On Feb 16th, 2019 we headed out to finish the remaining 58 kms of Niagara section of the trail for TC’s birthday 🙂 The weather was perfect, sunny and -3 with wind chill. We decided to hike from Brock to Moyer Road on Saturday, spend the night in a cozy cottage, then head to Grimsby the next day to finish the trail.

Trail conditions were great when we started off. There was some confusion going through Short Hill Park. Some of the trail was closed and it was a little tough to navigate so we ended up going around in a circle and ended up back at the Decew Mill and waterfalls. Once we got through the park it was easier to navigate and we were able to navigate using the the map from the Bruce Trail Guide.

We came across quite a few small waterfalls and some really fast moving streams. The scenery in this part of the trail was some of the best we had seen in the Niagara section but the trail conditions were deteriorating the closer we got to any stream or waterfall. The trail was really icy in some areas.

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One of the highlights for us was Balls Falls conservation area.
Still standing within the park are the original Ball family home, an operating gristmill, a lime kiln, a restored church, a blacksmith shop, and a carriage shed. We would have loved to stay longer and check it out but it was getting dark and we still had to make our way to our cozy cottage in wine country.

We did the last 7 kms to Moyer Rd in the dark with headlamps, which we wouldn’t recommend in the winter but it was well worth it when we finally got to our cozy cottage (and wine).

It was a great day on the trail and we were looking forward to getting back at it the next day. We hiked approximately 25 – 30 kms with a few steep inclines. You definitely need proper hiking boots, ice cleats and warm clothing for this part of the trail, it is not for novice hikers or anyone without proper footwear.