A small group with daypacks walking away from the camera along a leafy forest path

Thunder Bay youth, ages 11 to 17

Get outside. The gear is on us.

After-school hikes, summer paddling days, winter skills and one overnight trip every season. Boots, jackets and sleeping bags come free from our gear library, and anyone who needs a bursary gets one.

On nowFall hikes, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Next overnightOctober 24 to 25, tents by a lake
The feeSmall, and free if you ask

What we do

We take young people outside, often, and lend them what they need to stay warm and dry.

Open Trail is a small group of trained leaders and volunteers in Thunder Bay. We run short outings close to town after school, long days on the water in summer and Saturdays in the snow. Every season ends with one night out in a tent.

See every program

Who it's for

Ages 11 to 17Any school, any neighbourhood. Overnights start at 12.
No experiencePlenty of our youth have never paddled or slept in a tent before. That's what we're for.
No gearWe lend boots, jackets, sleeping bags and snowshoes, free.
No moneyIf the fee is in the way, a full bursary takes it away. We ask for a name.
Two leadersEvery outing has at least two adults, and parents get a trip plan before it.

This season and the next three

The year on the trail

Ages, fees and what to bring

Fall

On now

After-school hikesTue and Thu, Sept 15 to Nov 19 · $10 an outing
Overnight: tents by a lakeSat Oct 24 to Sun Oct 25 · $45
Gear libraryRain shells and fleece are out now

Winter

Jan to Mar

Winter skills SaturdaysSnowshoeing, fire safety, winter camping basics · $15
Overnight: heated wall tentSat Feb 20 to Sun Feb 21 · $45
Gear libraryParkas, snow pants, boots and snowshoes

Spring

Apr to Jun

After-school hikesTue and Thu, Apr 13 to Jun 17 · $10 an outing
Overnight: first camp of the yearSat May 22 to Sun May 23 · $45

Summer

Jul to Aug

Paddling daysWed and Sat on sheltered lakes · $20 a day
Overnight: paddle-in campSat Aug 14 to Sun Aug 15 · $45

Hiking and camping gear laid out in neat rows: packs, stuff sacks, boots, water bottles and small tools

The free gear library

Borrow it. Bring it back. That's the whole deal.

Our gear room holds what a young person needs for a day or a night outside. Families borrow it free, for our programs or for their own weekend at the lake.

Bootsyouth 3 to adult 12
Winter parkasXS to XL
Rain shellsXS to XL
Sleeping bagsto −15 °C
Snowshoesyouth and adult
Daypacks20 to 30 L
Mitts and toquesyours to keep

Request gear

If the fee is a problem, there is no fee.

Tick "bursary" on the registration form, or tell a leader at pickup. We ask for your youth's name. We don't ask for pay stubs, reasons or a story, and nobody else on the trip will know.

Bursaries in plain words

For families

Bring your kid out with us

Pick a program, tell us anything we should know, and our coordinator will call you about a spot. You get a trip plan before every outing.

For volunteers

Drive, lead or sort gear

Two hours a month in the gear room helps. So does one Saturday of driving. Leaders train with us before their first trip.

See volunteer roles