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Community in Ontario, Canada
Photo: MBi, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Lion's Head is a small town in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada.
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Privately owned scenic cave system with hiking trails atop the escarpment and dark caverns beneath it. Bring a flashlight and a jacket. Dogs not permitted, parking free.
You can do this anywhere with a clear night sky, but every Friday and Saturday night during the summer, a local group of star aficionados brings their telescopes down to the marina, and gives talks while allowing you to see some spectacular sights that are inaccessible to the naked eye.
There's no storefront, but you can call to make a meat order, or pull over on the side of the roads around the farm to take a look if you want to see a herd of farmed Canadian bison. (This is not a tourism operation, please don't get in the way and don't call with tourism questions.)
There is a wide variety of rock climbing and bouldering routes along the Lion's Head section of the Niagara Escarpment. Many have pre-installed metal loops. There's a little bit of a legal grey zone, so most professional guide outfits won't take you to the escarpment. If you're going without a guide, you should be sufficiently trained and experienced. Be sure to consult widely within the rock climbing community and carefully inspect any pre-installed equipment. Never tie your ropes around trees; this is endangering ancient cedars in the escarpment area and risks getting rock climbing strictly banned.
Park at Hope Bay (access via a ladder) or at Sydney Bay (access via stairs) for a ~8-km loop along the top of the escarpment. The south side of the trail is hilly and a bit overgrown, while the north is relatively flat with beautiful vistas. Please be Bear Aware!
A pleasant walk along a well-maintained section of the Bruce Trail to a series of stunning lookouts over the Lion's Head harbour. Other sights include 10,000-year-old glacial potholes and small caverns. Approximately 4 km each way, with some rocky sections.
A nice section of the Bruce Trail culminates at a 6,000-year-old upturned "flowerpot" rock formation. You can follow the small creek and waterfall down from the monument to an isolated pebble beach with crystal clear waters, or continue along the nearby trail and side trails to do loops of various lengths.
Provides lessons, guided trips, and trip planning.
Stand up day trips and tours.
A small sandy beach and adjacent grassy park accessible to nearby marina amenities. The park is a local gathering spot and has a small stage for occasional live performances.
A nice beach popular with locals but generally unknown to tourists. Calm clean warm water in a protected harbour that deepens gradually. Features a small block with pit toilets and a gravel lot, but is otherwise unserviced.
A small diner and bakery selling sweet treats like cakes and tarts.
Ice cream, burgers, and good subs. Open to 9PM most days in summer, later than most other shops and restaurants nearby.
Big portions, friendly service, and good food at a classic atmospheric roadside diner.
Government liquor outlet at the entrance to town, where Ferndale Rd connects Hwy 6 to Hwy 9.
A large full-service bar and restaurant, in the off-season it doubles as a small hotel (during summer peak, these rooms are reserved for out-of-town staff working in the busy restaurant). Try the award-winning wings!
The only coffee shop in Lion's Head, Hava Java serves good fresh coffee. A side business to Sacred Fire crafts shop, the atmosphere is artsy, verging on spiritual, and the eclectic owner is friendly and talkative. Hours vary.
Dorm and private room options with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. The hostel is centrally located in the village of Lion’s Head. One private double room and two 4-bed shared dorms (two bunk beds in each). Full bedding is $5 per stay for the dorm rooms. A fitted sheet and pillow is included for hygienic purposes. Full bedding is included in the private room. Opened in 2016 in a renovated building dating to 1895, the 10-bed Fitz Hostel is clean and charming. It has shared bathrooms and a full kitchen for guests to use. Staff have lots of maps and tips for things to see and do.
The local grocery, it has all of the staples you would expect from any small town chain supermarket franchise. Upstairs is Grandad's Attic, a souvenir and craft store.
Features exhibitions of for-sale artwork sorted into sections by various local artists. Worth taking a look, and prices are usually fair if you're interested in making a purchase.
By bus
The Parkbus from Toronto to Tobermory, which operates sporadically on weekends in the summer, stops in Lion's Head in both directions.
On foot
The 885-km Bruce Trail from Niagara Falls to Tobermory along the Niagara Escarpment passes through Lion's Head.
Small and compact, Lion's Head is perfectly walkable. Street parking is free everywhere in town.
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