Outdoors with Kids Log

Best of the Bruce Trail - Waterdown Trail

• Posted on January 17, 2008 at 7:26 PM
• Previous

I have been inactive for a few months making it through the crunch of yearend. The family did remain somewhat active with weekend dayhikes in the Greater Toronto Area. We did hikes in the following areas:

-Kortright Conservation Centre, near Woodbridge, Ontario, one half hour north of Toronto; -Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area, near Milton Ontario, one half hour southwest of Toronto; -Palgrave Conservation Area, one half hour northwest of Toronto along Highway 10; -Waterdown Trail, Bruce Trail near Waterdown, Ontario, one hour southwest of Toronto.

The four trails each have their merits and are all quite aesthetic. The Kortright Centre has an excellent outdoor centre with displays and activities geared toward outdoor education for all ages. The trails are excellent and pass by stands of hardwood and a wetland. Birders should take note.

Rattlesnake Point, a favourite of the local GTA/Toronto/Southwestern Ontario climbing scene, is also the site of some excellent trails with beautiful views from the top of the escarpment over the surrounding countryside. Parents do need to take care that children do not venture too near the edge of the cliffs, a fall from which could be fatal.

The Palgrave trail is a largely flat network of trails through a meadow and mixed woodland. They would be excellent for winter XC skiing or snowshoeing.

The Waterdown Trail is my favourite of the group. The trail begins off a parking lot off of Mill Street in the Town of Waterdown beside a large (20m) waterfall. The trail follows the river valley down a descending path beside foaming rapids to the right and escarpment limestone to the left. The rushing river is visually interesting and the trail has some steeper sections, making for a good workout and some care in walking with children in a carrier pack. I would highly recommend this hike.