End to End Hike #36: Hilton Falls to St. Helena Road, Milton

 

Hike #36 Hilton Falls to St. Helena Road, Milton
 
Today we began our trek by parking our car at our final destination on St. Helena's Road in Milton. The parking is free but also limited. We then took an Uber to Cambellville Road, where the Bruce Trail crosses just east of Hilton Falls Conservation. Our Uber ride cost about $17. There are no facilities at either location nor are there any along the trail. If you need restrooms I suggest you take a side trail to the main gate in Hilton Falls.  

Parking at trail access on St. Helena Road, Milton

Stile at trail head off of Cambellville Road

If you need to access facilities, take the 680 metre Philip Gosling Side Trail to the parking lot at Hilton Falls Conservation Area.  Alternatively, you could park at Hilton Falls and access the Bruce Trail for a cost of $19. Keep in mind that reservations to park are required. 



This 9k section of the Bruce Trail is twinned with the Kythera Hiking Trail in Greece, named after the Island of the Goddess Aphrodite. 



The Hilton Falls side Trail is a 16 km loop that rejoins the Bruce Trail. We took a portion of this trail on our last hike in order to view Hilton Falls. I definitely recommend the detour to Hilton Falls even if you don't do the entire loop. The Falls did not disappoint. Check out blog 35 for more details. 




View Southwards to Kelso Glen

The Bruce Trail takes a short jaunt along Sixth Line. Be careful crossing as there is quite a bit of fast moving traffic.


View South on Sixth Line towards Kelso Glen



Art installation on Sixth Line

Steps leading into the woods from Sixth Line


If you missed the facilities at Hilton Falls, take care when wiping that you choose your leaves wisely...poison ivy is abundant alongside the trail!


We passed right by the Restoration Side Trail (only 140 metres). We likely would have taken it to the scenic viewing area overlooking the quarry site if we had taken the time to read the sign. We were pretty tired and knew we still had about 4kms to go. Mosquitoes the size of sparrows were also out in full force so we didn't stop much longer than it took to snap a picture. 


Similar to Rattlesnake, there are a lot of crevices that would lend themselves nicely to spelunking. Many of them go right down to the base of the gorge. 

Peter standing at the entrance to one of the crevices

At about the halfway point on the Kythera Hiking Friendship Trail you will cross the Dufferin Quarry Bridge. The bridge is pretty high up for southern Ontario. Even though I've been on bridges much higher than this I still experienced a touch of vertigo. 

Dufferin Quarry Bridge

View of Dufferin Quarry from the bridge







Hilton Falls Side Trail rejoining the Bruce Trail

Rock formation resembling a troll foot

Spring wildflowers were abundant today. Below is a collage of several we came across.
Our terminus for todays hike took us to the closed portion at the top of St. Helena's Road, just a short walk to our parked car on St. Helena's Road where it intercepts Regional Road 25.  





Hike #36

Date:                       May 29th, 2022

Start:                       Hilton Falls Conservation Area

Finish:                     St. Helena's Road

Distance:                9.35 kms

Time:                       2 hours 22 minutes

Difficulty:               Easy 

Trail Use:                Hiking, cross country skiing, snowshoeing                  

Total kms hiked:   214 kms

Kms remaining:    697.9 kms


Points of Interest in the Area: Hilton Falls Conservation Area, Milton Farmer's Market,  Terre Bleu Lavender Farm




Hilton Falls

Reservoir viewed from Hilton Falls Side Trail


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