I think we can say that winter has finally arrived! I was looking forward to finally putting on my snowshoes for the first time this season, and I got the chance when I visited Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area in Kingston a few days ago.
Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area is located very close to Highway 401, making it a great place to stop on the road between Montreal and Toronto. The conservation area is also part of the Frontenac Arch Biosphere, a granite region recognized by UNESCO for its importance to biodiversity. It’s a region of Eastern Ontario where I really like hiking (you can find there, among other places, Charleston Lake Provincial Park and the beautiful Rock Dunder), so it made me even more excited to visit this place.
When I arrived at the conservation area, I paid my entrance fee ($5) and headed towards the trails. Even though it was quite early, I was surprised to find that the parking lot was almost full. It was a very cold morning, but I had the impression that many people had the same idea as me: to finally enjoy winter and the snow!
Little Cataraqui Creek Conservation Area is managed by Cataraqui Conservation, the environmental protection agency for the Cataraqui River watershed. I have visited a few conservation areas in this region before, but it was my very first time visiting this one.
In addition to protecting and highlighting part of Little Cataraqui Creek, a marsh and the surrounding forest, the conservation area also has an outdoor centre as well as around ten kilometres of trails, where it is possible snowshoeing and cross-country skiing in winter. It is the flagship conservation area of Cataraqui Conservation: the one which serves both as a place of education, awareness of nature protection and also promotion of outdoors activity.
I first decided to follow the Chickadee Lane trail, a popular short trail since it seems that there are many chickadees there and it is possible to feed them. Unfortunately for me, I don’t know if it was because it was too cold, but the chickadees remained well hidden.
Then I joined a wide multifunctional trail, and I continued to go deeper into the forest. This trail connects several of the other trails in the conservation area. From there, I went to the Sugar Bush Loop, a trail where there are, as its name suggests, a maple grove and a sugar shack.
I admit that at this point, I was a little confused as to whether I could still continue to follow this trail with my snowshoes, or if it was reserved for skiers only. I followed the trail at first, carefully avoiding walking on the ski tracks. But as I was unsure if I was allowed to be there with my snowshoes, and as I was meeting more and more skiers on the trail, I eventually preferred to return to the wide multifunctional trail.
So I eventually retraced my steps, heading back towards the outdoor centre and the parking lot. In total, this short snowshoe hike totaled almost 5 kilometres. The trails are well maintained, mostly flat, and they were really busy on this beautiful Saturday morning. In a few places, traffic noise can be heard, but for a location so close to Highway 401 and within the Kingston city limits, it’s still a great place to enjoy nature!
Love those bright blue skies. Look like a great spot to snowshoe and enjoy the snowy scenery.
It was! And I feel like it might have been our only real January-weather weekend. Bright blue skies and frigid temperatures were mostly rare so far this winter.
Another wonderful trail, it’s so beautiful in the snow and clear skies
I agree! It was really cold on that morning, but well-dressed, it was an enjoyable winter outing! 🙂
The scenery there is very beautiful, wow! I see myself riding the trails on a snowmobile. Maybe it is okay for you to be on that ski trail if there was no signage telling you to stay off? I know of the 401 and the 402 thanks to those long-running tow truck shows on TV.
I’m still not sure if I missed the signage, or if I could actually be there… But it’s definitely a lovely spot! And yes, no wonder the 401 made it to the tow truck shows, it’s quite a busy one, since it links Montreal to Toronto (and goes all the way to Detroit!). Thanks for reading, John!
Oh yes, I’m familiar with the Ambassador Bridge in Detroit and the other crossing at Port Huron, Michigan. Been across them both many times.
Beautiful spot for a ski or snowshoe, and you had gorgeous skies! Maggie
Yes, I was lucky, weather-wise! It was very cold, but warmly-dressed, I felt like it was really an enjoyable winter day! Thanks for reading Maggie!
Always tough to be on trails with set tracks for cross country. Many snowshoers and hikers are not as considerate as you and tromp on the tracks. My cross country ski days are long behind me and I have never tried snowshoeing, but do my best when hiking to keep off the tracks. The hiking trails look perfect for winter hiking. Thanks for sharing Vanessa. Allan
I agree with you! It wasn’t really clear on if snowshoes were allowed or not on that trail, or I might have missed the sign. There was enough space to make it possible to avoid stepping on the tracks, but in the end, I decided it was safer to just get back on the wider trails. Thanks for reading, Allan!