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The
Bruce Trail - Storm Haven
Backpacking in Bruce Peninsula National Park
©
Outdoor Adventure Canada 
The
Bruce Trail in southern Ontario has some excellent spots for shorter
backpacking excursions. Combining spectacular views with a variety
of terrain makes the Peninsula section of the Bruce Trail an exciting
place to backpack.
One of my
favorite sections is the area north of the community Dyer's Bay
on the rocky shores of Georgian Bay. You may start this section
of the trail on Crane Lake Road at the National Park Gate or from
the Head of Trails accessed through the Cyprus Lake Campground.
For the purpose
of this article we will start the hike at The National Park Gate.
You will hike past the remains of an old logging camp. This area
was once used unsuccessfully for zinc-mining and there are still
old shafts in the area so stay off the roads that intersect the
trail. Part of the trail follows an old logging track and you
will eventually reach High Dump. There is short side trail that
brings you to 9 tents sites. This would be an excellent place
to stop for the night.
 The
route from High Dump to Cave Point provides some spectacular lookouts.
Be careful as it is the most dangerous part of the Bruce Trail
and the terrain is rugged. Cave Point is a limestone shelf at
the top of the escarpment. This area lives up to its name with
many caves to explore. The next stop, after Cave Point, is Storm
Haven.
You will visit more lookouts and from some of these vantage points
you can see Halfway Rock Point. Storm Haven is an excellent place
to camp. The beach is rocky with giant slabs of stone, some as
big as a vehicle. There is a solar composting toilet and the campsites
are just off the beach. Water is readily available but you must
treat it.
The hike between
Storm Haven and Cyprus Lake is moderate except for two, very rocky
beaches that are quite tricky. It would be very easy to break
an ankle here so proceed carefully. Instead of going into Cyprus
I would recommend traveling an extra kilometer or so to the Natural
Arch and Grotto near Indian Head Cove. Of course you have to back
track to Cyprus but it is well worth the extra hiking.
You could
camp at Cyprus and then make the return journey to your car at
Crane Lake Road or you could arrange to have a vehicle at each
end if time is limited. I prefer to do the return hike because
I always see something I missed the first time.
Because this
section of trail is part of the Bruce Peninsula National Park
you must reserve your backcountry campsites and pay a small fee
for camping. You must also be in good shape because the rocky
terrain can make this journey treacherous and it can be slippery
in wet weather. Campfires are not permitted and all drinking water
must be treated. You must camp on the provided tent platforms
because this is an ecologically sensitive area. Wear good hiking
boots and watch for the Massasauga, a venomous rattlesnake that
inhabits this area. There are also bears in this area so you must
hang your food.
The scenery
on the Bruce Peninsula is breathtaking and the hiking exhilarating.
There is nothing better than ending your day with a quiet sunset
on a rocky beach, emerging from the woods to view an incredible
vista or exploring a cave etched out of the escarpment.
For more articles
please view the archives.
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