Hike #57 Nottawasaga Bluffs Conservation Area

 

12/13 Side Road Nottawasaga to 15/16 Side Road (looping)

After grabbing some snacks from the Nottawa General Store day two of our weekend hiking trip had us starting on Concession 10 South Nottawasaga at 12/13 Sideroad. We decided to use the Nottawasaga Bluffs Lookout Side Trail to complete an approximate 7km loop back to our car. There are facilities at the Nottawasaga Conservation Area Parking Lot, about 4kms from where we started. About 100 metres from the conservation parking lot on 15/16 Side Road there is a Bruce Trail Lot. 

Intersection at the trail head

This section passes between farmers fields.

 Trail re-route in the south section of Nottawsaga Bluffs

The Western edge of the Bluffs passes through a few kilometers of marshy wetland alternating with red cedar forests. The wildlife along the trail included blood sucking mosquitos the size of sparrows that seemed to like the high they get from sucking on Deet infused skin. Mosquitos on acid. I'm not usually overly bothered by mosquitoes...I probably have only used bug spray a handful of times during this journey. Two of which happened during the last few days, today being by far the worst mosquitos I've ever encountered. I've never had so many bites in my life! I definitely would recommend using a bug net, as I saw a smart person wearing while hiking the trail. 

Even though it hadn't rained recently, the trail remains quite muddy. Given that "new trails" have appeared in an attempt to bypass some of the worst sections, I'm led to believe that it never completely dries out. This section could really use a boardwalk.

Muddy trail 

We would use this side trail to loop back to the car later.
For now, we bypassed it.

The brush is quite high in the open meadows with the blazes just barely popping out above a mostly overgrown trail. 

Amanda climbing to higher ground.

The trail in the northern sections of the Bluffs follows the base of the escarpment.

Bluffs - view from trail below.

No trek on the Bruce Trail would be complete without finding an alternate means of transportation. In the case of the skidoo pictured below, at least we can speculate how it might have come to be decomposing on the trail. 

Skidoo

Possibly someone's makeshift camping spot?

Nottawasaga Bluffs 

Door to a pickup truck

After exiting the bog of eternal mosquitos and traversing the base of the escarpment, the trail turns onto a very welcome gravel path, a fork to the left will lead to the Nottawasga Bluffs Conservation Area parking lot, about 50 metres from the main trail. Here you will find a map, along with a porta potty. 

An important thing to note, although we did see any snakes today, the warning on the Blue Mountain Section of the Bruce Trail map suggests that the Collingwood General and Marine Hospital is where you should go if you are in need of snake bite anti-venom (705) 435-6281. Because you never know! 🐍

Nottawasaga Bluffs Conservation Area Lot (with facilities)

About a hundred metres from the Nottawasaga Bluffs Conservation Area Parking is the Bruce Trail Lot. From this lot we encountered an easy section of the trail. This wide level gravel path would be accessible.

Bruce Trail Parking Lot, as viewed from the Bruce Trail 

There are several side trails in the conservation area providing multiple possibilities for hiking a loop connecting with the Bruce Trail. 

Main trail heading south from BTC parking lot

We decided to take the Nottawasaga Bluffs Lookout Side Trail. This short trail connected us back with the Bruce Trail about a kilometer from where we had parked. The best thing about this loop was that we avoided the muddy marshy mosquito infested section of the western bluffs. 

Confluence of side trails - where the Bluffs Lookout and Keyhole side trails meet

Bluffs side trail crossing a river

End of the Bluffs Lookout side trail - 1 km from our parked car on 12/13 sidroad.

Heading south to 12/13 side road across a frog pond in the trail

Con 10 South visible in the distance.

Hike #57

Date:        July 7th, 2024
Start and finish:        12/13 Side Road Nottawasaga and Concession 10 S (Loop) 

Time:                          2 hours
Distance:                   6.43 kms
Difficulty:                   Moderate: rolling hills, meadows, rocky terrain, marsh
Trail Use:                    Hiking Only               
Total kms hiked:       405.9
Kms remaining:        506

Points of Interest in the Area: The Nottawa General Store  was one of the most pleasant finds so far during our exploration of the areas surrounding the Bruce Trail! We passed by it on our way to Collingwood on Simcoe County Road 124 and noticed the parked cars out front. Naturally curious, the following morning on our way to our hike, we decided to check it out and we weren't disappointed! This building, established in 1836, was a former Hudson Bay Company Fur Trading post. According to the gentleman working there, furs would be displayed on the main floor and auctions would occur on the second level. The building is now home to the Nottawa General Store and sells a variety of local delicacies and in-house made specialties. We purchased some of Robyn's buttery soft melt in your mouth shortbread cookies and a loaf of their Nottawa General Store home made sour dough loaf. The upstairs, perfect for special events and gatherings, featured works of art available for sale.