb Island. It's one of the park's most scenic walks and an excellent way to explore its varied landscapes in a single outing.

Awenda Provincial Park protects more than 2,900 hectares of forest, wetlands, and Georgian Bay shoreline on the Penetanguishene Peninsula. With over 30 kilometres of hiking trails, four sandy beaches, old-growth forest, and excellent birdwatching opportunities, it's one of Ontario's most diverse provincial parks. The Beach Trail offers one of the best ways to experience the park, linking all four beaches while passing beneath the Nipissing Bluff and along the shores of Georgian Bay. A valid Ontario Parks day-use permit or camping reservation is required to enter the park.