FALL HIKES WITH KIDS
Who’s ready for family fall foliage viewing? From Sager Conservation Area near Frankford to H.R. Frink Centre in Belleville, the autumn hues are coming out in full force in the Bay of Quinte region. This is the perfect time to get the kids out for some exercise and appreciate nature before the colder temperatures set in.
Want to know where to go for the best viewing spots for seasonal colour? Read on!
Written and Photographed by Kathryn Dickson
Read time: 5 min
SAGER CONSERVATION AREA
This really short, half kilometre trail to the top of the drumlin is a hit with kids because it leads to the highest lookout point in the area.
Make no mistake, the stairs going up to the lookout point can be tough on the older crowd and are not stroller friendly. There are 97 steps going up on the trail (that means coming down too) and then another 48 steps going up the observation tower. For the mobile crowd, it’s worth the 30-foot climb for the panoramic views of the Trent Valley. On clear days, you can see all the way into Belleville, Trenton and Campbellford. There’s a lot of trees in between to ogle!
Free parking and admission here make this a good economic option.
BLEASDELL BOULDER CONSERVATION AREA
Geo-cache fans will want to find themselves here! This conservation area is the site of the “earthcache” – for people looking for truly unique and special places over the traditional listings.
The 1.5-kilometre trail loop leads you to the Bleasdell Boulder (also known as the Glen Miller Rock). Reports state that it is the largest known glacial rock in North America and measures almost three storeys tall! Good for biking, strollers and scooters, the whole family can come and marvel at the size of the boulder – a leftover of the glacial era.
The well-maintained trail gives way to a palette of autumn hues from the parking lot and back. Parking is free and there is no admission fee.
MOUNT PELION
On top of downtown Trenton, a 30-foot lookout tower sits. From this tower are spectacular vistas of the Bay of Quinte, Prince Edward County, Murray Hill and even all the way to Belleville. In the fall, it’s such a great time to see the crimson and golden colours that blanket the city. It’s a short, but steep, uphill hike. Great for the curious wanderers, visitors to the lookout point are well rewarded with a perspective of the area that nowhere else can provide.
Have you ever met a child who does not like to sit on a cannon? While the cannon on Mount Pelion — which was hoisted up with horses — has not been shot since 1898, it provides a great place for the kids to sit and scream, “Look out!”
Parking is free at the top of Maclellan Avenue.
PRESQU'ILE PROVINCIAL PARK
There is something truly special and extremely lucky for residents of the Bay of Quinte Region to have one of the most gorgeous provincial parks in Ontario at their fingertips. While day passes here are not free, this is the place to come to find the Jobes’ Woods Trail – one of the most family-friendly trails out there. Even your four-legged family members are welcome here.
This 1-kilometre loop trail, that takes you through an old farm is canopied by old maple trees in some sections, an old field filling in with ash trees in another section and will take you over boardwalks and through old pines. In the fall, the colours turn here slowly, but as they turn, the canopy above illuminates with brilliance.
Once in the park, a drive to the lighthouse is also well worth it for the lake view!
H.R. FRINK CONSERVATION AREA
There isn’t one trail to narrow down for the best viewing of fall colours, so let’s go with saying that the entire conservation area is amazing for autumn hues. While a few areas are challenging for the mobility-impaired, there are a lot of trails that you can stroll with prams and walkers.
From the boardwalk to the marsh to the canopied areas, the hike through the Pixie or Quill trails at HR Frink are guaranteed to amaze the eyes and remind us all that this is the one season where it’s okay to let go.
Click here for parking information in Quinte Conservation’s areas.
POTTER'S CREEK CONSERVATION AREA
Forget just chasing fall foliage here. The kids can look for frogs and other water critters at Potter’s Creek, making this an outstanding place for the entire family, dogs included, to enjoy.
The trail loop itself is 5.8 kilometres, but there are ways to shorten the trek if it becomes too much for the young ones. For those feeling extra spry, a trail run here is also suitable past the orchards, meadows and woodlands.
Not only can you hike or run to view the hues at Potter’s Creek, canoeing and kayaking is also a viable option to take it all in.
Click here for parking information in Quinte Conservation’s areas.
