If hiking along 200 foot cliffs above turquoise, aquamarine waters surrounded by ancient white cedars makes your heart go all aflutter, then Lion’s Head Provincial Park is the place for you! We’ve got you covered right here in this hiking guide for visiting one of our favourite Ontario Parks.
How to Get There
Lion’s Head Provincial Park is located on the Bruce Peninsula in Ontario, Canada. The park is located on a small peninsula itself that sticks out into the turquoise waters of Georgian Bay in Lake Huron. The park is located near the adorable beach town of Lion’s Head with its lighthouse out on the point. To see the shape of the lion’s head that this park is named for, you can head into town near the marina to see the cliffs of the Niagara Escarpment in the park from a distance.
There is no public transit available to access the park, so having your own transportation is essential. We accessed the trailhead off of Moore Street on the north side of the park. There is a small parking lot or if you go further up the road, there is road side parking directly beside the trailhead.
Trail Description
The Lion’s Head trail is a 17km loop trail that circles the peninsula. It is part of the much longer Bruce Trail that runs through the whole region. The trail is marked with blue and white blazes used along the entire Bruce Trail. You can access the trailhead from either the north or the south side of the peninsula. We accessed it from the north side of the peninsula.
The trailhead on the north side begins on private land that has been opened for visitors to use in order to access the main trail. This portion of the trail is flat, wide and open for easy walking. Once you reach the park boundary the trail narrows and begins to traverse rocks and tree roots while rolling up and down the slope.
Once the trail reaches the cliff face, it follows the edge of the escarpment with frequent look out points over the crystal clear and turquoise waters of Lake Huron. There are multiple glacial outwash and eroded potholes on top of the escarpment that are fun to explore but keep a sharp look out for where you are stepping!
This is a beautiful trail but not suited for young toddlers unless wearing a harness as there are deep sinkholes, steep cliffs and no handrails or guardrails.
Want to see the trail in action? Watch this short video showing the trail highlights.
What are the Views Like?
The views and look out points in Lion’s Head Provincial Park are really what make it shine! These are arguably the best views on the Bruce Peninsula. The look out points are frequent, high and have steep drop offs, but offer dramatic views of the crystal clear turquoise water of Lake Huron and across to Cape Dundas, Barrier Island, White Bluff, Cape Chin, and Cabot Head.
Looking from one look out point to the next gives you perfect views of the white limestone escarpment cliffs that this region is so famous for. It is a climbers paradise and you will almost always find climbers out scaling the crags.
One of our favourite parts of the trail was finding a peek-a-boo window in the rock that was formed through years of erosion. It was the perfect frame for the tiny island in the lake down below!
Lion’s Head Provincial Park offers some pretty jaw-droppingly gorgeous views. You will sometimes wonder if you have actually left Canada and found yourself surrounded by tropical waters! We loved this hike and will be returning again!
If you want to read more about visiting Ontario Parks, read our guide on visiting the Mattawa Valley in our guide to camping at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park.
Planning a trip to the Bruce Peninsula and want to do some hiking? Pin it for future planning!
Lion’s Head is on Georgian Bay, on the east side of the Bruce Peninsula. Lake Huron is on the west side of the Bruce Peninsula.
A huge increase in visits has ruined this area. The infrastructure of the area can not handle the influx of people. The tranquility of the area has been ruined by the sheer numbers seeking that very tranquility.
On street parking on Moore Street has now been eliminated. As with several other local attractions arriving early is the best way to ensure you have a parking spot in the small lot. Otherwise it’s a lengthy hike from the arena lot.