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: Webster's Falls and Tews Falls

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

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Description: If you happen to search on Hamilton Waterfalls you will find at least a dozen waterfalls in Hamilton area. Some of the waterfalls in the list may get dry during the hot summer months. The largest of them is the Webster's waterfall. At a hiking distance from the Webster's waterfall the Tews waterfall is dropping its water from a height close to the well known Niagara Falls. There is plenty of parking when you arrive to the falls. You usually have to pay for the entrance and then you are guided to a parking spot which could be somewhere on the grass in case the main parking lot is full.

Activities:

• For children: There are various games organized throughout the day at the falls. But the main attraction probably should not be the games that could easily be played somewhere in the back yard or on a public court. People come here for the roar of the falls, that though can not be compared to Niagara falls, gives you a completely different experience.  The part that I liked about these falls is that you can enjoy the falls from a relatively close distance, whereas the power of Niagara falls gets you scared even at a reputable distance.

• Hiking:The parking lot seemed to be closer to Webster's falls, so we visited this waterfall first. There is a trail that leads to the bottom of the waterfall on the right side of the waterfall. The steps are pretty abrupt as it should be expected from a descend at a waterfall, so please be extra vigilant. When you are at the bottom of the falls, don't drop you guard as most of the rocks are very slippery. There is lot's of moist in the air so you will need something to clean your lenses in case you want to snap a few pictures.The trail does not end at the bottom of the falls. For complete trail information and what state it is in, ask for a guide when you arrive at the falls. When you are done with this fall, you have to go back up to the top of the fall and walk back to the parking lot. Do not stick too much to the right as you will miss the trail to the Tews fall. The Tews fall is about 15-20 minutes walk from Webster's fall. It has less water volume, but is much higher. There is a great lookout at the Tews fall.

• Photography:Both Tews fall and Webster's fall open scenic lookouts and amazing views. As mentioned before, being at the bottom of Webster's fall may require you to have something to keep cleaning the lens.

• Picnicking: There is a wide open area at the top of the Webster's falls. There are fast food booths in the area. Most people bring some snacks from home and find some shady place for lunch. I do not remember to have seen picnic tables, so you may want to bring something to substitute a table along.

Verdict:

• Children:Some children may find the falls a great place to visit. Others may prefer other attractions like Ontario Place or Centreville Amusment Park from the Toronto Island. However visiting the falls is a great family experience in general.

• Day trip: Being so close to Toronto and not getting dry in the summer months makes Webster's falls a great destination for a sunny summer weekend. There are other waterfalls in the area, if you have time for more sightseeing. We got tires after visiting 2 waterfalls, so we headed back to Toronto.

Official website:
Webster's falls web site provides a lot of historical facts an information on the trails around the waterfalls. You can also find a list of links to the other waterfalls in Hamilton area.
Photos:

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:

Review: Elora Quarry Conservation Area

Estimated time from Toronto: 2 hours.
Map:


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Description:
The most striking thing when visiting Elora Quarry is that one would always expect a conservation area to be somewhere away from an inhabited area. While driving towards Elora Quarry we thought that we missed a turn or probably are heading in the wrong direction. The best thing could be that out GPS maps were outdated. The point that I am trying to make is that the GPS may still be saying that there are 500 m left to your destination, but you are still driving somewhere in Elora and you have buildings on both sides of the road.

Elora Quarry is a small quarry with vertical cliffs all around and a small beach between Grand River and the quarry. I have never read the history of the quarry, but the vertical cliffs looked artificial.



Activities:

• For children: There is little activity for children at Elora Quarry. We did not see and playground in the area, and the quarry was fairly deep. There is no patrol on the beach, and the beach itself is small. The beach is around 30 -40 meters wide with cliffs on both sides.

• Hiking: As I mentioned the quarry is in Elora. You could rather go shopping or to a museum after plunging in the quarry than go hiking. There is however a little hiking opportunity that can be done around the Quarry. It started raining cats and dogs when we visited to Elora Quarry, se we had no chance to actually hit the trail.
• Fishing: The grand river is right next to the quarry and the catch and release restrictions are in effect when fishing in the grand river in this area

• Photography: The best pictures are probably  the ones from the official site. Some pictures from the air would probably be amazing too. Usual photographer is usually limited by the fact that you need an extra wide angle lens to take a picture of the quarry
• Camping: No camping is available
• Picnicking: Picnicking is limited to the area around the beach.

Verdict:

• Children:It is worth visiting the quarry one time or two even with children. You have to be extra careful however when visiting with children and the cliffs are high and the quarry is deep. Although officially it is not permitted to jump from the cliffs, many teens would keep jumping in the deep water from the nearby cliffs. Many would also climb the cliffs which looked risky.
• Camping: No camping
• Day trip: I would rather prefer to visit Elora Gorge which is right next to the quarry if swimming is not intended to be the primary activity when visiting the conservation area. The time on the road would be approximately the same

Official website:
Elora Quarry Conservation Area

Photos

Elora Quarry

Please add correction and suggestions in the comments area

Review: Elora Gorge Conservation Area

Estimated Drive time from Toronto: 2 hours

Map:
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Description: Although I have only visited Elora Gorge in early fall, I found it beautiful in this season. The colors of the ever greens mixed with maple sugar reds and yellows give you the feeling that this is one of the most beautiful and spectacular natural area in the Grand River valley.

Activities:

• For children: There is a nice, but fairly dusty playground right next to the picnic area. There are basketball hoops a few meters away. The picnic area is an open area and ball games, frees bees and other children activities are common.

• Hiking: Although there are hiking trails away from the gorge, the most popular and the most spectacular trails are right on the edge of the gorge or even in the gorge. The gorge is high and although it is fenced, extra care is suggested if visiting with children. There are many lookout points where you would feel hanging right on top of the gorge. If you are on the left side of the gorge while visiting (where the picnic area is and the children playground), and you have enough energy to hike to the right side of the gorge then you have to walk down the river until the first bridge, then you could hike back up the river. This could be very rewarding when the water is low, as the trail will take you right into the gorge. The experience is different looking up from the gorge at the vertical cliffs around you, than looking down from the edges of the cliff from the other side. The rapids in some areas are pretty fast, and the edges could be slippery, so keep an eye on the children.

• Swimming: Although the official site cites swimming, I have never been swimming in the area. I would rather expect people to come here for hiking end picnicking than swimming. If you visit one day and think that still have time for swimming then you could drive to the nearby Elora Quarry for swimming.
• Fishing: Fishing is allowed under catch and release program in attempt to preserve the trout population.
• Photography: Elora gorge is great for photography enthusiasts. Whether from the top of the cliff or from the bottom of the gorge the views are spectacular and an avid photographer will not be disappointed. Make sure that the batteries are charged before you visit Elora gorge and that you have enough extra storage just in case you decide to take extra pictures.

• Camping: Elora gorge has many camping sites. I have walked past the campsites in fall and they were all empty. The reason may be that you could have a great time during a one day visit, so there is little reason to camp there. The privacy of the campsites seemed to be really limited as the hiking trail is right next to camping sites.
• Picnicking: There are many picnic places and there is plenty of activities for children right next to picnic places to define this place as one of the best picnic areas.

• Tubing: You could rent tubes from up the river and go for a thrill ride for about 2 km.

Verdict: This is an marvelous place to visit during a weekend. It is best for hiking, photography and picnicking.

• Children: The conservation area picnic area is very good if you visit with children. On the trail, however, parents or guardians must keep a close watch on children at all times.
• Camping: There are other great places for camping close to Toronto.
• Day trip: The conservation area is a good place for a one day trip. It takes 2 hours to drive from Toronto and 2 hours to drive back. To make most of it, you should plan to head to Elora Gorge early in the morning.

Photos



Official website:
For detailed information on pricing, open season or address visit:
Elora Gorge Conservation Area





Place activities suggestions or corrections in the comments section.