Hockley Valley Provincial Park

OHLAC | Apr 18, 2011 |

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It’s not often that you can get something from the government in Canada for nothing. Hockley Valley Provincial Park is an Algonquin-esque natural wonderland that is a short forty-five minute drive from the Great Toronto Area and is entirely free of fees to visit.

Hockley Valley resort is located ten minutes northeast of the town of Orangeville. Orangeville is approximately fifty kilometres northwest of Brampton up highway 10. The park is located on the north side of the Hockley Road, across from the Hockley Valley Ski Resort.

The park is categorized as a Nature Reserve by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. There is one small parking area and no facilities (washrooms) in the park.

What Hockley Valley does offer is exceptional hiking trails through a mostly hardwood forest located on steep hills of the Niagara Escarpment and Nottawasaga River Valley. The trails are challenging and one can spend the better portion of the day hiking in the park with very little backtracking.

Fishing is not allowed in the park but the sections of the Nottawasaga can provide some great fish viewing, especially in the spring when the Salmon are running. Several wooden bridges are located along the trails in order to cross the river.

The Bruce Trail runs directly through the park. The Bruce is one of Canada’s most well known hiking trails that begins at Niagara-On-The-Lake, just north of Niagara Falls at the convergence of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario, and follows the Niagara Escarpment all the way north to Tobermory at the tip of the Bruce Peninsula.

Off the Bruce Trail, there are three official side trails that provide several route alternatives for the hiker. At either the North or South end of the park, the hiker can leave the park and continue on with the Bruce.

The Snell Loop is likely the most picturesque section of trail in the park. The trail spends time following a tributary of the Nottawasaga, surrounded by dense, mature hardwoods. During the summer and autumn, this section can simply look like a forest scene out of Lord of the Rings or Robin Hood. The side trail also runs through the highlands and skitters on the edge of the Snell Pond.

The Glen Cross Street side loop serves as a secondary entrance to the park with a small parking lot on Glen Cross St. (3^rd Line). Along this side trail can be found some enchanting small waterfalls on yet another tributary to the Nottawasaga.

For the trail runner, this is an ideal training grounds. The trails, although steep and crooked, are mostly on smooth, soft soil terrain. There are a few rocky sections to contend with. Otherwise, the trail provides a great run in a mostly shady environment.