Mulmur Hills Hike

Not for the faint of heart, this up-and-down hike wanders through some of Mulmur’s fabled hills. Crystal-clear brooks, tunnels carved through cedar forests, and rewarding views of the Boyne River Valley culminate in surprises at Rock Hill Park.

Where: Mulmur Hills

Parking: 716599 1st line E, Mulmur 

Difficulty: A challenging 11.3km, 3- to 4-hour hike including:

Main Bruce Trail (white blazes)
Bibbulmun Track Friendship Trail
2nd Line ECL Side Trail (blue blazes)
Moss Haven Side Trail (blue blazes)
Rock Hill Park Side Trail (blue blazes)
Oliver Creek Side Trail (blue blazes)

Highlights

Rock Hill Park: Imagine the likes of Willie Nelson, Charlie Pride, and The Guess Who playing crowds of 60,000 at “Freak Out” festivals held here in the ’60s and ’70s. See Ken Weber’s column for more.

Eastern white cedar: Used for fenceposts due its resistance to rot, cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is also known as the “tree of life.” With its high Vitamin C content, it was used to cure scurvy.

Walker’s Woods: This airy hardwood forest is named after Chris Walker, a director of the Bruce Trail Conservancy. It’s a welcome change from the deep cedar forest you’ve been walking through.

Bibbulmun Track Friendship Trail: This section of the Bruce Trail is paired with its sister trail, the 1,000km-long Bibbulmun Track in Western Australia.

Boyne River: A tributary of the north- flowing Nottawasaga River, the 45km-long Boyne River valley is home to fishers, river otters and several rare orchids. As you will see, many creeks on this watery hike drain into the Boyne.

North American Beech: This gorgeous smooth-barked tree (Fagus grandifolia) is sadly being attacked by beech bark disease. Beeches often retain their leaves during winter due to a phenomenon called “marcescence”.

Singhampton Moraine: The open areas along this route are mostly moraines, characterized by “hummocky” hills and sandy soil. Look for bluebirds (Sialia sialis) and bluebird boxes near the start of this hike.

Click map for larger image.