Route: Cataraqui Trail (ON, Canada)

Location
Ontario, CA
Distance
104 km
Vertical Gain
180 m
Description

Eliza Murphy posted the route:

"The Cataraqui Trail is a year-round, shared-use recreation trail running [about 103km] from Smith Falls in the east to Strathcona in the west.

In spring, summer and fall it welcomes everyone from hikers to cyclists. In winter it is open to snowmobilers bearing a current Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs trail permit. Cross-country skiers are welcome to share the trail."

www.cataraquitrail.ca/#!/rail-to-trail

A friend and I are excited to attempt to run The Cataraqui Trail from end to end, West to East, beginning Sunday December 6th, 2015. I am not aware of any current FKT for this trail and would be interested to hear from anyone who knows of one. If we successfully cover all 104km of the trail we will claim an FKT regardless of our time unless we have information to the contrary.

The Cataraqui Trail "follows a section of abandoned CN Railway running from Strathcona near Napanee to Smiths Falls. Train services along this line were discontinued in 1986, the ties and tracks were removed in 1989". As the trail is now almost 30 years old I find it hard to believe that no one has run this trail end to end before now and hope to get the ball rolling by setting a standard and that more FKT attempts will follow. 

This will be a supported FKT with one crew member meeting up with us at various road crossing along the way. We plan to record this run with my Suunto GPS Ambit 2 watch, pictures and data keeping by our crew.

Thank you to all of those hikers and runners who have inspired this end to end run.

Sincerely,

EJ Murphy

GPS Track

Comments

Just finished my FKT attempt May 22,2020. I’ve set the male supported FKT with a time of  10h, 41m and 57s.

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Profile picture for user Maxwell McEachern

I have set a new male supported FKT on May 31st, 2020 with a time of 10h, 23m, 18s.  

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Profile picture for user haggaret

Hey folks - quick question: It seems it doesn't matter which direction you run this? Is there a preferred direction? Might have a go at the unsupported/self-supported time sometime this fall.

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Profile picture for user Matt Roach

On September 12th, 2020 I will be initiating my Supported attempt on the Cataraqui Trail.  I will be starting in Strathcona and finishing in Smith Falls.