Hiking the Cheltenham Badlands

 It's fall hiking season! This means no overheating, vibrant fall colours, fresh air, and beautiful Canadian nature. This weekend we explored the trails at the Cheltenham Badlands, a part of the Niagara Escarpment in the Caledon area, and it did not disappoint!  This protected area feels like it's far away from Ontario, despite being only 40 minutes from Toronto.

It costs $15 to book a time-slot for the Badlands to allow for proper social distancing during COVID-19. You will not be permitted to hike without a reservation. Since it's a popular hiking area, you'll need to book well in advance, particularly during the weekend. We booked this hike nine days in advance. Reservation times lots can be booked from 8AM to 7PM.

Once you arrive you'll have to prove to the staff that you have a reserved spot by showing them your reservation bar code. You are then given a parking pass, map, and one hour and a half to complete the hike. Sections of the trail are one way only to allow for proper social distancing. Dogs are allowed on the trails on leash only.

The Bruce Trail section of the hike is 1.3KM out and back (so 2.6KM total). It has dirt and rock paths, some raised wooden boardwalks in muddier areas, and some wooden staircases. 

The fall colours were just starting to come out for this hike. I imagine in a week or two their will be peak fall foliage here.

The Badlands portion of the trail is quite short at 0.32KM, but breathtaking. The Badlands was first formed at the bottom of an ancient sea over 400 million years ago. 

Several years ago you could climb on The Badlands, however this lead to severe erosion in the area. Today there are viewing platforms to allow you to enjoy the views, but without causing damage to this natural phenomenon. We chose to complete this section of the hike last as it's truly the crescendo of this journey.

We spent just under an hour hiking the park with several stops for photos and enjoying the views.

I highly recommend this hike. The Bruce Trail portion is short, but beginner nearing moderate with several inclines, steeper hills, and some roots on the pathway.  For those not interested in a longer hike you can explore just the Badlands section of the trail easily in about 10 minutes. This trail was really well marked and easy to navitate. The kids agree that this was one of the top five hikes of 2020, and you can't beat that.  Happy trails everyone!