Hiking
Hullett Provincial Wildlife Area offers a premier hiking experience through 5,400 hectares of diverse ecosystems, including mature hardwood forests, rolling meadows, and vast wetlands. Our trail system consists of seven distinct coloured routes and an extensive network of dyke-top paths, allowing visitors to immerse themselves in the natural beauty of Ontario’s West Coast. All trails are blazed using a standardized North American method: 2-inch by 6-inch colored rectangles painted on trees in woodlots or on wooden planks in open grasslands. These colors correspond directly to our user maps, and we highly recommend carrying a User Guide to navigate the various loops and viewing stands found throughout the property.
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To ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all, we ask visitors to adhere to our marsh regulations and show respect for both the environment and other users, including hunters and non-hunters alike. As the Friends of Hullett (FOH) staff have limited resources, we follow a strict "carry-in, carry-out" policy for all garbage, including shotgun shells, coffee cups, and pet waste. While our trails are open to horseback riding, please note that motorized vehicles are strictly prohibited. We recommend that all hikers bring water, food, bug spray, and a cell phone for their journey.
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The trails at Hullett vary in difficulty to accommodate all types of adventurers. Level 1 trails are easy and ideal for families with young children, while Level 2 (Medium) trails require comfortable, sturdy footwear. Level 3 routes involve natural paths and more significant hills. Our estimated completion times are based on an average adult pace of 4 km/h, though conditions may vary based on weather and individual ability. We also encourage visitors to watch for natural hazards such as poison ivy, which is present throughout the marsh in both ground-plant and climbing-vine forms.
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Discover Our Trail System
​The White Trail is our longest route at 4.7 km (60–90 mins, Level 2), stretching nearly the entire width of the property and showcasing how forest, meadow, and agricultural ecosystems inter-relate.
For a shaded woodland experience, the Green Trail (2.4 km, 30–50 mins, Level 2) offers excellent wildlife viewing, raptor nests, and waterfowl ponds.
The Blue Trail (2.3 km, 30–50 mins, Level 2) serves as a central artery in Zone B, winding through sugar maples and American beech trees where woodpeckers and rare shrikes are often spotted.
Our newest addition, the Red Trail (2.2 km, 30–50 mins, Level 2), provides access to accessible hunting blinds and features new bluebird box installations amidst a mix of hardwoods and fallow fields.
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For shorter excursions, the Orange Trail (1.2 km, 20–30 mins, Level 2) provides the highest elevation in the marsh, offering spectacular views of the Bluebill and Pintail pools and a look at our solar Motus bird-monitoring tower.
Within the "Sugar Bush," the Yellow Trail (0.4 km, 10–15 mins, Level 1) is a photographer’s favorite, especially in spring when wildflowers like trilliums and jack-in-the-pulpit carpet the floor beneath the ash and maple canopy.
Finally, the Purple Trail (0.3 km, 5–10 mins, Level 1) connects the Blue and Green routes, featuring a beautiful mixed chorus of birds and unique beech trees with smooth, grey bark resembling "elephant legs."
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Maintenance of these kilometers of trails is made possible by our dedicated Trail Blazers volunteer group. These individuals monitor the paths, paint blazes, and prune trees to keep the routes accessible. We encourage all regular visitors to consider volunteering with the Trail Blazers to help preserve this landscape. For more information on trail maintenance or to report a major job, please contact the FOH office at 519-482-7011 or fohoffice@hullettmarsh.com.