|
"A
Walk in the Clouds"
The Canopy Tour at Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd.
©
Outdoor Adventure Canada
Most
of us have heard of the canopy walks in the rainforests
of South and Central America. You may know that life in the canopy
of a forest is vastly different from that of the forest floor.
Perhaps you will be as surprised as I was to find that Canada
had it's own Canopy Walk, the only one of it's kind in North America,
located at the Haliburton Forest & Wild Life Reserve in Central
Ontario.
Haliburton
Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd. is a privately owned nature
reserve that caters to a variety outdoor activities. Although
the focus of this article is on the Canopy Walk, I will also touch
briefly on a few other Haliburton Forest highlights that I feel
should not be overlooked. This hardwood forest sustains a variety
of vegetation and wildlife, including the grey wolf. The Forest
has numerous lakes and rivers that wind through over 50, 000 acres
of mixed forest. The trees of this forest include American Beech,
Sugar Maple, White Pine and Eastern Hemlock.
 "A
Walk in the Clouds" is a guided tour through the forest and
wild life reserve that eventually takes you to a Canopy suspended
high among the tree tops in a stand of old growth whitepines.
There are only 2 tours a day so it is advisable to reserve your
tour well in advance. The entire trip generally takes about 4
hours, includes a scenic river walk and a short excursion in a
canoe. The canopy boardwalk is over ½ a kilometer long
and rests 20 meters (approximately 70 feet) in the tops of these
massive trees. Two large landings, or platforms, provide a spot
to stop and learn more from the guide about the forest canopy
environment. One of the platforms provides a bird's eye view of
a nearby lake. It is a unique experience that allows us to see
the forest from an entirely different perspective.
Other activities
of interest at the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve are
mountain biking, hiking, camping, star gazing and canoeing. Self-guided
hikes vary in length from 2 to 4 km and brochures are provided
in order to give you information on the highlights of each walk.
There are also activities such as wilderness skills and orienteering.
In the winter months activities like snowmobiling, skiing, dog
sledding and snowshoeing abound. You must obtain a "property
use permit" when using the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life
Reserve.
A variety
of accommodations are available to suit both comfort seekers and
campers. Options include a lodge style Base Camp, cottages, trailer
camping and semi-wilderness camping. The Forest has a licensed
restaurant, store and fuel including gasoline, propane and oil.
There are also equipment rentals and outdoor education programs.
Both the Wolf
Center and Logging Museum offer a great educational experience
for all ages. During the summer season enjoy a Public Wolf Howl
taking place every Thursday evening. On Saturdays throughout the
month of August you may participate in night sky observation.
More information on special events that occur throughout the year
can be found at the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve web
site at http://www.haliburtonforest.com
I hope that
you take some time to visit the Haliburton Forest and Wild Life
Reserve. Whether you decide to make it a weekend getaway, or an
extended trip to the region, I am quite sure that you will find
it to be an enjoyable and one-of-a-kind experience.
For more information
on events, rates, reservations or directions please go to http://www.haliburtonforest.com
or contact
Haliburton Forest and Wild Life Reserve Ltd.
R. R. 1 Haliburton, Ontario, Canada
K0M 1S0
Phone: (705) 754-2198 Fax: (705) 754-1179
Email: haliburtonforest@sympatico.ca
For more articles
please view the archives.
|
