Waterfalls and Wetlands in Owen Sound

I have herd of the community of Owen Sound from hockey circles but knew little of the community in a geography kind of way. So, not knowing much I was looking forward to introducing myself to another community of Ontario.

Like many communities in Ontario situated on a waterway or lake, Owen Sound, is also built around a bay. Like all bays there are boats. Owen Sound was no different. As I explored I saw motor boats and sailboats. In fact the waterfront was based on a marine theme.

I started my stint in Owen Sound on the walkway in the downtown core. Usually I begin researching in the downtown. Besides,  the walkway was a good way of accessing the downtown. I started near the info centre. Not by choice, more by fluke as it happen to be the first parking lot which looked important when I was entering the community.

Since I was in Owen Sound for a few days I loaded up on anything and everything smelling like adventure. I ended up exploring the Bognor Marsh, Harrison Park and Hibou Park. It also turns out that Owen Sound is surrounded by waterfalls. So I also visited Indian Falls, Inglis Falls and Jones Falls.

Boardwalk Trail in Marsh

Of the wilderness hikes I enjoyed the Bognor Marsh. There were cat tails, lily pads and, even a beaver dam. In the distance bird houses stood on stilts. To my left was a forest of sunken trees – half submerged and all stretching for sunlight.

At the end of the boardwalk was a birdwatchers lookout. It was not much of a lookout. It did not matter, birds were hiding today. I could hear song birds all around, but never would they show themselves. It could be the heat keeping them away. The radio was boasting something like 27 degrees. My jeep reads 31 degrees. Who cares! They both sound hot.

The waterfalls in the sound attract allot of attention for the community. I mean come on.. who does not like a good waterfall.  But here is the ticket.. I have been spoiled with waterfalls. After seeing the waterfalls in the Northwest Territory and then the large selection of wilderness waterfalls in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia , I am becoming hard to impress. Some would say spoiled.

All the waterfalls I visited in Owen Sound were nice in their own way. Is that too politically correct for you? OK.. I like the Indian Falls and the Jones Falls. But for different reasons.

(main BLOG photo) Indian Falls because of the colored rocks decorating the pool at the bottom of the falls and the river hiking trail leading to the falls. Not that the trail was anything special. But more because it was longer and took some effort to reach the prize.

Jones Falls

Jones Falls was a short 1 kilometre trek through a dark forest  leading to a ledge looking out over the falls. The falls were the more dramatic of all the falls I visited in the Sound. I could see there was a make shift trail leading to the bottom of the falls. I stood and stared – hummed and hawed. But what goes down would have to come up and then there was the time thing. I hummed and hawed again and in the end I turned round and headed back to the jeep.  There was lots more to see.