I fall short of words every time I think of the Bruce Peninsula or try to explain it to someone. There are such beautiful places to visit in Canada, but Bruce Peninsula has its own charm. Today, I am sharing some tips to get to the Lion’s Head lookout.
I often say that the Bruce peninsula reminds you of the turquoise blue waters of the Caribbean islands. You can visit Jamaica’s world-famous Dunn’s River waterfalls right here when you go to the Sauble Falls. Craving a bit of Italy? No problem! The Lion’s Head lookout gives you all the feel of the Amalfi Coast. So keep scrolling as I share some of our tried and tested tips to get to the Lion’s Head look out. We have explored the Bruce Peninsula quite a bit. If you plan to explore it as well, Click Here to read our blogs on other areas on the Bruce.
The Lion’s Head lighthouse offers beautiful views of the Lion’s Head. There is a rocky beach there as well and the water is absolutely crystal clear. But, to see those beautiful views and the turquoise blue water, it is important to hike the trail to the Lion’s Head lookout point. This hike is so worth it, and it was everything I ever imagined it to be and more.
So, let’s jump right in!
Parking
One of THE most important things to do is book a time slot prior to hiking the trail. There are two spots to park your car – one is right at the entrance of the trail and the other is the school parking lot which is 1 km away from the entrance of the trail. If you do not book a lot or forgot to do it, you can park at the school parking but remember, this will add an extra 2 kms back and forth to your hike. The main parking lot has a limit of 4 hours, and you would pay $20 for the 4 hours. Click Here to book your parking pass. The school parking lot has no time limit, and you can park longer.
Best time to visit the Lion’s Head lookout
The best time to visit would be early mornings or late afternoons. The trail can get quite busy, and we were lucky enough to get the lookouts to ourselves even though we visited mid-morning. Another suggestion would be to visit early or late in the summer before the trail starts getting busy and the tourists start pouring in.
The hike
The main loop of the Lion’s Head trail is a 17km hike with a vast majority of it running along the edges of the limestone cliffs. If you are hiking with children or dogs, be very careful! We took the main trail to the Lion’s Head lookout and then headed back the same way. I don’t think it would have been wise to hike the full 17kms with our kids but something we will do in the next few years.
The trail is rugged with big stones and roots coming out of the ground. There is a very small patch of flat terrain and thus, you are not able to take a stroller here. A carrier would be your best option! We took a good 2 hours to hike up to the lookout, ate some lunch while taking in all the views and then hikes back. Our total hike time was close to 5 hours.
Things to bring on the hike
- A good-sized hiking backpack.
Our hiking bag was filled with an extra pair of clothes for the kids, lots and lots of snack for the kids (granola bars, fruits, gummies, chocolates, sandwiches, etc) and 3 water bottles. We had packed another backpack for our camera gear.
- A baby carrier
If you are hiking with a little one, even if they love to walk, I will recommend a carrier. The hike is long and intense for those little feet.
- Good hiking boots
I decided to wear my running shoes and trust me, my feet did NOT thank me after. The amount of falls I had; I wish I had also taken a hiking poll!
Was it worth it?
It was the girls and my first time on this trail. My husband, Rohan, went last year with some friends and could not stop talking about how good it was. Our little one was only 2 at the time and we wanted her to get better at hiking to avoid having to take a carrier. The girls were in awe, I was in awe, Rohan was in awe all over again. It was one of THE best hikes we have done in the Bruce Peninsula. The views are stunning, and the hike was challenging yet fun!
Bonus tips
If you are hiking with kids, remember to give them lots of time to look around and learn. Follow their pace and keep lots of snacks handy. Before we started hiking back, we told them we would get them a double scoop ice cream if they walked back down and this was the magic word for them! Play games along the way and take some of their favourite snacks. Pack a light lunch and give them a good break when you reach the top.
Hope you enjoyed reading our tips to get to the Lion’s Head lookout. If you enjoyed this blog post, please make sure to reach out to us and let us know!
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