Sheffield Offers A Look At the North

SHEFFIELD OFFERS A LOOK AT THE NORTH  
April 19 & April 21
It was the first thing we saw when we pulled into the parking lot at Sheffield Conservation Area, south of Kaladar. A full size consul television sat at the edge of the parking lot, surrounded by scattered litter from other visitors to this popular location, all in sharp contrast to the pristine waters of Little Mellon Lake shimmering in the background. We picked up the loose garbage, and a volunteer loaded the TV into his van and offered to dispose of it later in the day.
However, we had arrived to this 1,150-acre conservation area to complete another volunteer job, commenced last fall. Sixteen volunteers had come forward from Napanee, Shannonville, Bath, Tamworth, Roslin, and Belleville to rehabilitate the four-kilometre hiking trail that provides hikers with access to some of the most rugged Canadian Shield country located in the Quinte Conservation watershed. The trail offers spectacular views of five lakes – Little Mellon, Devil, Round, Mud and Haley, and passes over enormous granite knobs and descends into small wetlands. In addition to spectacular wildflowers, the trail gives hikers rare glimpses of some of the area’s more unusual inhabitants, including the five-lined skink, Ontario’s only lizard species.
Last fall, the team of volunteers spent several days removing encroaching brush from the edge of the trail. The trail project came about due to concerns expressed by many hikers, unfamiliar with the route, that finding parts of the trail route often proved difficult, especially in areas where the trail passed over large expanses of granite rock. Hikers were often led into a false sense of security by following a more heavily travelled portion of the trail from the parking lot at Little Mellon Lake to its midway point at Haley Lake, a popular destination for anglers and casual hikers out for a short two kilometre stroll. Most of those hiking to Haley Lake would then return via the same route, and not continue on the last two kilometres, resulting in the last portion of the trail being less used, and becoming overgrown with encroaching shrubs and overhanging branches.
Up to eight volunteers worked on the site on any one day, clearing the trail with pruners, axes and saws. Some sections were so overgrown with ground juniper that no sign of the original trail remained. For much of the distance, however, it was mainly a case of widening the existing path, and trimming any overhanging limbs to make the trail more visible and easier to navigate.
Eager to take advantage of the scenic panoramas to be enjoyed along the trail’s route, the volunteer team created a few short dead end paths to lookout points. One of these, a high rock overlooking Mud Lake, has always been a popular side trip. Another was created at a vantage point overlooking Devil Lake.
One trouble spot continues to be near the end of the route where the trail passes over a small creek draining Devil Lake, then continues up a steep 12 metre rock face. In earlier years, a wooden bridge had spanned the difficult section over the creek, but collapsed several years ago and was removed. Due to this section’s remoteness, it was never replaced. Depending on the season, hikers had a choice of wading across the creek, or during periods of low water flow, make use of existing boulders or a convenient beaver dam in order to access the other side of the creek. Volunteers are still eager to improve the creek crossing. The trail then continues along the lower edge of the rock face, then reconnects with the existing trail that follows the incline on the rock to higher ground above. From there, the trail leads out to the remnants of a section of former highway, and ultimately, to the highway itself, where hikers then return to the parking lot.
Quinte Conservation, in its efforts to promote its conservation areas, has two interpretive events planned for Sheffield. A combined paddle and hike on Sunday, May 7^th will allow nature enthusiasts to access some of its interior, seldom seen by hikers along the trail. Particularly spectacular will be an enormous granite rock formation in Devil Lake. This event is more suitable for canoeists as we will be picking our way slowly along the shoreline to see what turns up, but kayaks will be considered too. Part way through the paddle, we will pull our boats up onto the shoreline and tour a section of the trail to a scenic lookout overlooking Mud Lake.
Sheffield Conservation Area will also be the location as we celebrate Ontario Hiking Day on Sunday, October 1^st. We will hike the entire trail as we bask in the exceptional beauty of this large conservation area, and celebrate the efforts of the volunteers who continue to rehabilitate this popular trail. I have the pleasure of leading both events. Quinte Conservation thanks these volunteers for striving to make both interpretive events this year a more pleasurable experience.
Both events begin at 10:00 a.m., and registration is mandatory. Cost is $10/person/event, and both events are filling up quickly, To register, please e-mail tsprague@kos.net or phone 613-476-5072. Greater Napanee residents can call 613-354-3312 (111), and leave a message.
This week’s column was prepared on behalf of Quinte Conservation.