As High As You Can Go

Immediately west as of the trailhead, traveling south on the 2nd Line Road Allowance, the John Haigh Side Trail leads into a mature woods. It then arcs back to the road allowance for a very short distance before turning sharply left (east). Follow the blue blazes to the Highest Point on the Bruce Trail, at 540 m above sea level.

The elevation is the result of the Algonquin Arch, a southwest-tending Precambrian rise which forms the topographic spine of southwestern Ontario. Rock layers are thinner over the Arch because it was periodically exposed above sea level 450 to 415 million years ago when the sediments were being deposited in the fluctuating shallow marine environment.



Today it results in both poor farming conditions and good ski hills. Continue on the trail to the east, and soon it joins the white blazes of the main trail, continuing along the top of the valley. Along this 2 km stretch some of Ontario’s most impressive geological features are visible. As the glaciers retreated, continuous freeze/thaw conditions prevailed, creating excessive quantities of groundwater. Where the hard caprock and the soft underlying shale made contact, huge blocks, under the pull of gravity, detached themselves and slid down the slippery shale surface.



The result was deep, wide crevices. These crevice caves can be tens of metres wide and up to 20 metres deep, and they are renowned for their unusual microclimate and flora. Individual blocks may boast surface dimensions of up to 20 m in length, and they may be pitched forward or tilted backwards to create impressive crevices. Continue following the white blazes to the Gibraltar Sideroad; from here you simply walk west along this little-used road to your car.

Characteristics & Access

Weather

-17°

Clear throughout the day.

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