Bruce Trail | The Canadian Encyclopedia

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Bruce Trail

The Bruce Trail is a continuous, 740 km footpath on the Niagara Escarpment

Niagara Escarpment
Fragment of the Niagara escarpment green belt on sunny warm day. Photo taken on: September 28, 2014. 45362194 \u00a9 Vitaldrum | Dreamstime.com
Bruce Trail
View hiking along the Bruce Trail in Ontario. 11383473 \u00a9 Ian Whitworth | Dreamstime.com
Niagara Escarpment
Flowerpot Island, Fathom Five National Marine Park, Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. 29037392 \u00a9 Natalyalt | Dreamstime.com
Bruce Trail
Walking the Bruce Trail in Dundas Valley.\r\nPhoto taken on: October 9, 2014. 46131067 \u00a9 Drogers524 | Dreamstime.com
The Bruce Trail is a continuous, 740 km footpath on the Niagara Escarpment connecting Queenston, near Niagara Falls, with the village of Tobermory in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario. The trail follows the escarpment cliff through the fruit lands of Niagara and the city of Hamilton, across the Dundas Valley, north through the Caledon Hills to the Blue Mountains, then northwest across the Beaver Valley to Owen Sound and onward, seldom out of sight of Lake Huron's Georgian Bay, to Tobermory.

History

The idea for a nature trail across Ontario leading to "the Bruce," a paradise for naturalists, was proposed by Raymond Lowes, a Stelco metallurgist, in 1960, and from this idea the Bruce Trail Association (whose volunteer members built the trail) grew into a dedicated organization that manages the trail and channels the efforts of its members into maintenance, appropriate hiking behaviour, nature appreciation and respect for landowners' property. Public-spirited landowners gave permission for the trail route to cross their properties.

Preservation

This opportunity to explore Ontario on foot has been grasped by thousands, making the trail an important tourist attraction for Canada and encouraging the Ontario government to preserve the Niagara escarpment. The escarpment was designated a United Nations Biosphere Reserve in 1990.

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