Kelso Conservation Area Review

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 1 hour
Map: Kelso Conservation Area

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Description: Have you ever driven west of Toronto on 401 highway and wondered what might be on your left? It looks like a ragged cliff coming out right on the side of the highway. That is the Kelso Conservation Area. If you have been skiing to Glen Eden then this seemed to me to be the same place. On one side you have a 35 ha water reservoir and on the other the view of Niagara Escarpment.

Activities:

• For children: There is a large sandy beach with shade up on the hill. I looked at google map before visiting Kelso, and seeing that the lake is relatively small, I thought that it may be warm. I was really disappointed about how cold the water was. Alright, it was not August, and we know that it takes a long time to warm up the water in Canadian lakes, but this is the feeling with which I left this conservation area. So, if you enjoy relatively warm water in the lakes, I would rather suggest Simcoe lake at Sibbald Point Conservation Area, or Rockwood Conservation Area.  One more thing to notice is that the sand is very tiny and the water gets dirty really quickly. There is not much else specifically for children in the area.

• Hiking:Kelso is probably the hiking heaven for Torontonians. It is right next to Toronto and it has 16 km of hiking and mountain biking trails including connections to the Bruce Trail.We have not been brave enough to indulge ourselves with all the trails around as we were with a 3 year old son around, who got tired pretty quickly.
  
  For those with similar restrictions, you could probably make it up to the top of the hill of Glen Eden. You have to be extremely vigilant on top as there is no fence or anything around the escarpment. You may also have a good chance to see a rock climber making his way up the escarpment.
• Fishing:Fish the reservoir for rainbow and brown trout, large and smallmouth bass, black crappie, yellow perch and pumpkinseed. Fish from shore or non-motorized boat. Paddle boats can be rented right at the park. Downstream from the dam, adult rainbow trout (steelhead) can be caught through late spring.

• Photography: If you plan to stay on the beach only, there is little that you can shoot. Hiking will definitely open up a lot of opportunities for amazing shots. From the escarpment ragged cliff to wildlife photography and simply watching. Kelso is a great destination for an enthusiast photographer.
• Camping: Only group campsites are available at Kelso. For more information visit the Kelso Conservation Area web site.
• Picnicking: There are plenty of picnic tables both on the beach and up the hill closer to the parking lot. Many of the tables are in full shade. be ready to share the area with many unknown persons just like in most picnic areas. The picnic area seems to be relatively condensed, so the smoke from the neighbors barbecue may also barbecue your veggies :-)
• Canoe rental: Canoe, kayak and paddle boats are available for rental locally. Check the Kelso web site for latest rates.

Verdict: Kelso is a great destination for hiking, mountain biking and wild life viewing. But in case you feel more like lying on the beach, then you should probably look into other options. The water seemed to be cold and relatively dirty.

• Children:There is not much fun for children except splashing in the water on the patrolled beach, and hiking or biking with their parents.
• Camping:Only group camps available. Giving the proximity to Toronto, probably few want to go camping there from Toronto.
• Day trip:It is a very good trip for outdoors enthusiasts, photographers, hikers, mountain bike riders and probably rock climbers.

Official website:
Kelso Conservation Area for summer activities
Glen Eden for winter activities like snow tubing or skiing.
Photos:

Do your own research:

Any comments, suggestions or questions, add in the comments area.

Review: Rockwood Conservation Area

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 1 hour 30 minutes
Map:

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Description: Rockwood gives you the opportunity to feel close to being in Algonquin provincial park and at the same time having to drive a little more than an hour away from Toronto. Rockwood provincial park is on the Grand River and as most conservation areas on Grand River, it is also on Niagara Escarpment. The splendid trail gives you the opportunity to see the glaciers at work millions of years ago. One amazing thing that you may find is that the beauty of the Rockwood trail quickly fades as soon as you reach the its end at the old mill. It is as if by magic all the cliffs and rocky areas change to fields, that have no smallest resemblance of the beauty that is within the conservation area.

Activities:

• For children: There is playground area right next to the parking lot. Giving the fact that it is fairly away from the beach and the fact that it is in the almost opposite direction when walking from the parking lot, it is empty most of the time. The playground has no trees around which makes it really hot to be around in the middle of the day. Children however have plenty of activities on the shallow beach. The usual activities are playing ball, splashing in the water, frees bees and building sand castles.
• Hiking: Rockwood opens one of the most majestic hiking trails to an avid hiker. The trail has a couple of entry points. One entry point starts at the bottom of the parking lot and leads directly into the wilderness of the trail. The second entry point is right next to the canoe rental booth. This second entry point will take you on a steep hill and then down on a similarly abrupt cliff. For the most part of the trail you will find green water lagoons, lookouts with ragged horizon and an opening that resembles a cave. You will also find an abandoned mill at the end of the trail. The trail is not circular, so for the most part of the way back you will be on the same trail

• Fishing:Most of the people fishing at Rockwood, fish on the opposite bank of the lake.
• Photography: Take your camera when you go hiking. There are splendid scenic lookouts throughout the trail. The woods also provide you with enough scenery to keep a photographer busy.

• Camping: being fairly close to Toronto, I would rather drive in the morning and come back in the evening. The location however is great even for a couple of camping nights.
• Picnicking: It gets fairly busy in the picnic area giving the proximity to Toronto. If you would like to have a picnic table in high season, you should rather wake up early in the morning. You should be prepared to share your area with many other people who may arrive later and "park" right next to you.

• Canoe rental: On the left side of the beach there is a canoe rental. Canoes give you an extra opportunity to enjoy the scenic landscape from the lake. Given the fact that it is a fairly small conservation area, a couple of hours should be sufficient for anyone to roam the entire area.

Verdict:

• Children:Children may require assistance when on the trail over the abrupt cliffs. The beach area is fairly shallow, and gives plenty of opportunities to keep them busy all day long.
• Camping: I haven't been camping to Rockwood, but some of the campsites seemed to be fairly close to day use area. There should be some more private campsites further away. I would choose a location further away from Toronto for camping in order to enjoy some quiet time. As Rockwood is meerly 1 hour away from Toronto and it gets fairly busy during the day, it may not be the best bet for a long weekend camping trip.
• Day trip: I would definitely recommend going on a all day long trip to Rockwood, of course if you are prepared to share some of the picnic area with strangers. If you prefer privacy however, you should pick up a nice day later in the fall. The beauty is just the same, but you will probably not go swimming.

Official website:
Rockwood Conservation Area
Photos: