No matter what type of trail activity you’re after, and no matter what time of year, Mono Cliffs Provincial Park offers it all! When it comes to quintessential southern Ontario scenery, Mono Cliffs continues to have it all, including the dense old-growth forests, Niagara Escarpment cliffs at up to 30m high, and quiet ponds or wetland areas.
The day-use park is home to several multi-use trails that draw in hundreds of hikers and cyclists to enjoy the stunning fall colours of the park. This day use park is also year-round, and offers all the same beauty for the different seasons.
Unique Features of Mono Cliffs
No matter what time of year you decide to visit Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, the area’s unique and signature features are immediately evident. The southern Ontario park is on the Niagara Escarpment and offers visitors a chance to explore the cliffs from atop the rocks or from below in the canyon.
This section of the Niagara Escarpment is heavily forested, giving the area colourful and lush scenery that is easily viewed from the park’s trails and platforms. The park is especially dense with old-growth white cedar trees and ferns. Overall, the forested parts of the park are diverse, which helps give way to the beautiful scenery of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.
The trails of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park offer a chance to get incredibly close to the cliff faces, and opportunities to walk right through narrow crags and canyons as the cliff faces tower above you. At the tallest parts, the Mono Cliffs section of the Escarpment reaches about 30m!
The Trails of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Use the park’s Carriage Trail from the main entrance and parking lot to access all of the other trails in the park. Many trails connect to one another as well, making it easy to create much longer hiking trips. The Bruce Trail makes its way through Mono Cliffs Provincial Park giving hikers and cyclists on the Bruce Trail direct access to the park without having to deal with parking or possible traffic.
- Two trails in the park are exclusively for hikers: the South Outlier Trail, and the McCarston’s Lake Trail (also part of the Bruce Trail). Both of these trails make a 3.5km loop.
- Both the McCarston’s Lake and Cliff-Top Side Trails bring hikers to the viewing platform, which looks out over the cliffs and canyon. The Cliff-Top Side Trail is 2.6km one-way as it follows the cliff’s edges north to south; it is also open to cyclists.
- The Walter Tovell Trail offers all types of trail users a chance to explore the area from below the cliffs with the help of large staircases. The heavily wooded trail is beautiful any time of the year with wildflowers in spring, lush greenery in the summer, the warm hues of the fall colours, and the snow-covered winter months. This is the longest route option in the park. The Spillway Trail offers a shorter route option for exploring the canyon.
Winters at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
Explore the snow-covered trails of Mono Cliffs Provincial Park with the help of cross-country skis or snowshoes. All of the trails in the park permit both activities. Hiking also continues in the park year-round. Use extra caution in the winter when using the staircases or when hiking near the tops of the cliffs!
Planning Your Trip – Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
What: The naturally diverse Mono Cliffs Provincial Park is part of the Niagara Escarpment while also encompassing dense forests with cedars or ferns, wetland areas, and small lakes. The year-round park is a popular hiking destination with certain trails also open to cycling. In the winter, these trails are also open to snowshoers or cross-country skiers.
Location and how to get there: 795086 3rd Line EHS, Shelburne
95km northwest of Metro Toronto, between Shelburne and Orangeville
Best time to go: open year-round
Cost: Parking $18.00 per vehicle for full day.
$8.50 for half day.
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