Fall Hiking on the Spring Creek Trail

Although there is no bad time to be hiking in the Dundas Valley, there is something special about the fall. The cool clean air, lack of bugs and distinctive crunch of leaves underfoot always remind me that another summer has come to an end and that the days of winter are not far away.
My dog Rosie, who is a frequent hiking companion of mine seems to prefer the fall as well and loves to run through the crisp leaves of the forest floor as she explores the valley.

This past weekend we walked the Spring Creek trail as it runs east from the Trail Centre. This centre is a replica of a Victorian train station from a bygone era and even features a section of track with a 1929 executive coach car and a 1931 baggage car that were donated by the Canadian Pacific Railway.

The centre features a snack bar and interpretive centre and often displays the artwork of local artists’ and photographers. Trail maps can be obtained there and it is a good launch point from which to explore various parts of the valley.
The Spring Creek trail which is just over 3 km in length starts at the Trail Centre, follows the Spring Creek valley eastward, crosses Sanctuary Park, and ends at Warren Park.

On this particular day, we left the Trail Centre walking through sun-dappled Carolinian groves with an elevated view of Spring Creek below. We stopped to watch a group of four deer peacefully grazing and were entertained by a number of black squirrels busily preparing for winter.

At times the forest changed to sumac and to marshland heavily populated with red-winged blackbirds and other song birds. Often times on this trail, we spot wild turkeys, various varieties of snakes and woodpeckers.

One of my favorite trails, the Spring Creek Trail often becomes my default trail when I feel the need to get in the valley but am limited for time. Close to home and always changing, I know I'll always see something new, no matter how frequent I visit.