Safety awareness and the related precautionary measures are important matters to be considered before venturing into and enjoying the wilderness.
Your Family’s Safety is Your Responsibility
Visitors are reminded about the importance of safety measures upon arrival at the Limberlost Reserve. Your visit to Limberlost and participation in the related recreational activities is conditional upon your acceptance of terms of the Safety Responsibility Contract, holding Limberlost and its associates harmless in the event of an injury or accident.
Day Hikers
We require day users to fill out our Safety Responsibility Contract. It is important that we know when you are on the property and where you are hiking in case you are injured or lost and need assistance. The contact & vehicle information is required so that we can identify who is still out on the trails at closing time and to organize a search if needed.
Safety Priorities
To protect hikers and wildlife on the woodland roads, vehicles are required to be left at one of a number of designated parking areas. Each of these are a short walk to the start of a major hiking trail. Familiarize yourself with our maps while planning your hike.
Please always drive slowly and safely and carefully observe the posted speed limit of 20km an hour.
To a large extent, the major trails are linked directly with other trails or by short walks along woodland roads. Visitors are therefore able to expand the length of their hikes to whatever distance they desire, assured that they can return safely along a trail or woodland road to their starting point.
GPS readings are listed in our Limberlost Master Guide for the major points of interest on each trail to help visitors locate them. These also assist visitors who detour from the prepared trails, which is generally not encouraged, to return safely.
Trees along the trails are scaled, typically to a height of ten feet or more, to avoid injuries and minimize surprise encounters with black bears or other large animals.
By providing the safest and most effective route, Limberlost’s wilderness trails ensure visitors do not become lost. The trails also discourage individuals from trudging through sensitive areas where they could injure themselves or where their foot-prints could damage young plant growth, emerging fungi and hollowed-out areas used by small animals for shelter.
Canoe Safety
It is important to take extra care when canoeing in remote areas.
First, ensure life jackets are worn at all times and not used to sit on or to cushion your knees.
Second, place cameras, food and extra clothing in sealed plastic bags and attach them to the canoe with a rope.
Third, don’t go out alone. You could sustain an injury and be alone when in need of help. In any event, make sure someone knows where you are going and when you plan to return.
Fourth, if members of your party cannot swim, keep close to the shore and away from swiftly flowing water.
If a storm blows in, return as quickly as possible to a safe place. Being in a canoe on an open expanse of water, especially in a metal one, is dangerous in case of a lightning strike