- The Bruce Trail is Canada’s oldest and longest marked footpath: approximately 900 km with over 400 km of side trails, running across Ontario from Queenston to Tobermory.
2. The Bruce Trail follows the Niagara Escarpment, which was declared a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1990.
3. It is divided into nine sections: Niagara, Iroquoia, Toronto, Caledon Hills, Dufferin Hi-Land, Blue Mountains, Beaver Valley, Sydenham, and Peninsula.
4. The Bruce Trail is marked by white blazes on the trees (blue blazes denote side trails).
5. The Bruce Trail Conservancy is one of Ontario’s largest land trusts, protecting more than 3,000 hectares (7,400 acres) of nature.
6. The Niagara Escarpment is home to a diverse array of species, including 300 birds, 90 fish, 55 mammals, 36 amphibians and reptiles, and 37 orchids.
7. The history of the Bruce Trail begins in 1959:
- 1959 Ray Lowes envisioned a trail spanning the Niagara Escarpment. He told his friend Robert Bateman at a meeting of the Federation of Ontario Naturalists.
- 1960 First meeting of Bruce Trail Committee (Ray Lowes, Philip Gosling, Norman Pearson and Robert MacLaren). Trail director Philip Gosling and volunteers went door-to-door speaking with landowners and garnering support.
- 1962 Bruce Trail Association (now Bruce Trail Conservancy) incorporated under Ontario law. First newsletter published. Volunteers begin plotting the trail, clearing ground, and painting blazes.
- 1962-1966 Regional clubs formed.
- 1965 First Bruce Trail Reference published.
- 1967 Official opening of the Bruce Trail.
8. Only 50% of the land is publicly owned; the BTC has handshake agreements with approximately 700 landowners. Every year they spend about $2 million buying up land when it becomes available.
9. Small changes are continuously made to the trail.
10. 400,000 people visit the Bruce Trail every year.
11. The Bruce Trail has nine Friendship Trails (like sister cities or twin towns) in other countries.
12. You can use the Bruce Trail App to download maps, track your hikes, find parking and camping information, and more.
Sources
- Bruce Trail Conservancy
- “The Bruce Trail: Everything You Need to Know About This Legendary Ontario Trail” by Lauren Yakiwchuk
- “How mavericks blazed the Bruce Trail, Canada’s longest footpath” by Amber Hildebrandt via CBC
You might enjoy some other posts I’ve written about landmarks on or around the Bruce trail:
Finally, some pictures of places along the Bruce Trail or side trails that I’ve visited!
Hiking trails are so lovable. Long live the Bruce Trail.