Hiking Local - Finding Great Local Trails

When I think about going for a hike, I usually associate hiking with jumping in the car and driving out of the urban and suburban areas. We have a vision in our heads of finding that perfect trail where there is absolutely nobody. I want to open peoples eyes when it comes to local hiking and local trails.



Mt. Nemo Conservation Area, Burlington, Ontario



In Southern Ontario we are blessed with a number of major walking and outdoor recreation trails. From the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trail to the Bruce Trail and finally the Trans Canada Trail, this is just a sample of the fantastic trails just waiting for you to plan an adventure.

Point Pelee, Ontario

I don’t know how to explain the feeling I had when Margaret and I were heading towards Point Pelee. I think it was the pure excitement of traveling to the farthest point south in Canada that is connected to the mainland.



Road running through the Point Pelee National Park

Rattray Marsh Conservation Area

The best way to describe Rattray Marsh Conservation Area is a little bit of paradise in Mississauga. It feels like you are in the middle of a wild place, far away from the City. The trails are fantastic.

There is a boardwalk around the environmentally sensitive sections of the marsh. This allows for some absolutely fantastic vantage points of the marsh. I enjoyed standing under the massive oak trees that seem to be over a century old. I will let my photos and video do the talking and I hope you enjoy them.

If you want more on the Rattray Marsh check out (Sub)urban Tourist.

Grand Bend Adventure Road Trip: Grand Bend to Goderich

As you drive north along Highway 21 you pass through the town of Grand Bend, Ontario. The town has a unique character that I have not experienced anywhere on my travels through the province. A relaxed lakeside cottage feel makes everyone stopping in Grand Bend feel comfortable and want to return again.

Highway 21 is flat and mostly straight as you drive past a mix of farms and cottages. Occasionally, you will see very large homes that are year-round residences. As the two lane road heads north it runs parallel to the lakeshore and allows for great views of the southwestern Ontario countryside.




Church Steeple in downtown Goderich

 

Grand Bend Adventure Road Trip

I remember in my early twenties waiting for the first long weekend to come. Anticipating the first camping trip of the year, it could never come quick enough. When we couldn’t get a camp site anywhere, we usually just went for a drive. A road trip was a great way to spend time with family and friends.  It was spontaneous and you were able to explore trails, tracks and towns.

This weekends’ exploration focused on checking out the Pinery Provincial Park and slowly wending our way along Highway 21 north.  Highway 21 runs from Highway 402 in the south running up the east shore of Lake Huron ending in Owen Sound in the north.  Along the way, going through towns such as Forest, Grand Bend, Goderich, Point Clark, Kincardine, Tiverton (Bruce Nuclear Generating Station), Port Elgin, and Southampton, Ontario.  The highway is often referred to as the Bluewater Highway.  The highway is an easy drive, mostly flat and straight, running past farms, cottages and larger homes.

Some of my favorite places to camp were the Pinery, Port Burwell, Sauble Beach or Sandbanks. I think some of the best camping sites in Ontario are at Provincial Parks. These sites allow the car camper to reserve a camping site or even group camping sites in spectacular locations all across the province of Ontario.



Pinery Provincial Park Dunes