Hiking is one of our favourite pastimes. And there’s no better time to get out and enjoy the trails than in fall, when nature turns the landscape into a kaleidoscope of colours.
The air is fresh, the breezes are refreshing, and the options are endless. With so many trails available, from the long and strenuous to the short and leisurely, as well as trails that offer mountain biking and access to canoeing and kayaking, how can you choose the best route?
For help in planning a colourful adventure, especially in hues of golden yellow, bright orange, and crimson red, check out the site www.ontariofalladventures.com This site offers fall route adventure packages, but also has a helpful Ontario Fall Colour Report which allows you to check for the best viewing locations province-wide. It’s updated each Tuesday and Friday during Autumn, giving a percentage of change in each region.
Once you find a location in peek colour, use the site www.canadatrails.ca or www.ontariotrails.on.ca to find a wide variety of trails for hikers at all levels of skill and endurance. In general, Northern Ontario, situated on the Canadian Shield, offers satisfying hiking to those looking for a rugged wilderness challenge. Southern Ontario offers more rolling hills and views of fertile farmland.
Trails like the Bruce and Ganaraska Trails are very lengthy and present great mutli-day excursions. Many of these trails are segments of the National Trail or Trans-Canada Trail, coast-to-coast trail systems.
Four of our Favourites
Photo: “Burst of Colour” by Clinton W via flickr.
Cobre Lake Trail: Located in the Rawhide Lake Conservation Reserve, the Cobre Lake Trail has beautiful, yet precarious lookouts, with a 360 degree view at one point. Solitude and pristine lakes and wilderness can be enjoyed along this strenuous route.
- Location: Northeastern Ontario region. About 36km north of Elliot Lake, Ontario
- Length: 11 km; strenuous, with challenging sections.
Photo: “Caves and Crevices” by Clinton W via flickr.
Mount Nemo: Mount Nemo Conservation area offers spectacular countryside views from one of the best cliff-side trails on Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment. The landscape is varied and rich, with old, gnarled cedars clinging to crevices and limestone boulders.
- Location: Southwestern Ontario region. Mount Nemo Conservation Area is located north of the Q.E.W. on Guelph Line, between Highway 5 and Britannia Road
- Length: 4.6km; low-difficulty
Photo: “Hilton Falls” by pbruch via flickr.
Hilton Falls: Hilton Falls Conservation area may remind you of an enchanted forest, with breathtaking fall colours and a viewing station to let you enjoy a 10m high cascading waterfall. Also an area for exploration, ruins from an old mill can be seen at the site.
- Location: Southwestern Ontario region. From the Q.E.W. take Guelph Line north to Campbellville Road. Go east for 3 km.
- Length: 9.5km; low-difficulty
Photo: “Centennial Ridges I” by Christie Photography via flickr.
Centennial Ridges: As the name suggests, two high ridges account for the spectacular vistas along this trail. The up and down action is all worthwhile when you reach cliff-top vantages that make for perfect opportunities to drink in fall colour.
- Location: Central Ontario region. Off highway 60 in Algonquin Park
- Length: 10km; difficult, with demanding sections
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