Hike 38: National Parks and Escarpment Descents - Mountain Trout to High Dump

Bruce Trail in the Bruce Peninsula 

After a short trek into Mountain Trout Camp yesterday to rest and recover, today we headed back out onto the Bruce Trail.  From our current position, we estimate that we have 2-3 days of hiking left to get us to the northern terminus in Tobermory.   Waking up this morning, we all felt terrific, which was the result of an easy hike and a couple of nights of great sleeping.  Today’s trek was another short one, with us covering 18 kilometres to the High Dump campsite inside Bruce Peninsula National Park.  High Dump is not our destination of choice.  Instead, we are stopping there as a result of not being able to get a campsite at Storm Haven, and feeling that the long trek to Cypress Lake campground, on a stretch described as one of the toughest in the BTC trail system, is a bit much for us.  So High Dump and a short day it would be.  

We were all out of the tent by 7:30 this morning and fell into our routine of making coffee and oatmeal for breakfast.  As I boiled water, Sean and our young companion packed our Thermarests, sleeping bags, and tent.  After cleaning up from our morning meal we thanked our hosts, who were already busy touring the campground, emptying garbage cans, and cleaning washrooms.  Though there was little need to rush, by 9 AM we were packed and ready to go and soon walked out of the beautiful and welcoming Mountain Trout Campground and returned to the Bruce Trail. 

Roadway Trekking to Crane Lake

Only a few hundred meters from the campground, we rejoined the Bruce Trail to begin 8 kilometres of roadway trekking down Lindsay Rd. and then Crane Lake Rd. into Bruce National Park.  What ensued was a long 2 hours of walking along the gravel road, which while not challenging, was not too exciting either.  Thankfully this morning was cool, as the road was exposed and would have been a tough run under the full strength of the summer sun or in the afternoon humidity.

We arrived at the boundary to the National Park at the Crane Lake parking lot around 11 AM and took our first break for the day.  Now halfway into our day’s trek, we took the opportunity to read the large information sign about Crane Lake, and quickly learned that the region was known for its black bears. 

This hike along the Bruce Trail is by and far not our first trip to this area – though it is the first time to arrive by foot.  Over the years, as an avid ornithologist and scientific researcher for Bird Studies Canada, I have travelled to the Bruce Peninsula to go birding.  I have also spent summers volunteering at the Bruce Peninsula Bird Observatory, though at the time it was called the Cabot Head Banding Station.   There I helped count migratory birds as they flew through in the spring, and banded many species to help study and track them.  I have also volunteered in Algonquin at the Wildlife Research Station, and in Long Point as I worked on Ontario’s Bird Breeding Atlas. 

Though not often recognized as such, the Bruce Peninsula is a great place for bird watching in Ontario.  The geography of the region serves as an ideal flyway that provides birds with access to lakes, forests, and agricultural fields.  As such, the Bruce Peninsula is home to the Cabot Head Important Bird Area and host to the Huron Fringe Birding Festival each year, and it includes other  great birding locations such as MacGregor Provincial Park to the south and Georgian Bay Islands National Park to the east.

In recognition of the great birding throughout this region, the Bruce Trail has recently introduced an amazing series of patches to encourage youth to have an interest in nature, to participate in bird conservation, and to follow good birding etiquette.  The crests that it is possible to earn include the Junior Birder crest, which is for those hikers under the age of 12 who can describe, draw, or take a picture of a bird, or who can show that they can take care of binoculars and demonstrate that they can keep a bird journal.

The remaining three patches, which are called the 100 Birder, the Ultra Birder 150, and the Elite Birder 200 crests are for individuals of any age who have identified a set number of species on BTC organized hikes, have been seen on the trail, have kept a birding log, and who acknowledge that they followed proper birding etiquette.

Beyond birds, the BTC has also promoted nature awareness by introducing other naturalist patches, including the Fern and Orchid Badges!  All of these opportunities to learn about nature in new ways are very exciting.

Backcountry Realities

With our break at the Crane Lake entrance to the National Park coming to an end, a Parks Canada Ranger pulled into the parking lot.  Hopping out of his white and green truck he waved and walked over.  Noting that we were on the Bruce Trail he wanted to ensure that we knew that there was to be no wild camping, and he checked our reservations.  He warned us not to follow any of the bush roads or walk off trail in this region, as apparently there are abandoned shafts from an unsuccessful zinc-mining operation in the area, which are very dangerous to go near. The ranger also went on to warn us of recent black bear sightings in the area, and made sure that we knew of the presence of Canada’s only venomous snake – the Massasauga Rattlesnake. 

Finally, the friendly ranger also made sure that we had enough water, as there are no viable sources for the next 7 kilometres.  If we had been short of water, he offered to top up our bottles.  As we slipped on our backpacks he cheerfully wished us the best of luck, noting that the coming section was “ok and passable but a little rugged.” Saying our thanks, we set off and entered into Bruce Peninsula National Park – a huge milestone on our summer thru trek and in our attempt to hike the entire Bruce Trail from Niagara Falls to Tobermory!

Bruce Peninsula National Park

The Bruce Peninsula National Park was established in 1987, developing and expanding upon the former Cyprus Lake Provincial Park (est. 1966).  It is located at the northern tip of the peninsula and incorporates the Niagara Escarpment, which was designated as part of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve in 1990.  The park was established to conserve the iconic landscape, rugged shorelines, and natural habitats in the region.  The biodiversity in Bruce National Park ranges from the limestone ridge of the Niagara Escarpment, to vast tracts of forested land, to the rare Alvar ecosystems, which are essential to protect rare plant species, migratory birds, the Northern Flying Squirrel, the local black bear population, and the endangered Massasauga rattlesnake. In addition, an estimated 40 kilometres of the Bruce Trail pass through and along the coastlines of Bruce Peninsula National Park.

Walking on, the junior member of our hiking troop asked an interesting question – why is everything in this region called Bruce?   We are after all traversing the Bruce Peninsula, in Bruce County, on the Bruce Trail, as we hike through Bruce National Park.  It seemed, as he commented, that the area was “Bruce, Bruce, Bruce everywhere.  So who is Bruce?”

With curiosity getting the better of us, we paused to find an answer to this question.  As it turned out, the name “Bruce” is relatively recent.  Prior to the arrival of Europeans, this area was home to the Anishnaabemowin peoples, who called the peninsula ‘Sauking’, meaning ‘river mouth’.  As white settlers began to interact with the Indigenous peoples of this region, the name Sauking was changed to Saugeen.   As a result, the peninsula was frequently referred to as the Saugeen region by the English. 

James Bruce, Canadian Encyclopedia

Since then, according to Alan Rayburn in Place Names of Ontario, Bruce County was named in 1849 after James Bruce (1811-63), who was the 8th Earl of Elgin and 12th Earl of Kincardine, the Governor General of Jamaica (1842-1846), Governor General of the Province of Canada (1847-54), and Viceroy of India (1862-1963).  A year after the county was named Bruce, a local township was also given the same name.  Subsequently, by the early 20^th century, the peninsula became known as the Bruce Peninsula.  In the years that followed, the nation’s oldest pathway, which traverses this region, would also be named the Bruce Trail when it was established in 1963.  Similarly, when Cypress Lake Provincial Park was transformed in 1987, this area became home to Bruce Peninsula National Park.  Hence a county, a township, a peninsula, a national park, and a trail were all named after the same British politician – James Bruce.

Setting off from Crane Lake

Trekking out of the Crane Lake parking lot, the pathway began as a wide gravel track that looked as though it could be driven along, and it ran amid a dense and leafy deciduous forest.  Indeed, beyond a few stray branches and puddles there were no obstacles and very little in the way of terrain to be navigated.  These conditions were far from what we anticipated in a section that is termed “one of the toughest stretches on the Bruce Trail”.  Regardless, by this point we enjoyed every foot of easy walking we were given. 

Within a couple of kilometers, the Bruce Trail navigated along the western shorelines of the beautiful Big Marsh.  Here, at various points, we were provided stunning views over the tree lined shores, shallow reedy marshes, and the clear waters beyond.  I have always enjoyed how the wind transforms patches of reeds and tall grasses in meadows into fields flowing in waves of colour.  Standing on the trail, it was startling to realize that the waterline for Big Marsh appeared to be much higher than the path.  This made us grateful for the beaver dam or hummock of land that was holding back the lake.

The Things we Carry with Us

Hiking on beyond Big Marsh, we came face to face, or rather within sight of one of the things that we were most nervous of – a Massasauga Rattlesnake.   To be clear, while it shocked us to see the long creature basking in the sunshine, it had not jumped out at us, nor was it rattling its warning.  It was simply a moment when we discovered a snake going about its peaceful business…in the middle of the trail.  While this is perhaps the best way in which to come across Ontario’s only venomous snake, it was nonetheless unnerving for Sean, who has a deep phobia of snakes.  It is not a logical terror, nor one born of a bad experience with snakes, but it is a paralyzing fear. 

The situation quickly reminded me that not all we carry with us on these trails is in our backpacks.   Perhaps John Muir said it best when we wrote “for going out, I found, was really going in”.  Once we are out in the world we have less control, and invariably have to confront moments and experiences that will challenge us.  Each of us has something we invariably end up having to deal with in life. 

The struggles at the beginning of this trip were what set me on edge – leaving me crying on the first couple of nights because of the physical exhaustion of trekking, the sense that maybe we were in over our heads, and my fear of failing.  Today the stress of being in snake territory was showing on Sean.  Ultimately however none of us can simply avoid our fears, and in the end we have to face them head on.  In the case of meeting a Masasauga Rattlesnake, this meant keeping our distance, respecting it, and praying that it moved on and allowed us to pass.  We were not going to try to navigate around it, nor were we going to prod it and try to move it.  Our plan was to hope and wait.  To be honest, this could have meant that we had spent the entire day waiting.  Thankfully however it was only about 10 minutes before the snake slithered off into the grasses on the side of the trail of its own accord. 

The Massasauga Rattlesnake, a shy reptile that only bites in self defense, is most popularly known for its unmistakable and distinctive rattle.   The snake on the trail matched online portrayals of the species, being a stout-bodied creature some 50-70 centimeters long (though we certainly did not get close enough to measure the one on the trail).  These snakes have a triangular head and small rattle on their tails, their bodies range from grey to dark brown, and they have saddle shaped blotches down their backs.  Each time a rattlesnake sheds its skin another vertebrae is exposed, making its rattle longer.  Interestingly, the Massasauga is the only Ontario snake with a vertical or cat-like pupil (once again we did not get close enough to personally verify this).  Massasauga rattlesnakes typically live in tall grasses, bogs, marshes, alvars, forests, or along shorelines, but are often found while sunning themselves.   It is a threatened species and is listed as a Species at Risk as a result of a loss of habitat due to the expansion of agricultural lands and urban centers.

Though fascinated, we were nonetheless grateful when this snake slid into the brush, giving us the opportunity to safely keep our distance and get past without incident.  Walking on, we crossed where the snake had been, and I used my hiking sticks to gently tap the rocks in front of us to forewarn any slithery friends that we were on the approach.  With no further surprises en route, the fact that we had now seen a rattlesnake in person nonetheless made every rustle in the undergrowth and every stick on the trail seem as though it was a potential snake.  As a result, our pace slowed down. 

Cord Roads and Wet Trails

Trekking northward, the pathway remained wide and clearly defined, though it increasingly became somewhat less refined as time went on, gradually becoming more and more over grown.  Soon the gravel road tracks were replaced with stretches of “cord road” that covered much of the marshy sections the BTC traversed.  A cord road, also known as a corduroy or log road, is a track made by placing logs side by side over marshy and unstable areas.  The intention is to improve and stabilize challenging, marshy, muddy stretches of roadway or pathway.  

Historically, in Ontario and on the Bruce Peninsula, cord roads were installed by lumber companies to allow easier access to forests and mills. Whether this section was originally installed by the loggers, who previously worked the land, or by Parks Canada we don’t know.  What was evident, however, was that while these sections of cord road helped in navigating flooded areas and marshy terrain, they also made for tricky footing and often shifted. 

The trail wove between Upper Andrew Lake and Moore Lake amid marshland whose waters were – like those at Big Marsh – above the trail level.  Here the wide dirt trail and cord road looked as though it was designed for rangers to drive along it in the dry season.  Unfortunately, we were not trekking in the dry season, and recent rains in the area had left the nearby marshes overflowing over the trail.  Here long stretches of the trail were submerged under several inches of water that was flowing between the two lakes.  As a result, we soon had wet shoes. 

Adding to the discomfort of our wet feet was the fact that we were also in the middle of a marsh, and were now dealing with tons of mosquitoes and black flies.  Thankfully we had bug nets, which we promptly put on over our heads, in addition to liberally spraying ourselves down with bug spray.  Now able to progress without being a constant source of nutrition for the region’s insect population, we navigated along the shoreline of Moore Lake. 

Arriving at the forested edge of the Niagara Escarpment, we were only barely able to discern the waters of Georgian Bay far below.  Standing there at 1pm, and with plenty of the day left, we realized that we had arrived at our destination – High Dump Side Trail. 

To be honest, I wasn’t sure whether to be excited that we had already successfully completed our day’s trek, or to be frustrated that we hadn’t simply decided to hike the next 12 kilometres to Cyprus Lake at the heart of the national park.  Our hesitancy to push too far and accept the reservation at Cyprus had been born of repeated warnings about hiking this section of the Bruce Trail, yet very little between Mountain Trout Campground and High Dump had seemed challenging.  

Descending to High Dump

With the campsite at High Dump well below the trail, we took a break at a dilapidated lean to wooden shelter.  Standing there without our backpacks on and enjoying our cliff bars, the youngest member of our group took great delight in reading the various engravings around the shelter.  Curious, I looked up and discovered that historically, High Dump was one of several sites along this coast in the national park that were used by loggers to deposit or “dump” cut trees down the escarpment to Georgian Bay, where they would later be collected and towed by boat to a lumber mill.  In fact, our trail down the face of the escarpment likely followed a route cut when fallen trees were pushed down to the water.  Interesting.

Ready to bring the day to an end, we followed the High Dump Side Trail downhill.  En route, we navigated the exposed escarpment, shale slides, rocky outcroppings, and dense forest.  Thankfully, there were ropes tied along the trail to help on the tough and extremely steep trek down to the water’s edge.  

Near the shoreline we discovered wonderful camping platforms, a composting toilet, and an animal proof food hanging rack, as well as a stunning rock beach framed by the crystal blue waters of Georgian Bay.   As is often true with the Bruce Trail, the tough trek invariably had led us to a beautiful region and a terrific location. 

With an afternoon left to enjoy, we quickly set up our tent, hung our backpacks, and went for a swim in the shockingly cold waters of Georgian Bay.  Having seen the signs noting that there was “a bear in the area” we cooked and ate at the beach – not only for the view but to keep the scent of dinner away from our tent and gear.    Having watched the evening sunset, we returned to our tent for the night, listening to the gentle grumbling sounds which the motion of the water had on the boulder beach. 

Reflecting on a Short Day

Today was our second short day of hiking in a row, and as a result we are beginning to feel a little pampered.  Indeed, today it feels like we have undergone an odd shift in perspective.  Setting out at the beginning of this thru hike in Owen Sound we all loved shorter days.  However, now almost a week later, easy treks feel like we are cheating and should push on. Today in particular, with an easy 10 kilometers of road walking and a flat 8 kilometers along a backcountry tract to High Dump, went smoothly and required little effort.  Having spent the morning navigating past lakes and marshes, we spent our afternoon relaxing on a quiet boulder beach.  Tomorrow our goal is Cyprus Lake, just 12 km north, which if today was any indication, we should be able to cover without too much difficulty.