When it comes to road trips, I’m generally a fan of the bigger the better. But, sometimes a simple daytrip road trip is all you have time for.
A couple of hours north of Toronto is a place called Scenic Caves, located on Blue Mountain. The caves are found along the highest part of the Niagara Escarpment in Ontario and on a clear day from here you can see the bright blue waters of Georgian Bay, it’s a pretty sweet location! I’ve known about the Scenic Caves for many years but never visited until last summer.
The big draw here is, obviously, the caves. But they also have treetop trekking on suspended platforms and ziplines which are quite fun, plus you can walk across the longest foot suspension bridge in Ontario. (If you’re like me, then half the fun of suspension bridges is jumping around and trying to make them swing and sway!)
It was a fun day hanging out and exploring the caves that are still an important heritage site for the Huron and Petun peoples who once lived here.
With caves like Fat Man’s Misery and Ice Cave some places are naturally cold, while others are a tight squeeze to get through! (Although you can go around if you’re claustrophobic). Add in some interestingly shaped rock formations like Indian Chief and Ekarenniondi, some cool lookouts like Lover’s Rest, and you start to get an understanding that the area is more than just a series of rocky outcrops and caves. You can ‘see’ the history here when you stare out at the Indian Council Chamber, where Petun chiefs would meet in privacy. Signs and story boards along the nature trail help bring things to life, creating a nice mix of nature and culture.
Rare ferns, including the Maidenhair Fern grow here as well. The only drawback is it can get pretty crowded around the tight spaces in the caves during summer, but it’s a fun day trip in Ontario and if you start early enough in the day, you can drive down to Wasaga Beach for lunch or a swim.
