Tiffin conservation area

I have decided to explore more of what Simcoe County has to offer in terms of trails. Today I headed south to the Tiffin Conservation area, just off highway 90 between Angus and Barrie. Although I did have a bit of an unexpected pause in my drive, as I passed a corn field near Elmvale and stopped to watch a large bear meander through the short stalks. The bear paid zero interest in me, and I was happy to watch his progress until he entered the forest to the north, where I often hike! How could this day not be wonderful!!

Once at the Tiffin Conservation area I was happy to see a large parking area. This is a paid parking site, and you will need the app on your phone to pay the day fee, and luckily the instructions to do this are easy to follow, as I admit that I am not tech savvy. My cell phone is so out of date that just turning it on causes the poor thing to shudder, but I can still text, and I am too cheap to buy another one until this fellow’s last microchip finally blows up.

The trails are wide and clear, and obviously well used and well maintained. As I tend to do in new areas, I start on the trail and take every left turn, which will lead me around the outside of the park’s parameters and eventually back to my starting point. Of course, you still need those critical thinking skills to avoid a random trail that leads off into another area that you were not intending on exploring. Although perhaps that is a perfect opportunity to find a beautiful new area, or to get miserably lost, all depending on your outlook.

The start of the trail system consists of a series of broad roads which lead out to a large and tranquil pond. There are bathrooms and picnic tables that provide a nice area for picnicking or just enjoying the day. I can already hear the murmurs from the readers that know me, and yep, not my kind of hiking area. I passed people with dogs, and families with strollers, and here I am with my hiking poles, my buff, and my backpack looking like I have wondered out of some survival show. I was especially impressed with the family wearing white skirts, and wide sunhats, and leading one well groomed spaniel with a cut that had me rethinking my own hairstylist’s efforts.

I finally stumbled upon a small trail to the left, that led me through dense forest with a path deep in pine needles that deadened the sounds of my foot falls, letting me enjoy the quiet of the forest. This short trail returned to the broader trails, though for the remainder of this hike I only saw one other couple out here. The trail weaves through a mixture of forest and marsh, as well as across a boardwalk in a low laying area. In total I traveled around five kilometers in about an hour. This would be considered a very easy trail, and perfect for families and anyone wanting to be in nature without heading off the beaten trail. As for the more adventurous among us, this is a lovely way to spend a Sunday stroll, but not what I would consider hiking.