If you’d asked us five years ago where to ride in Muskoka, we would have talked about the drive north and shrugged. Not anymore. The mountain bike scene in Muskoka has exploded, and the trail system at the Bracebridge Resource Management Centre — BRMC to the locals — is at the heart of it. What started as a modest set of trails opened in 2019 has become one of the most talked-about riding destinations in central Ontario, and for good reason.
The soil here is thin. The rock is ancient. The Canadian Shield sits right under your tires. Which means BRMC rides like nothing else on our regular rotation. You’re not going to find sandy flow here. You’re going to find granite, roots, punchy climbs, and technical descents that will teach you what your bike can actually do.
What You’re Actually Riding
BRMC sits just north of downtown Bracebridge, right off Highway 11, on the edge of the Muskoka River. The trails are built and maintained by the Muskoka Off-Road Cycling Association — MORCA — a volunteer club formed in 2018 that has been aggressively expanding the network ever since. There’s roughly 19 kilometres of trail on the property now (some estimates put it closer to 25), spread across a mix of doubletrack and singletrack, with new trails constantly being added.
The network splits into two flavours based on which parking lot you use. From the North lot, you get more mellow trails through pine forest — flow lines, family-friendly options, gentle intros to the terrain. From the South lot, things get real fast. The trails here take you into the exposed Canadian Shield with rocky technical climbs, punchy descents, ridges, and features that will demand your full attention.
The Shield doesn’t forgive lazy riding. You learn to trust your tires, look ahead, and let the bike work. Once you do, you never want to ride anywhere else.
Who It’s For
Newer riders: Head to the North lot. Turtle Trot and Pine Pedaller are welcoming green trails through pine forest — a good way to get comfortable before venturing south.
Intermediate riders: The blue trails are where you’ll spend most of your day. The Freeway is one of the most flowy trails in the system and is best ridden north.
Advanced riders: Gnarnia and Crazy Goat are the flagship black diamonds — technical, rocky, exposed Shield riding at its best. This is what people talk about when they talk about BRMC.
Riders who want to progress: BRMC is one of the best trail systems in Ontario for growing your technical skills. The features are progressive — you can pick your line, session the same trail, and genuinely see your riding get better ride over ride.
A Few Trails to Build a Day Around
The Freeway: The flowy blue that everyone rides at least once. A great warm-up or cool-down.
Rabbit Run and Winter’s Coming: More classic blues that showcase the range of the network.
Gnarnia: The trail everyone talks about. Punchy, rocky, committed. Take your time.
Crazy Goat: The other big-ticket black. Even more technical in spots. Absolutely worth the ride.
Triple Crown: One of the newest blue trails at BRMC that offers some great flow with a little bit of climbing to make sure you earn those downs :-)
Plan Your Day
Where to park: Two lots. North: 5140 Highway 11 (mellower trails, easy access). South: 591 Holiday Park Drive (more technical trails, Shield riding). MORCA’s weekly rides start from the south lot.
Cost: Free to ride, but honour boxes at both parking lots collect donations for MORCA. Better yet, join MORCA directly at morca.ca — it’s the most direct way to support the trails you’re about to enjoy.
When to ride: May through October. Winter trails are dedicated to grooming for XC skiing, so please stay off the double track in winter to avoid damaging the grooming.
Group rides: MORCA hosts weekly group rides — Mondays at 6 pm from the south lot (open to all), Wednesdays at 6 pm (women’s ride). One of the best ways to learn the trail system.
Bring: Helmet is mandatory. A downloaded Trailforks map. Water. Bug spray in mid-summer.
Drive time: About 2 hours from Toronto. Combine with Huntsville for a full Muskoka weekend.
Make It a Bikes and Beers Day
BRMC is 10 minutes from downtown Bracebridge, which has quietly become a legitimate post-ride destination in its own right. Muskoka Beer Spa, Sawdust City if you drive to Gravenhurst, and Rally Beer Co (a MORCA sponsor) are all in easy reach. The downtown has coffee shops, restaurants, and enough character to make an entire weekend of it.
BRMC has become a fixture of our summer Muskoka trips — often paired with a stop at Huntsville the next day for a full weekend of Shield riding. Watch for our next Muskoka weekend and come learn what your bike can really do.