Colpoys Bay - Wiarton Ontario

Colpoys Bay is located on Georgian Bay, Ontario, Canada.  The Bay is named after Sir John Colpoy who was an Admiral in the British Navy during the early 1800s. With its limestone cliffs rising on either side of the bay, the Niagara Escarpment reveals itself. 

 

Colpoys Bay - Looking North

Niagara Escarpment Limestone Cliffs

 

 The remarkably clear blue waters of Georgian Bay are among the clearest in the Great Lakes with visibility reaching up to 20 meters. There are three islands at the entrance to Colpoys Bay – Griffith Island, Hay Island and Whitecloud Island.

Sailing to Whitecloud Island

Griffith Island is home to Griffiths Island Lighthouse. It is one of six Imperial Towers that were constructed around 1959. Commissioned in 1855 by the Board of Works who contracted a builder from Thorold, Ontario, this plan was to have eleven lighthouses and dwellings which would see the lighting of Lake Huron and Georgian Bay for shipping. 

White Cloud is larger than nearby Griffith Island, and has a well-protected harbour in Kidd Bay. Anchorage in the bay is popular with local sailors. Land on the island is privately owned, mostly wooded.

Super clear water in Colpoys Bay

Colpoys Bay with Whitecloud and Griffith Islands in distance

 

Limestone beach

 

Divers getting ready for some time under the waves

 

Chicory (Cichorium intybus)

Salmon Fishing - during the Salmon Derby

 

For hikers, the  Bruce Trail runs right through this area on its way north to Tobermory or south to Owen Sound. 

There are several Bruce County Conservation Areas that are located close by.  On our trip, we visited Colpoys Lookout Conservation Area and the Bruce’s Caves Conservation Area. I highly recommend checking this area out.

Check out these other sites for more information:

http://www.explorethebruce.com/hiking.php

http://www.thebrucepeninsula.com/wiarton/

http://www.greysauble.on.ca/ca_lands/brucecaves.html

Colpoys Lookout Conservation Area   -  UTM  17N  498292 E  4960802 N

Bruce’s Caves Conservation Area   -  UTM  17N  494064 E  4957404 N

Eramosa Karst Conservation Area

Eramosa Karst Conservation Area

Stoney Creek, Ontario

The Eramosa Karst is located on Upper Mount Albion Road in Upper Stoney Creek, Ontario.

Eramosa Karst Conservation Area Trails in Stoney Creek, Ontario

You might ask what a Karst is? It is a geological term used to explain underground drainage, caves and passageways caused by water dissolving rock. In this case it is the limestone formations of the Niagara Escarpment.

Interpretative Information

The Karst formations are very unique because of the variety on this site. They include: dry valleys, soil pipes, sinking streams and a 335 meter-long cave. Along with the interesting geological features, the property has a multitude of meadows and forest clusters containing many different types of hardwood trees.

Make sure you grab a map of the trails. The location had marked walking trails and interesting interpretive plaques describing the property. Margaret and I enjoyed exploring the different areas and saw many families and children enjoying the outdoors together.

Eramosa Karst Conservation Area Orange Trail Marker

Cave Opening

Niagara Escarpment Limestone

Margaret standing in one of the Karst features

Meadows

Small Eastern Milk Snake

Dandelion

Tree Blossoms

Some Key facts of the Eramosa Karst Conservation Area:

- Contains example of 16 different karst features
- Surface and groundwater drainage system created 13,000 years ago after last ice age
- More than 4 km of trails, boardwalks and bridges

Coordinates:

43° 11’ 12.84” N    79° 48’ 41.96” W

UTM 17N  596566.38 E  4782254.96 N

              

Collingwood Scenic Caves & Nature Preserve

Blue Mountain is know in most of Ontario as a great place to go skiing or a winter getaway. It is also known for the Scenic Caves at Blue Mountain.

Blue Mountain is technically not a mountain, it is part of the Niagara Escarpment, which runs from Niagara Falls to Tobermory Ontario. Rising more than 300 metres in elevation above Georgian Bay it is one of the highest points in Southern Ontario.



View overlooking Collingwood, Ontario

Less than two hours north of Toronto, it is worth the drive north. The views and the unique surroundings make for a worthwhile opportunity to explore.

The new suspension footbridge at Scenic Caves is Ontario 's newest feature attraction. Take a walk across the 126-metre suspension bridge, which crosses 25 metres above the valley. The location give fantastic views of the Collingwood and Nottawasaga Bay.



The Suspension Bridge

The bridge holds the title of being the longest suspension footbridge in Ontario. It is 25 metres above the valley and stream and more than 300 metres above Georgian Bay. The towers are 11.5 metres high.



One of the Caves that can be explored

Check out (Sub)urban Tourist the for more information on the caves. You can also check out my video on the Outdoor Adventurers Facebook page.

Trilliums along the walking trails