The Copeland Forest Friends: Looking after the Forest for the Ministry of Natural Resources for all the user groups
Copeland Forest Friends on Facebook
MESSAGE FROM HORSESHOE RESORT ON AUGUST 10, 2026![]()
![]()
Improving Trail Navigation & Building Skills for Young Riders![]()
Dear Neighbours and Community Partners,![]()
![]()
At Horseshoe Valley Resort, we’re continuing to invest in ways to make the mountain bike trails more inclusive, welcoming and enjoyable for riders of all ages and experience levels.![]()
![]()
This summer, we’ve been working on improvements to trail signage and navigation from our Nordic Centre through the Copeland Forest, with a focus on creating a clearer and more![]()
enjoyable experience for cross country bike riders. Our goal is to make it easier for riders to understand where they are, where the trails lead and how to navigate the network with confidence.![]()
![]()
These trail improvements and signage are being completed under a Land Use Permit issued to Horseshoe Valley Resort by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources under the Public Lands Act, ensuring the work is carried out within the appropriate provincial framework.![]()
We’re particularly excited about how these improvements can support families and younger riders. ![]()
![]()
The trails in and around Horseshoe Valley offer a great opportunity for kids to get outside, build confidence and develop their riding skills in a beautiful natural setting. We’ve also been working on a bike skills park near our beginner ski hill — an area many of you![]()
may recognize from the winter season. The skills park is designed to give beginner and developing riders a place to learn and practise the fundamentals of mountain biking in a more approachable environment. ![]()
![]()
Features such as low logs, berms and other beginner-friendly obstacles will help riders learn how to navigate different trail features, build their confidence and develop skills before taking ![]()
them onto more challenging terrain.![]()
![]()
As we continue this work, we’re committed to keeping the experience family-oriented, approachable and welcoming to riders of all abilities. We’re proud to be part of a community where people can enjoy the outdoors together, and we look forward to continuing to enhance the ways our guests, neighbours and local families can experience the trails.![]()
![]()
Thank you for being part of the Horseshoe Valley community. We appreciate the opportunity to share these updates and look forward to continuing to work together to support outdoor![]()
recreation in the area.![]()
![]()
Warm regards,![]()
The Horseshoe Valley Resort Team
IMPORTANT MESSAGE FROM CFFA![]()
At the beginning of the summer Horseshoe Valley Resort (HVR) had installed routing signs on some of the trails at the south end of the forest in the vicinity of the Nordic Centre. These signs are to provide directions to kids in the bike camps and novice riders who are renting bikes from HVR to prevent these riders from getting lost. HVR is allowed to install signs in the forest as per their agreement with the Ministry of Natural Resources. ![]()
![]()
Recently someone has removed some of these installed signs. ![]()
This is very unfortunate and seems to be a growing trend regarding signage in the forest and in our larger community. Please respect these signs and do not remove them. They are located in only a small portion of the forest.![]()
![]()
Also as a reminder Copeland Forest access through the Nordic Centre is not a public right. Forest access at this location is possible only with HVR's permission as they own this land. Please respect this and support the resort.
FROM THE GARLIC MUSTARD TEAM![]()
Massive Thanks to ALL who pulled Garlic Mustard in the Copeland![]()
We faced an avalanche of Garlic Mustard this spring. Our one priority area has always been the deciduous uplands where an exceptional diversity of spring ephemerals, trees and animals thrive. ![]()
![]()
We cleared our targeted locations there of the invasive, filled the![]()
compost bins to overflowing and built new bins to reduce uphill carrying. Our goal was always to contain and reduce Garlic Mustard, not eradicate it. ![]()
![]()
We are seeing Success in four ways. ![]()
1. After seven years of Continual pulling some satellite spots have fewer plants, one has disappeared entirely. ![]()
2. Trail side groupings have not spread any further into the forest ![]()
3. Observation tells us that native plants have increased in pulled locations. ![]()
4. Volunteers take their skills home, tell their neighbours and quickly this knowledge of how to combat the threat of Garlic Mustard spreads.![]()
![]()
The Copeland Forest Friends want to thank the Coordinator of the Garlic Mustard project, Margaret Kennedy, and the Team Leaders who organized and inspired people to enjoy the sights and sounds of nature while they pulled the predator plant. The leaders are: ![]()
![]()
Nancy Chong, Carol Strickland, Sue Benjafield, Bernd Widenhorn, ![]()
Jarka Rezek, and Bill Wells.![]()
![]()
Huge gratitude also goes to all the volunteers. Your energy and your comraderies, whether you came once or ten times, added to our total success.![]()
![]()
We also value the enormous contribution of local organizations to our conservation effort. They are: Ganaraska Hiking Trail clubs of Orillia and Oro-Medonte; Georgian Bay Hunters and Anglers; Severn Sound Environmental Association; the Anglican![]()
Churches of St. Johns, Craighurst and St Pauls, Midhurst.![]()
We’ll be putting a wrap on Garlic Mustard endeavors for 2026, although some of us may get a head start and pull young Garlic Mustard plants amidst the fall mushrooms.![]()
![]()
In the fall as well, we look forward to meeting with the Friend’s new Naturalist Chair, Kim Kosari and with Patrick Jackson, head of Invasive Species.![]()
![]()
Thank you to everyone for making the Copeland Forest more healthy.![]()
![]()
Photos below: Just visualize the forest plants breathing before and after Maureen and Harry removed Garlic Mustard. Photo by Nancy Chong, Pine Ridge area.
Download the Trails Map
Download our map of all the major trails in the Copeland Forest
Copeland Forest Friends
The Copeland Forest is a 4,400 acre Resource Management Area in Simcoe County, Ontario, Canada, owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forests.The size, beauty, and unfettered use of the forest by a wide variety of recreational users inspired an initiative to conserve the natural integrity of the forest and facilitate compatible recreational use.
In October 2015 the Copeland Forest Friends Association formed a Non-Profit Corporation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the MNRF, and began offering memberships. The organization has been structured to ensure that all of the major recreational user groups are represented equally. There are many ways to join us including becoming a member, volunteering, making a donation, and signing up for our newsletter. We look forward to seeing you in the forest!
