TORONTO SUN
TRAVEL
torontosun.canoe.ca
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 16, 2006
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Mono Cliff full of surprises
69
STEPHEN HUI
Special to the Sun MONO, Ont. — The pond is clear, its still waters so entrancing that it takes a few moments to notice the hundreds of black tadpoles lining its shores. Upon closer inspection, numerous frogs — perhaps their parents — are also spotted hiding along the water’s edge. Mono Cliffs Provincial Park is full of such surprises. Located in the town of Mono, about an hour’s drive from Toronto, the park and its hiking trails provide a scenic daytrip destination. A sense of the wondrous wildlife diversity present here is gained during the walk into the park on the Carriage Trail, with the sight of monarch and other colourful butterflies fluttering over. The park is part of the Niagara Escarpment, a ridge cutting across southwestern Ontario that’s home to an abundance of plant and animal species. The Bruce Trail, which fol-
STEPHEN HUI/SUN MEDIA
A hiker at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, above, sits by a pond, right, teeming with tadpoles. lows the escarpment for more than 850 km, runs through Mono Cliffs on its way from Queenston on the Niagara River to Tobermory on the
Bruce Peninsula. This trail, along with the park’s other paths, makes a variety of loop hikes possible. One rewarding option links
the Cliff Top Trail with the Bruce Trail for a circuit that takes less than three hours to complete. This section of the Bruce
Trail travels through woods and meadows and by lakes and streams, accompanied by such sights and sounds as dragonflies, grasshoppers and the croaking of frogs. The Cliff Top Trail leads up and along the crest of the escarpment, with viewing platforms offering an intimate look at the old-growth eastern white cedars that somehow persist along the cliff edge, as well as a sweeping view of the countryside. The path also slices through what appears to be the remnants of an apple orchard, before re-
turning to the Bruce Trail.
GETTING THERE
From the top of Hwy. 427, go west on Queen St. (Hwy. 7), northwest on Gore Rd. (Regional Rd. 8), then west on Hwy. 9, north on Airport Rd. (County Rd. 18), west on Mono Centre Road (County Rd. 8) and north on 3rd Line to the pay parking lot.
MORE INFORMATION
Visit ontarioparks.com/ english/mono.html. stephen.hui@tor.sunpub.com
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FERNS AND ORCHIDS
Did you know Owen Sound is known as the fern capital of Ontario? Close to 30 varieties of ferns proliferate the area. Black’s Park Conservation Area in Owen Sound and the Inglis Falls Conservation Area just south of Owen Sound are two of the finest fern habitats in the area. As well, many of the 40 species of orchids indigenous to Ontario are found in and around Owen Sound. Naturalists from all over the world come to this area to study these rare and beautiful plants.
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