Chapter 1: Niagara Section

We will meet at the Kent Motel in Queenston, Ontario, Canada.

Check-in is at 4:00pm

Next up is our orientation and outdoor welcome feast, where you will:

• Meet the guide
• Learn about safety on the trail
• Receive an introduction to the Niagara Section of the Bruce Trail
• Finally, we will perform an equipment check-in (hiking poles/backpack/safety equipment)

Hours: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Distance: 19.4 kms

We will start at The Kent Hotel and end at the Inn at Lock 7.

Highlights/Instagram Moments:

• Southern Terminus Cairn – start of the Bruce Trail
• Queenston Heights Battlements
• Queenston Quarry
• Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW) Pedestrian Bridge
• Screaming Tunnels (Blue)
• Woodend Conservation Area
• Welland 3rd Canal (Seaway Lands)
• Inn at Lock 7, overlooking Welland 4th Canal

After breakfast, we will meet at 7:30am to begin hiking from The Kent Motel up the Niagara Escarpment to the Southern Terminus Cairn where we will take group and/or individual photos. Following a kick-off speech from your guide, we will commence the day’s hike.

We will trek through the historic Queenston Heights Park, site of the first major battle in the War of 1812. Don’t forget to sign the guestbook!

Our first break is scheduled for the bridge in Fireman’s Park.

Lunch will take place at the Woodend Conservation Area. Woodend is a perfect spot to refuel with its landscaped vistas of Lake Ontario, it’s no wonder the area is thought to have been an observation point during the War of 1812.

Next, we hike through the Seaway Lands with remnants of the 3rd Welland Canal, the predecessor to the modern day Welland Canal.

Finally, we reach our day two destination, The Inn at Lock 7, with balconies overlooking the Welland Canal. Connecting Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, the canal is crucial for transportation as it enables ships to bypass Niagara Falls. Here, you can relax and observe the marine traffic moving through Lock 7.

Hours: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Distance: 23 kms

We will start at the Inn at Lock 7 and end at Bissell’s Hideaway or Wetaskiwin Scout Camp, depending on availability.

Highlights/Instagram Moments:

• Mountain Locks Park
• Alfie’s Trough at Brock University
• Bridge at Laura’s Crossing
• Short Hills Provincial Park
• Terrace Creek Falls
• Swayze Falls
• Bell Tents and outdoor dining at Bissell’s Hideaway or Wetaskiwin Scout Camp

First, we will meet for breakfast and pick up our lunches at The Inn at Lock 7. The hike will commence at 7:30am. We will have a quick check-in at Mountain Locks Park, site of the 1st and 2nd Welland Canal.

Our first break is at Alfie’s Trough, near Brock University, in St. Catharines, Ontario. This is a hidden gem with incredible views of the Niagara Escarpment.

We will stop for lunch at the Bridge at Laura’s Crossing. This suspension bridge was built as a memorial for Laura Secord who, in 1813, crossed the Twelve Mile Creek to warn the British of impending American invasion.

A late break will take place at Terrace Falls in the Short Hills Provincial Park. Measuring approximately 8 meters high and up to 20 meters wide at full flow, it’s an ideal setting for a pause.

Finally, we will reach our day three destination at Bissell’s or Wetaskiwin Scout Camp. Bell tents will be awaiting your arrival, and dinner will be an event at the tents. You can complete your day with a campfire under the stars.

Hours: 7:30 am to 5:00 pm
Distance: 23 kms

We will start at Bissells’ or Wetaskiwin Scout Camp and end at NET Camping Resort.

Highlights/Instagram Moments:

• Rockway Conservation
• Louth Conservation
• Ball’s Falls

Campsite breakfast and lunch pickup starts at 7:30am. There will be a quick check-in at Rockway Conservation Area, a 15 mile creek valley boasting waterfalls as well as mature Basswood, Sugar Maple, Black Walnut and Sycamore trees.

Once we reach the Louth Conservation Area, we’ll have our first break of the day. This 36-hectare of land is located along Sixteen Mile Creek and consists of historic rock formations, stunning waterfalls and meandering forests.

We’ll stop for lunch at the breathtaking Ball’s Falls, with the upper falls reaching 10.7 meters high and the lower falls climbing to 27.4 meters, it’s the perfect place for a picnic.

A late break is scheduled in wine country at the Victoria Avenue Vista. The area provides amazing views of Lake Ontario, and on a clear day you can see all the way to Toronto, including silhouettes from the CN tower and Rogers Centre.

We’ll end the day with a brief 5-10 minute shuttle from Cherry Avenue to NET Camping Resort where you can relax and unwind. Bell tents will be awaiting your arrival, and dinner will be another event at the tents.

Hours: 7:30 am to 4:00 pm
Distance: 17 kms

We will start early at NET Camping Resort and complete the Niagara portion in downtown Grimsby.

Highlights/Instagram Moments:

• Breakfast on the Bluff (Cave Springs Conservation Area)
• Kinsmen Park
• Thirty Mile Creek Falls
• The Finale

You’ll pick up your lunch and breakfast at NET Camping Resort, then we’ll head out for a brief hike to Cave Springs Conservation Area. Here, we will enjoy breakfast on the bluff while admiring an impressive view of vineyards and Lake Ontario.

We will continue our hike where you find yourself in idyllic settings as we approach Kinsmen Park.

Our first break will be at the Locust Lane Estate Winery or Fielding Estate Winery, depending on availability. Here, you’ll get a chance to swirl, sniff, and sip in Ontario’s famous wine region.

Lunch is planned for the ribbon cascade of Thirty Mile Creek Falls, measuring 2.5 meters wide at the crest, it runs 15 meters down a 25 meter slope into a deep gorge.

We will have a late break along the way, location to be determined.

In Grimsby, we reach the end of our journey. Here, we will have a closing ceremony and you will receive your honorary completion maps. Afterwards, we will shuttle you back to where it all began, The Kent Motel, and say our goodbyes. You’ll leave with a sense of pride after hiking over 80 kilometers, and there’s no doubt that you’ll want to explore more of the Niagara Escarpment.