Hiking Crawford Lake

Before COVID-19 our family had a rule when it came to hiking. We wouldn't hike unless the daily high was 10 Degrees C (50 degrees F). Because we want to get out and stay active and healthy we've lowered this limit to a high of seven to eight degrees, and after keeping warm enough on our hike this weekend we think we may lower it to five degrees this year to extend our hiking season just a little bit longer.

This weekend we explored Crawford Lake to catch some of the last of the fall colours. This is one of the Halton area region hikes where you need to reserve in advance to make sure you can abide by their social distancing COVID-19 rules, so we booked this one the Tuesday before our hike. You can buy your reservation at the park in two hour blocks, so if you want to take on one of the lengthier hikes I'd imagine you'd need to reserve two, two hour blocks of time to make sure you are following their rules. Park staff check your license plate when you arrive to ensure only those with reservations are on the trails. The total cost for the four of us for two hours was $23.00.

It was a colder morning and we layered appropriately. Jack and I tend to run warmer and wore long sleeved shirts, hoodies, and toques, while Chris and Molly added on an extra layer of light coats and gloves to keep warm.  Remember to bring masks with you just in case. Although the hiking by appointment helped reduce crowds, and most people were wonderful at keeping a respectful distance, there was some very bad behaviour here. One couple on this trail who we crossed paths with three times were both clearly sick. One was constantly blowing his nose and the other coughing.  Neither wore masks. We ended up masking up and rushing ahead whenever we saw them. Remember, if you're ill, please stay home!

There are a number of trails to explore at Crawford Lake, so in order to keep within our time limit we had to choose wisely. We took on the 2.4KM Escarpment trail first which although secluded, was also rocky, muddy, and challenging. It was difficult in spots to pick up the speed we needed to keep warm as we climbed around muddy and rocky areas.  This challenging hike took us just under an hour without stopping and is best for older kids who are used to hiking.

Next, we planned to take a trail towards the Crawford Lake 1KM boardwalk trail. Unfortunately, trail markers are not that clear in some portions of the conservation area. Since the Bruce Trail (independent from Crawford Lake) uses blue trail markers just like the Crawford Lake Trail, and some of the faded sign colours have made greens look like blues, we ended up on the Pine Ridge Trail for some time before we retraced our steps to find the Crawford Lake Trail.

We were running out of time for the Crawford Lake trail, so needed to move quickly to make sure we could see the trail and get back to the car in time. 

The Crawford Lake trail has many interpretive art wood carvings that the kids loved. This 1km trail is simple and great for those with younger kids.

The flat trail was pretty with fall colours.

Molly loved posing on the benches for photos.

The boardwalk trail next to the lake is pretty, and has been set up with one way traffic during COVID to keep people apart. One piece of advice is to hit this trail early in your time slot so you don't run out of time.  The boardwalk bottlenecked toward the end, with very few places to pass people, and towards the end it felt more like a social distanced line up at the grocery store than a hike. 

The views were pretty and we had fun, but with the short, 2 hour window we were rushed at the end and didn't have a chance to explore the Iroquoian Village near the visitor centre. This hike is worth booking in advance and going to again.

Happy Trails!