Weekend Getaway Hiking in the Beaver Valley
“Between every two pine trees, a door leading to a new way of life.” - John Muir
EUGENIA FALLS - Photo Credit: Nicholas Keast
HOGG’S FALLS - Photo Credit: Peter M.
Old Baldy
Photo Credit: BruceTrail.ORG
Your own Bedroom at the Clarksburg retreat
Eugenia Falls: Photo Credit Unknown
Imagine a weekend away, hiking on one of the most spectacular sections of the Bruce Trail.
The BRUCE TRAIL is a 900km trail located through the heart of southwestern Ontario. It is Canada’s oldest and longest footpath, and the section of the trail we’ll be hiking together is one of the best - The Beaver Valley. We’ll be hiking in and through Old Baldy, Eugenia Falls, Hoggs Falls, and enjoy the sights, smells, and sounds of this incredible escarpment valley.
Group size is maxed at 8 people + 2 guides. This trip is perfect for singles, couples, or a weekend getaway with friends. Christa Hesselink will be guiding the trip and taking every step with you. While we will be walking as a group, you should feel comfortable slipping into your own pace. We’ll also be taking time to walk in silence.
And, we’ll walk rain or shine!
But the weekend is more than just a hiking trip. This will be a time to slow the pace of life down, and wake up to your life! There will be time to explore the area, including special stops at Muir Lookout, the Kimberly General Store, and Ravenna Country Market. We’ll be staying just outside a quaint village on the gorgeous property at the Clarksburg Retreat where you’ll get your own room and all your meals for the weekend. You’ll also have time to explore on your own before and after, and we’ll make sure you have a map and recommendations for the area.
We’ll start with a Friday evening orientation session guided by Christa as she offers helpful tools to reflect on your life while on the trail, and gain insight into what your soul is wanting to say to you. Saturday evening, after a delicious summer-inspired meal, we’ll sit around the bonfire, and share some of our reflections from the trail.
We’ll be using inspiration from John Muir, the famous environmental conservationist and “father of the National Park System”, who spent part of his life in the Beaver Valley as a conscientious objector during the American Civil War.
“In every walk with nature, one receives far more than he seeks.”
Dates: THE 2022 HIKING WEEKEND IS FULL. Stay tuned for more adventures coming soon.
Capacity: 8 people
Itinerary:
Day 1 - Friday evening
Consider spending the day before we meet exploring the area. There is so much to see. We’ll make sure you have info on all the local sweet spots!
You can check-in anytime between 6pm & 7pm, and our formal orientation start time is 7:30pm, with some amazing snacks and a trail-inspired “mock-tail”.
You can stay up as long as you’d like, and enjoy a bonfire and the star-filled country sky, or head to bed at 9:30pm when our orientation session is over to get ready for our first day of hiking.
Day 2 - Saturday
Today we’ll hike 14.5km (from the parking lot on Sideroad 7B just north of Old Baldy to Eugenia Falls)*
We’ll be up early for breakfast and pack our trail snacks & lunches, and make our way to Muir Lookout.
Then, we’ll drive to our trailhead and get hiking!
On our way back, we’ll head to the Kimberley General Store. We will likely be gone from the retreat centre for 7-8 hours.
*A note about hiking: This section of the Bruce trail has lots of ups and downs, and while the trail is maintained, it is for those with a moderate hiking ability and able to be on their feet walking for 4-6 hours.
We’ll take the rest of the afternoon/evening to clean up, relax, enjoy a spectacular dinner feast, a memorable evening around the fire, and prepare our lunches for the next hiking day.
Day 3 - Sunday
Today we’ll hike 13.5km (from Eugenia Falls through Hoggs Falls, to the other side of the valley at the Johnston’s Sideroad parking lot)*
The tea and coffee will be on early! We’ll be up-and-at-’em again to pack up all our belongings and eat breakfast before we check out of the Clarksburg Retreat.
We’ll all be driving our cars to the end-of-day parking lot and then transferred to our starting point. On our way to the trailhead, we’ll stop at the Ravenna General Store.
*A note about hiking: This section of the Bruce trail is very similar to the trail from Saturday. Only those comfortable with moderate-level trails and some hiking experience should register. If you want to learn more about this section of the trail, visit Map 26 of the Bruce Trail.
After a long and fulfilling day of hiking, we’ll celebrate at the end of the trail with some refreshments and goodbyes before you make your way back home.
Where We’ll Stay
The Clarksburg Retreat is uniquely placed on a beautiful six-acre park-like property surrounded by orchards and close to the Beaver River. Each person will have their own bedroom (shared washrooms), access to the comfortable lounge, huge covered porch, and other outdoor seating areas.
What’s Included
pre-trip support to help you prepare well for your hiking weekend (includes resources, hiking gear suggestions, walking tips to get you ready to walk the terrain & distance, etc.)
hiking trip logistics, maps, and transportation to and from trail-heads
orientation, debrief, and on-the-trail support to help you reflect while you walk, and help you listen to your soul all weekend long.
accommodation in your own bedroom for Friday and Saturday night. (you must bring your own towels and bedding)
hiker-style breakfasts on Saturday and Sunday, accommodating all your dietary needs.
amazing trail lunch on Saturday and Sunday chock-full of the good stuff!
delicious snacks for the trail all three days, including end-of-day hiking refreshments
Cost: $500.00/person SINGLE OCCUPANCY
Cost: $450.00/person DOUBLE OCCUPANCY ( if you are registering with someone else and want to share a room)
“Keep close to Nature’s heart... and break clear away, once in a while, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean.”
**NOTE THE 2022 REGISTRATION IS NOW CLOSED.
REGISTRATION
**Please note you will need to use the registration form below AND the separate “PAY NOW” button in order to complete and reserve your spot.
***Don’t forget to use the “pay now” button below to finalize your registration.***
If you have any questions before registering, do not hesitate to contact Christa.
“I only went out for a walk, and finally concluded to stay out till sundown, for going out, I found, was really going in.”
The Bruce Trail Conservancy wishes to acknowledge and honour the lands of the Niagara Escarpment as the traditional territory of Indigenous peoples. In both spirit and partnership, we recognize and thank the Anishinaabek, Huron-Wendat, Tionontati, Attawandaron, Haudenosaunee, Métis, and all who provided stewardship of these lands over millennia.
