Ken Reid Conservation Area

We did a short hike through Ken Reid today since the weather was nice. After a quick stop at the grocery store for picnic essentials, we headed to the park. Ken Reid is located just north of Lindsay, off highway 35 (take Ken Rei road) and is a good place for an easy hike. There are a lot of trail options, but for the most part they are relatively flat. There are some trails with exposed roots to trip the feet, so watch your step.

We parked at the beach and decided to do the point trail which is 2.8km. To start, you head down the cedar forest trail (my favourite section) then take the boardwalk. On the other side, you can go to the left, which puts you on the camp loop (729m) or to the right to take the Point Loop. There is a centre trail as well that takes you to the group camping field and a picnic shelter. We always stop here on the way back from the point, because the kids like to pump the old water pump.



The point trail takes you mostly along the shore of Sturgeon Lake, through cedar forests. There was a lot of recent beaver activity, and we saw a lot of ducks and geese in the water. They weren't too close so it was hard to tell but I noted mallard ducks, as well as possibly loons and common mergansers.

Ken Reid is a bird sanctuary but we hardly ever see birds because the kids make too much noise. They are getting better but still, without fail, when I see a bird and try to either get a picture or spot it with my binoculars, they start making a racket and scare the birds off. Stupid me got the kids their own binoculars for Easter then forgot to bring them with us. *sigh*

For our picnic, I did the lazy thing today. We stopped at Loblaws and grabbed a Veggie and Dip tray, a demi-baguette, some bruschetta, and some cookies. To be honest I didn't think the kids would like the bruschetta but to my surprise they did. I'll have to keep that in mind for next time. Yes it was a little awkward to eat. We ripped chunks off the bread and spooned the bruschetta onto them, which got a little messy but it was fun.

I know the dollar store has small bamboo cutting boards, I might pick up a few of them for camping and picnics. They were only about 4"X5" or so, perfect to fit in a backpack or picnic bag along with a small knife.

Trail Review: Sir Sandford Fleming River Walk

Difficulty: easy
Length: about 1km

We hadn't intended to try out this trail, in fact we didn't even know it was there. Chris and I had gone to Tim Horton's and decided to sit at the Memorial Park off Lindsay Street while we drank our coffee. It was a nice sunny day so I suggested we walk around a bit. The Memorial Park is nice, and we did a few geocaches there a few years ago.

We left the parking lot and followed a little trail that parallels the street (go past the picnic shelter towards the cemetery) and came to a driveway. On the other side of the driveway, the path continued so we decided to follow it. The trail meanders along the river where there are a few benches where you can sit and watch the water. We sat there for a while then decided to see where the trail went.

For a trail that goes through town, you can't expect much. The trail goes past some fields full of heavy equipment. We weren't sure if this was land being developed but we suspected it might have been students because Fleming has lessons on using them. Still, the trail was pretty enough and goes through a nice tree lined area, past a teepee and some other buildings before coming to the parking lot at the college. I recommend it for an easy walk that's close to home.

Trail Review: Emily Tract - take 2

We returned to the Emily Tract for another hike the other day and decided to do the full 2 loops totaling 2km. The second loop starts after the bridge halfway through the first loop. We went to the left, and right away noticed this loop was a bit hillier than the first (there is one fairly steep hill that takes you to a bit of a look out over a farm at the very back of the loop) but it was also quite pretty.

One interesting thing about this trail was the plaque with information about musclewood trees, also known as the blue beech. If you run your hands over the bark, it feels like rippled muscle. Very cool. You can find more information here. There were also a lot of areas where you're going through cedars which I love. Cedar trees make a kind of clattering sound when the wind picks up and it always reminds me of the scene in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves where the Sheriff's men come into the forest and there are bones hanging from the trees. It's eerie and gives me goosebumps every time. I can't help but look out for ghosts.

There were a lot of side trails that were marked with pink tape but we weren't sure where they went and didn't have time to explore them. Also, after the hill and look out, we saw a lot of sap buckets obviously belonging to the farmer whose house we could see from the look out.

There is one geocache on the Emily Tract. I haven't tried to find it yet but will on my next time through.
---That "Loony" Skunk GC1983M

Trail Review - Somerville Tract

Trail Review: Somerville Tract
Length 3.9-8 KM depending on the route you choose
Moderate

The Somerville Tract is located on highway 45 between Kinmount and Norland, on the south side of the road. There is a fairly large sign and a good sized parking lot with outhouses available. (Snowed in when we were there. They aren't maintained in winter even though this is also a cross country ski trail) The Somerville Tract is also part of the Ganaraska Trail. If anyone is trying to hike the entire trail in bits and pieces, this is an easy, well marked section with some interesting features.

We hiked this trail when the snow was beginning to melt. We hadn't bothered to bring our snowshoes because where we live, only about 45 minutes away, there was almost no snow left. I had figured there would be some on the trail, since the tree canopy would block the sun and slow melting but there was at least 2-3 feet in most spots. Because of that, it was a little tough going as we kept falling through to our knees. That being said, it is a trail that is definitely worth checking out for a few key reasons.

1)We saw a ton of moose tracks in the snow, and they were fairly recent, probably the previous day. I’m hopeful this means I might one day spot a moose while hiking there.

2) Tornado damage. One part of the trail takes you through a swath of downed trees, I presume the result of the tornado that hit the area a few summers ago. It’s actually quite interesting to walk through and will give you an appreciation of mother nature’s power.

3) Jack pine plantation. We drive past the jack pine forests near Kinmount quite often, but it’s quite nice to walk through them. Orderly rows of trees, almost all the same size has a very different feel than walking through natural forest.

We only had time to do the first loop, and took the short cut because sinking into the snow really tired the kids out. Still, the hike totaled 3.9KM of gentle rolling hills. The second loop is classed as moderate according to cross country ski rankings, so I’m assuming it’s more hilly. The strangest part for me was on the short cut, when the path ended at a frozen swamp. As I’ve said before, I’m not a big fan of crossing frozen water, but it was clear the path continued on the other side. The map showed no bridges or boardwalks but I’m guessing there has to be something to get people across when the water isn’t frozen. I’m looking forward to going back now to see what’s under that ice.

Hiking Trail - Emily Tract

Stopping in to try out this trail was a last minute decision while returning from Peterborough. To be honest, I wasn't expecting much. I knew the Emily Tract only had 2kms of trail and didn't think it would be anything more than a path winding through the woods, without much of interest.

I was pleasantly surprised. We only had time to do the first kilometer loop but there were a few times where we had "oh cool" moments. First of all, the trail is fairly easy, with no long or steep hills, though the second section is apparently a bit more challenging. There are signs along the way to point out things of interest (also to warn of poison ivy). Basically, the full trail is a rather distorted figure eight. About halfway through the first loop, you can cross a small bridge and do the second loop, then once you get back to the bridge, finish the first and get back to your car.

The coolest part for us was realizing we were walking along the top of an esker, which is basically a long pile of sand and gravel left by melting glaciers. The trail drops off on both sides, fairly steeply. It felt like walking along the crest of a sand dune in the dessert...except it was snowy...and there were cedar trees growing on the slope. Er...well you know what I mean.

This would be a great little day hike for people camping at Emily Provincial Park. To get to the parking area from Emily Park, turn left onto the highway, then take the first left (apparently called Arterial Rd 14?) It's not too far down, on the left. There is room for about 8 cars in the parking area.

Cost: none