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FULL DAY HIKES for 2013
 Now entering its third year, the Full Day hiking series is an opportunity to travel a bit in the Quinte area and see some really special areas. The hikes begin at 10:00 and because some of them can involve a few hours, we invite everyone to bring along their lunch. The hikes are a bit longer than the Monday Evening hikes, but average around five km to eight km in length. Register for the Full Day Hikes individually, or register for the entire series at a reduced price. If you register for either the Full Day Hike series, or the entire 2013 package of guided hikes, you will receive the November hike at Sandbanks Provincial Park as a bonus, at no charge.
HOW TO REGISTER FOR THE "FULL DAY HIKES" SERIES Cost: *Please remember that all hikes in this series begin at 10:00 a.m. sharp, & pre-registration is mandatory *
Note: Counter below recognizes full series registrations only and may not reflect those who register for individual hikes Maximum Registration: 30 HOW TO REGISTER: Click on the following link: I WANT TO REGISTER
* * WE'RE SORRY, BUT THE FULL DAY HIKE SERIES IS NOW FULL ! THANK YOU FOR YOUR RESPONSE. * *
 Sunday, May 19, 2013
Moira Ridge Farm, Roslin (Hike "A") Past participants have expressed how much they enjoy visits to privately owned properties, so we have scheduled one in the crème de la crème of locations. On this 260-acre property, our host Clifford Maclean, will guide us through this spectacular property on a five-hour hike and regale us with stories of underground rivers, Moira caves, old growth forest, walking ferns and alvars. We start our hike at a 160-year old stone house and then visit a Ducks Unlimited project before working our way along an established trail on an unforgettable walk that will ultimately take us to the property’s edge at the Moira River, before we head back to our vehicles. Be sure to bring your walking stick for this hike as there will be some uneven karst terrain. Hiking Difficulty: Easy to moderate with some karst terrain. Total Hiking Distance: 4.2 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 33 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, June 16, 2013
Deroche Lake, Thomasburg (Hike "B") Deroche Lake is at the centre of a 3,000-acre property east of Thomasburg, owned by Quinte Conservation. This is an interesting trail that traverses numerous habitats including alar pavements, savannas, deep forests, a jack pine plantation and crosses small ravines and climbs at least one seemingly endless hill. We will have lunch along the edge of Deroche Lake itself as we listen to frogs and marsh birds. The nesting season will be well underway and we should hear and see scarlet tanagers, towhees, both hermit and wood thrushes, perhaps even the elusive Cerulean warbler, golden-winged warbler or red-shouldered hawk, all of which have been seen here on past trips. Hiking Difficulty: Very easy, with one steep hill Total Hiking Distance: 8 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 35 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, September 08, 2013
Rock Dunder, Jones Falls (Hike "C") Rock Dunder is a remarkable formation of beautiful pink granite, over a billion years old. We were at Rock Dunder at the village of Morton, in 2011. The hike we did that year was enjoyed so much that we had several requests to do it again! So we are, and we will add a couple more kilometres to the trek by including the Morton Lake Trail. First, we will take the Summit Loop, and once at the top, we will have lunch some 275 feet above the Rideau Canal, one of the highest points in the Kingston area. Breathtaking views of area woodlands and the Rideau Canal are available from the summit of Rock Dunder. We will learn the history of this spectacular 230-acre area that was purchased six years ago by the Rideau Waterway Land Trust. Reaching the summit involves a moderate hike, with short strenuous stretches, so be sure to bring your walking stick. Then it’s downhill, all the way, to the Morton Bay Loop, comprised of two moderately steep sections through a mixed forest. Hiking Difficulty: Mostly moderate, BUT with some challenging sections on the shore-ward side. Total Hiking Distance: 6 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 30 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, September 22, 2013 Frontenac Provincial Park, Sydenham (Hike "D") At almost 13,000 acres in size, and with over 160 km of hiking trails, Frontenac Provincial Park is a large park by southeastern Ontario standards. On this ambitious hike, we will be walking the Tetsmine Loop on the park’s north side. This trail will take us over a variety of habitat, much of it quite moderate hiking, but including a few challenging areas like the spectacular Moulton Gorge. We will have lunch at the Tetsmine site after which the loop is named and we will learn about the pioneer and mining industry on this side of the park. We will pass remnants of mining shacks and open pit mines and lots of artifacts from that period. This is probably the longest hike we have ever attempted in our day hike series, but we will not make it a marathon. We will take our time, stopping when necessary, and the entire hike, with lunch, should take no longer than five or six hours. It is a beautiful walk and the time will pass very quickly as we take in the breathtaking scenery on this, one of several such trail loops in the park. Hiking Difficulty: Easy to moderate Total Hiking Distance: 13 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 32 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, October 06, 2013
Northumberland Forest, Cobourg (Hike "E") We’re heading for the “Hogsback” on this hike that will take us over a portion of the 5,000-acre Northumberland Forest, just 14 km north of Cobourg. Our hike will be about 5 km over easy terrain, passing through acres of reforested property where we will see examples of managed logging, but also experience the quietude and remoteness that only this property can offer. Once on the Hogsback, we will enjoy our lunch with a panoramic view of the ravines and countryside below us. We are on the Oak Ridges Moraine in this part of Northumberland where there are remnants of black oak savanna, and lots of pine trees, but also some nice stretches of mixed deciduous forest. Given the time of the year, this should prove to be a beautiful walk as we seek out some of the forest’s inhabitants, like eastern chipmunk, porcupine, hermit thrush, scarlet tanager, and numerous tree species, including a variety of birches, maples, conifers and oaks. Learn the history of this remarkable forest on our hike along some of its trails. Hiking Difficulty: Easy Total hiking distance: 5 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 32 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, October 20, 2013 Presqu'ile Provincial Park, Brighton (Hike "F") The weather failed to cooperate for this hike last fall, and we did only half of it due to a steady rain and a very soggy trail. We will try it again as there were several who were disappointed that we could do only the Newcastle Trail, and had to leave the Pioneer Trail behind. We will explore forest, field and plantations on this hike as we ramble along this section of Presqu’ile Provincial Park. We will gather at the Lighthouse Interpretive Centre parking lot and then hook up with the nearby Newcastle Trail, before walking the Pioneer Trail that will take us through the eastern half of the park’s lower peninsula. We will have our lunch in one of the campgrounds through which part of this trail passes, before looping around and heading back to our cars. Here we will find a mature beech-maple forest, considered to be the least disturbed example of this habitat in the park. Hiking Difficulty: Easy Total hiking distance: 8.1 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 31 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
 Sunday, November 03, 2013
Sandbanks Provincial Park (Hike "G") Last year at the close of the guided hike season in October, November provided some amazing hiking adventures for anyone wishing to take advantage of the weather on their own. Several of us were out every week until December! This is not to suggest that November doesn’t have an attitude, but let’s see if we can take advantage of the weather and have just one more guided hike this month before we hang up our walking sticks and poles. We want to take you on the lesser known trail in Sandbanks called the Woodland Nature Trail that takes us from the Main Gate of the Park, across country, through the deciduous forests of the Woodland Campgrounds and over meadows, until we reach the West Lake sand dunes. It is a great walk where we have a chance to learn about the history of this “intervening” sector of the Park and see what November has to offer. Hiking Difficulty: Very easy Total hiking distance: 3.4 km Total Registered to Date for this hike: 30 SORRY - THIS HIKE IS NOW FULL !
An Important Note1) If you register for either the FULL DAY HIKE package, or the entire 2013 HIKE PACKAGE, all entrance fees are included in the price of the package. These entrance fees are not included, however, if you register for individual hikes and, therefore, must be paid when fees are collected at the gate upon arrival. 2) If you register for the complete DAY HIKE package, or the complete 2013 HIKE SERIES, you will also receive as a bonus, the November hike at Sandbanks at no extra charge.
What others have said about our guided hikes……..“Hikes with Terry Sprague are one of the great pleasures of living in this area. As recent arrivals to the area, we discovered so much about the natural beauty and the fascinating human history of this area as Terry shared his wealth of knowledge and experience on the guided hikes. The casual and friendly atmosphere Terry establishes has led to new friendships. It's no wonder Terry's hikes are so popular. We recommend his hikes to everyone” - Rick and Wendy, Wellington, Ontario I would like to offer a few words of support for all the activities conducted by you, Terry. Yes, it is great that the cost can be kept low. Coming from Tweed it does sometimes take quite a while to arrive at the various events, but going with a group {and meeting up with a friend in Belleville to share a ride} I think encourages us all to get outside for a few hours of education and exercise. There is always something new to learn and see on these hikes, canoes, etc. You have an ability, a knack even, to find certain areas of this beautiful region that we would not normally find -- whether a piece of private property or that hidden trail. Mike and I have been to a lot of conservation areas and parks and on a lot of trails but you never fail to surprise us with your discoveries. I introduced a couple who moved from Brampton to Tweed less than a year ago to your hiking series and they were blown away by all the outdoor opportunities in their new home region. So thanks Terry and continued success with these programs. They are much appreciated.” - Cathy Anderson, Tweed
Come join us at these new locations in this special series of Full Day hikes
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