familywalkingWhen it's time to venture out for family fun, it is easy to be drawn to flashy forms of entertainment and forget what is outside your back door.

The Niagara Escarpment is a tremendous natural treasure in southern Ontario and the Bruce Trail is a great way to explore it with your family.

May these tools and ideas help you (re)discover the Bruce Trail and the joy of hiking together through fantasic natural spaces.

Some of the links below are PDF files. You'll need Adobe Reader to open those.
Visit the Adobe website to download the latest free Adobe Reader software >>

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Bruce Trail Guide to
Exploring the Forests of the Niagara Escarpment (.pdf, 11.1 MB)   **Large file. May load slowly**

Discover more about the wonderful treed oases along the Bruce Trail. This 32-page booklet is a great tool for identifying common trees and learning more about the forests of the Niagara Escarpment.

Thank you to Ontario Power Generation for sponsoring the creation of this booklet. 
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Biodiversity & Me Booklet (.pdf, 5 MB)

Take this handy, fun, and fact-filled booklet with you on your next hike on the Bruce Trail. Explore the wetlands, forests, meadows, alvars, cliffs, caves and streams of the Niagara Escarpment and the amazing variety of life these habitats support.

A hike log and checklists help you keep track of where you've been and what you've seen.

Thank you to Ontario Power Generation for sponsoring the creation of this booklet.
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Fun Places - Hikes and walks for kids and their families

Whether it is caves, waterfalls or any of the other cool places along the trail, this section will be the start of one adventure after another.

Check out this article from Bruce Trail Magazine for more ideas:

Outdoor Kids = Healthy Kids (.pdf, 422.3 KB)
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Fun hiking activities can help make any family hike that much more enjoyable.
schoolrocksthumb School of Hard Rocks

Discover the types of rock that make up the Escarpment and how the Escarpment was formed.
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Lost & Found

Orienteering skills can be a lifesaver if you are out in the woods. Learn the basics of reading a map, using a compass, and how a GPS works.
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Bruce Trail Field Guides

Check out these articles from past issues of Bruce Trail Magazine (our quarterly magazine for BTC members):

 

Wetland Birds (.pdf, 427.8 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2008)

Spring Wildflowers (.pdf, 520.5 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2009)

Amphibians & Reptiles (.pdf, 425.1 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2010)

Ferns (.pdf, 603 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2011)

Warblers (.pdf, 655.3 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2012)

Hawk Watch (.pdf, 587.6 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2013)

Orchids (.pdf, 797.9 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine, Spring 2014)

Escarpment Geology (.pdf, 702.2 KB; Bruce Trail Magazine Spring 2015)

 

 

Or find out more about our...

Niagara Escarpment Species of the Month >>