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Outdoors

Bruce Trail Lion's Head Hike

The Bruce Trail runs through old cedar forest on the Niagara Escarpment, past potholes and hollows worn into the limestone, to Lion's Head Lookout on white cliffs above Georgian Bay. The cliffs are part of Lion's Head Provincial Park, a nature reserve known for ancient white cedars and rare plants.

For The Reps · Updated

hike scenery for Bruce Trail Lion's Head near Ontario
Photo: Bruce Trail Lion's Head 1 by MBi, CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0). Via Wikimedia Commons.
Where
Ontario, Canada
Distance
About 7-8 km return

The route

Bruce Trail to Lion's Head Lookout from McCurdy Drive, out and back.

The McCurdy Drive car park in the village of Lion's Head is the closest parking to the Bruce Trail access for the lookout. Overflow parking is at the Lion's Head Arena, 4 Tackabury Street, and Parkbus runs guided day trips from Toronto.

Permits and fees

McCurdy Drive parking must be reserved and paid for from 15 May to 15 October ($20 for 4 hours or $30 for the day, booked at least 24 hours ahead). The Lion's Head Arena lot costs $3 an hour or $15 a day, and a Parks Canada pass is not valid in these municipal car parks.

Before you go

  • The McCurdy Drive lot is small, so the municipality suggests parking at the arena; a free shuttle runs from there with paid parking, Fridays to Sundays and holidays, 10 am to 6 pm, from 3 July to 7 September.
  • Oversize vehicles cannot use the McCurdy Drive lot.
  • There are no facilities in the nature reserve and nothing to buy on the trail, so carry water and food.
  • Check the Bruce Trail Conservancy trail notices for Map 38 (Lion's Head) before you go.

What to bring

  • Shoes with grip that you have already worn in
  • At least 1.5 litres of water
  • Food you will actually want to eat
  • A warm or waterproof layer
  • The route, saved offline
  • Sun cream and a hat

Getting ready for it

If your longest walk lately is under two hours, do a few longer walks first, ideally with some climbing and the pack you will carry.

Step-ups and lunges twice a week make the descents much easier on your knees.

Staying safe

  • The lookout is on an unfenced cliff edge with no railing; keep well back and watch children.
  • Tell someone your route and when you expect to be back.
  • Turn around if the weather turns or the footing gets sketchy. The trail will still be there.

Route details checked September 30, 2026 against brucetrail.org, northbrucepeninsula.ca, ontarioparks.ca, parkbus.ca and brucetrail.org. Rules and closures change, so check before you go.