Now that the weather is getting warmer, why not go hiking? Try Mount Nemo. It is my absolute favourite hiking trail! Pack some lunch, water, bring your backpack and be sure to put on your hiking shoes.

Located at 5317 Guelph Line, it is a Halton conservation park which is about 15 minutes drive from downtown Burlington. First, open to the public in 1971, Mount Nemo is one of the 140 public parks along the Niagara Escarpment.

Mount Nemo is an excellent example of cliff edge ecosystem. It is a Unesco biosphere reserve, part of the Niagara escarpment that provides a landscape for a variety of rare ferns, ancient cedars and home to the significant Butternut and American Basswood talus forest. It is also home to chipmunks, warblers, and in recent years seeing an increase in the population of the turkey vulture.

Do you know if Mount Nemo wasn’t a park, it would have been part of a quarry operation and closed to the public? I am glad that is not the case! Start your journey heading towards the North Loop Trail. Approximately 2.6 km, the journey will take you through a forest indigenous to the area. As you near the edge, you will start walking along the cliff edge. The hike is easy to moderate difficulty but challenging at times due to its rocky surface.

You would not want to miss out the Brock Harris Lookout for the panoramic view. On a clear day, you can catch the glimpse of the Rattlesnake Point all the way to CN Tower, Toronto. It’s breathtaking!

Group hiking, Mt Nemo

Fissures, Mt Nemo

Crevices, Mt Nemo

Hike with a view, Mt Nemo

Rock formation, Mt Nemo

Brock Harris Lookout, Mt Nemo

Trail guide, Mt Nemo

View from Mt Nemo

From here, you can head out South Loop Trail of about 2.3 km. While hiking, be careful of the fissures and crevices along the park. You might even be able to venture down some of the bigger cracks or cave. The cave is quite cold when you get down there! Observe some of the millennium-old cedars that grow among these fissures. Delicate looking but sturdy nonetheless.

If you are adrenaline-junkie, Mount Nemo also offers rock climbing activity. With its unique limestone cliff, rock fissures and talus slopes, it’s a well-known rock climbing landmark in Halton. Mount Nemo touted among climbers for its beautiful views and variety of climbing levels. Be sure to observe the climbing etiquette whenever you do decide to rock climb.

At the end of your journey, take a rest and breathe in the fresh air while enjoying the view from the Brock Harris lookout. You deserve a break!

Fun fact: Mount Nemo, in Latin word meaning “no one” was given as a name to the area when none of the locals can think of an appropriate name.