Belfountain Conservation Area, Ontario

February 2013 

 

Belfountain Conservation Area is located about an hour's drive north of Toronto in the Credit Valley. The conservation area is a very popular picnic area in the summer. The park features a suspension bridge that spans a beautiful waterfall and some historic ruins. The conservation area also connects with Forks of the Credit Provincial Park by way of the Trimble Trail which is a Bruce Trail side trail.

 

Here are a few photos from my day trip to Belfountain Conservation Area in the winter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Rockwood Conservation Area, Ontario

October 2012

Rockwood Conservation Area makes for a great day trip. The park features towering limestone cliffs, caves and glacial potholes(there are 200 of them within the conservation). You can rent a canoe and paddle along the Eramosa River, hike the trails that offer many nice views or simply spend the day relaxing on the sandy beach. Be forewarned as the park is very busy during the summer. You'll also find some restored ruins of an old woolen mill which closed in 1925.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leonard Harrison State Park, Pennsylvania

December 2012

Leonard Harrison State Park is situated on the east rim of Pine Creek Gorge which is also known as the "Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania". The park offers exceptional views of Pine Creek Gorge and Pine Creek which carves it's way through the canyon. The park is accessible during winter months however the visitor centre and other facilities are not open. Although the Turkey Path Trail was closed for the winter for safety concerns, we decided to hike it anyway since there was alot of snow. The trail winds it's way past several waterfalls along Little Four Mile Run to the canyon floor. It's 1 mile down and 1 mile back up and in deep snow, it is quite the workout but the views and scenery make it well worth it.



Panoramic winter view of the Pine Creek Gorge and Colton State Park from the main vista terrace in Leonard Harrison State Park

Little Four Mile Run's first waterfall, seen from the Turkey Path Trail.

The second waterfall on Little Four Mile Run produces beautiful ice formations.

The Pine Creek Rail Trail located at the bottom of the canyon is 62 miles in length making it ideal for hiking, biking and cross country skiing.

Antelope Canyon, Arizona

July 2012

Situated just outside of Page, Arizona, Antelope Canyon is a photographer's dream. This is a popular tourist destination and you must book a tour which starts at around $30 through the Navajo Nation in order to see this amazing place. There are two canyons, Upper and Lower but most people who visit choose to only see the Upper as I did. The Upper Antelope tour is about 1.5 hours long and you walk through the narrow passage ways as a Navajo guide explains the geology of the area.

The canyons are named after the pronghorn antelope which once roamed freely. They rise around 120 feet from the steambed and were formed by erosion of the sandstone primarily due to flash flooding which still occurs today.

Here are a few photos of the Upper Antelope Canyon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Awenda Provincial Park, Ontario

October 2011

Situated near Penetanguishene on Georgian Bay, Awenda Provincial Park is one of the most popular parks in Ontario. The great thing about Awenda is that it’s only a 2 hour drive from Toronto therefore making it an easy day trip if one wants to escape the city briefly. The park offers magnificent views of Georgian Bay and has several clean beaches making it ideal for swimming. There are over 30 kms of trails for hiking and biking that provide nice views of Georgian Bay. The 4 km return Beach Trail skirts the shoreline and allows visitors to walk along the park’s four beaches. The Beach Trail also provides a great view of Giant’s Tomb Island in the distance which is also part of Awenda Provincial Park.

The longest of the trails, the Bluff Trail (hike and bike) which is a 13km circular trail offers wonderful views of Georgian Bay from a 60 meter high bluff especially in the fall when the leaves have fallen from the trees.The Wendat Trail is a 5 km loop trail that circles Kettle Lake. There are plenty of opportunities on this trail to view red-winged blackbirds and blue herons in the swamps surrounding the lake. The Nippising Trail provides nice views of the forest canopy as you descend or climb the 155 step staircase of the Nipissing Bluff. I’ve been to Awenda many times but never during autumn. Awenda is one of the nicest parks to view the autumn colours which usually peak during the second week in October. A favourite hike of mine which showcases Awenda’s brilliant foliage is to start at the parking lot at First Beach and take the Nippising Trail to the Bluff Trail. Follow the Bluff Trail to Kettle Lake and then do a loop around the lake and return to the parking lot the same way you came. The total distance of the hike is around 12 kms. After working up a sweat it’s really nice to spend the rest of the day enjoying the beach and if possible do stay around for the spectacular Georgian Bay sunsets.



1st beach, Awenda Provincial Park

View of Tomb Island from 1st beach

Bluff Trail on the way to Kettle Lake

 

Kettle Lake 

 

Awenda Park Drive

 

Boardwalk through marsh area at far end of Kettle Lake

 

 

 

For more information visit the following related links.

Ontario Parks:Awenda Provincial Park

Friends of Awenda Provincial Park

 

 

 



Niagara Botanical Gardens- Niagara Falls, Ontario

September 2011

The Niagara Parks Botanical Gardens are located on the scenic Niagara Parkway around 9 km north of the Falls. The gardens cover an area of 100 acres and are one of the largest and most diverse plant collections in Canada. The gardens features over 3000 different types of plants including deciduous and coniferous trees and shrubs, herbaceous perennials, alpines, native plants, rhododendrons, azaleas, vines, roses, tropical, aquatic plants, shade, herb and vegetable plantings , and many landscape features such as ponds, pergolas and waterfalls. Not to miss in spring the spectacular blossoms of Crabapple Vista.

There are several footpaths that wind past ponds and an arboretum which includes one of finest collections of ornamental trees and shrubs in Canada.

The Botanical Gardens are open to the public free of charge every day of the year. The Niagara Parks Butterfly Conservatory are also located within the gardens but charge an admission fee. It takes around 2 hours to cover all the gardens. Add another hour if planning to visit the Butterfly Conservatory.

While in the area be sure to visit the Niagara Glen Nature Centre which features beautiful trails leading into the Niagara gorge .It is located on the parkway very close to the gardens.

 The Rose Garden with its classic pergola is reminiscent of an English estate garden covers an area of 2 acres and features over 50 rose beds and over 2400 hybrid tea, floribunda, grandiflora and climbing roses.

 

 

 

 

 

The Herb Garden is a formal style garden that feature displays of world culinary, medicinal, perfume and aromatic plants. The 560 sq.meters (6000 sq feet garden ) is enclosed by an Oriental Cedar Hedge and is composed of flagstone pathways, brick bed-edging, unique obelisks, and Haddonstone urns. The garden also features an “inner room” of hedge walls, where a knot garden and sundial can be found in the centre.

A large cortan steel butterfly sculpture and butterfly garden which attracts native butterflies marks the entrance to the Butterfly Conservatory which is filled with over 2,000 free-flying butterflies.

 

For more information visit the following related links.

Niagara Botanical Gardens Map

Niagara Botanical Gardens Facts and Informaton

1.  

Niagara Glen Nature Centre- Niagara Falls, Ontario

September 2011

Niagara Glen Nature Centre is a hidden gem that few people know about and miss entirely while visiting the Niagara Falls area. It is situated on the Niagara Parkway about 8 kilometers north of Niagara Falls midpoint between Niagara Falls and Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Glen features several kilometers of marked trails that wind their way through a pristine pocket of Carolinian forest, unique rock formations, huge boulders and spectacular gorge scenery. A metal staircase descends into the gorge providing access to the network of trails that will take you deeper into the gorge and close to the water’s edge.
Follow the River Path trail which runs along the Niagara River with amazing close-up views of its turbulent water and gorge. Most often you will see the Whirlpool Jet making its way up and down the river as it rides the Class 5 rapids.


Across the river is the US side. The US side also has a network of trails that connect Devil’s Hole State Park with Whirlpool State Park where awesome views of the river, gorge and whirlpool can be seen. A visit to these 2 New York state parks will not disappoint.

Other points of interest in the area include Queenston Heights and the Niagara Botanical Gardens which is only a few minutes away.


View of Niagara River from Niagara recreational trail at Niagara Glen visitor centre

 

 

 

 

Niagara Glen hiking trail

 

 

For more information visit the following related links.
Niagara Parks:Niagara Glen
Niagara Glen Trail Map