Thursday, March 25, 2021

Lower Valley Road - Crowds!

We left Lake Eugenia and headed over to the Lower Valley Road, one of our favourite roads through the valley.  It's forested on both sides for a distance of about 7 miles, with steep slopes coming down each side, and the river is close beside you among the trees.  It crisscrosses the road under you twice.  The Bruce Trail runs along the top of those slopes and much of the first half  of this area public land, an undeveloped provincial park.

We headed down the first short straight stretch over a couple of the small feeder streams.

Around a couple of bends and then past Hogg's Falls.  You can't see it from the road, and the picture below required walking down a short steep slope and then climbing down a 20 foot short cliff, luckily with spots you can rest your feet.

We were both shocked to discover cars parked along the road (unsafely) and the small parking lot jammed full!  I've never before seen more than half a dozen cars here and there were at least 25!  I can't imagine how busy the falls must be; there's only one place where a person can stand to get a good view without climbing down that short cliff.  If this is a reflection of day trippers trying to get out in the country I shudder to think what crowds we're going to have around all the beauty spots along the trail this summer!

I was so surprised I failed to get a picture of the parked cars, but we did enjoy our drive down the rest of Lower Valley Road.  This is the river curving under the road on one of those crisscrosses.

And this is the river crossing back to the other side.  I've climbed up the slope along here to find the trail and another small waterfall up there.

There are a few more bends and a few isolated homes or chalets as you drive north.

Then there's a long straight stretch where two sideroads cross - both come down the slope at a long slant with a sharp dog's-leg and leave even me feeling nervous!

Around the final bend and you can see the powerhouse where most of the water in the Beaver River has been diverted to generate hydro.  There used to be 8 small houses along in the woods on the right, and my cousin lived there as a very young child while her dad was an engineer at the power plant.  Now it's all run by distant computers and the houses have been moved, mostly to Flesherton.

This is the end of the Lower Valley Road, which we've driven many times, just for the enjoyment of it!

At the end of the road we join Grey Road 30, just where a nice house with a large pond sits on the corner.  The small decorative water wheel on the right actually does turn for 2 or 3 days each spring when the tiny tributary it sits on is running full.  The white object on the water, behind the post is a resident Mute Swan.












17 comments:

  1. For the last year there have been far too many people in the pretty natural landscapes, like you I fear what the summer will bring.

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  2. I went by a parking lot today that was full to the brim. It's going to be a zoo once we get past the current restrictions, I fear. Love that waterfall, BTW. :-)

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  3. Beautiful falls. Did you get a lot of rain lately? Maybe that is what drew more than the usual amount of people to the falls.

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  4. Another great journey on roads still showing snow. The waterfalls are stunning and it draws a crowd.

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  5. I've had the same experience here with parks! They are crawling with people! It makes it really difficult to social distance.

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  6. Beautiful waterfall! Here in Oregon we are experiencing the same thing, trailhead parking areas are overflowing, trails are crowded with people. Seems with COVID shutting everything down, people are all discovering nature. I'm nervous to see how crowded the Columbia River Gorge flower hikes are going to be this year. Glad I'm now retired and can go midweek.

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  7. Always have loved to see the spring thaw bringing near idle waterfalls to life.
    Be Safe and Enjoy!

    It's about time.

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  8. It was a lovely drive. Thank you for taking us with you.

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  9. When you mentioned Flesherton, my memory stirred. I practice taught in Walkerton for two weeks while my friend was in Flesherton. In fact I think he landed a job there as did another teacher who started out at my school in Sarnia.

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  10. Those falls are such a pretty sight.

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  11. I wonder if social media has discovered Hoggs Falls. I think that kind of crowding will be common this summer. The Ontario Provincial parks have even made day use free Monday to Thursday from May 1 thru Sep 2, so even the weekdays will be busier there.

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  12. We had a dreadful situation here last year when lockdown came to an end. The weather was beautiful and half the country was out and about. Apparently in a very few places. So beaches were so full of people you couldn’t see the sand and on the moors people camping where they shouldn’t lit fires and left all manner of yuk behind including their tents! Madness. It’ll be the same again this year I expect. Our wild open spaces are in a worse state than ever.

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  13. Oh Dear, reading your post and the comments it may not be looking good for travels in our rig this Spring, Summer, and Fall. With our aversion to crowds of people we may have to look harder for remote places. Or, stay home. I don't have the patience for congestion. Other than that, I always like your photos of the areas you travel through..

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  14. Beautiful waterfall.....and you still have snow. We are into spring now. All my blooms have fallen from my Bradford Pear....Looked like snow! Thanks for letting me ride along.

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  15. I hear that there was a very good presentation about waterfalls on YouTube recently - obviously it's inspired everyone to get out and see them!

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  16. What a lovely drive. I can imagine it will only get busier as it gets warmer.

    Take care, stay well!

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  17. Hi FG, lovely area you live around. Great shot of the waterfall.
    Our weather is much the same as yours at the moment but warming up soon.

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