Category: Maps & Wayfinding

Centralized access to official interactive and downloadable maps for trails, paddling routes, road access, campsites, and visitor facilities across Ontario. Includes GPX/KML files, offline navigation guidance, signage keys, and orientation tools to help visitors confidently find their way.

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Maps & Wayfinding

Why Your Park Map Isn’t Showing You Real-Time Trail Closures (And What Near-Real Time Actually Means)

Hiker in a rain jacket stands at a locked forest trail gate with barrier and no-entry symbol, checking a smartphone while the muddy path and fallen branches blur into the background under overcast light.
Estimated read time 12 min read

You’ve checked Ontario Parks’ closure map before hitting the road, only to arrive at a locked gate with a “Trail Closed” sign that wasn’t there online an hour ago. That frustrating scenario happens because most park closure maps operate on “near-real time”—a term that sounds instant but actually means updates can lag anywhere from 15 minutes to several hours behind actual conditions.
Near-real time isn’t true real-time. Think of it like getting weather updates every 30 minutes instead of every second. Park staff need to physically assess conditions, make closure decisions, and …