In addition, the highway serves as the main route to Wasaga Beach, a popular recreational destination during the summer months.

It passes through a nearly continuous corridor of low-density resort-style residential developments, mostly concentrated in the Blue Mountain Resort area.

[4] It is also not a very straight route, as the highway makes four 90 degree turns: three at signalised intersections, including at High Street in western Collingwood, Hume Street in eastern Collingwood, the intersection with Simcoe Roads 91 and 42 in Stayner, and the unsignalised junction with Simcoe Road 27 (formerly Highway 27) north of Barrie.

Within Owen Sound, Meaford, Thornbury, Collingwood, Stayner and Barrie, maintenance of the route is shared between the MTO and the local municipality.

[8][9] When it was established, the route was paved between Meaford and Thornbury, as well as for approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) east of Owen Sound through Woodford; the remainder was gravel-surfaced.

[10][11] The gap between Woodford and Meaford was paved in 1930,[12] followed by the section from the current intersection of Simcoe County Road 53 (Wilson Drive) east to Midhurst and south to Highway 11 in Barrie in 1931.

That year also aw the section between Thornbury and the Simcoe–Grey County line paved, completing a continuous pavement between Owen Sound and Barrie.

In 2001, the Georgian Triangle Area Transportation Study determined that traffic levels along Highway 26 both east and west of Collingwood were exceeding capacity.