Dufferin & Simcoe

The Simcoe-Dufferin section of the Niagara Escarpment is unusual, in that the familiar rocky heights are often nowhere in sight! The dramatic cliffscapes that one finds to the north and south are buried under deep glacial deposits in this area, prompting geologists to refer to this section as "the buried escarpment."

It may be buried, but ironically, the Escarpment reaches its highest elevation in the Simcoe-Dufferin section. Magnificent vistas out over the Nottawasaga Highlands and the Dufferin Hills are a major attraction in this area.

Interspersed with the highlands are deep river valleys. The Nottawasaga River and its tributaries -- the Pine, the Mad, the Noisy, and the Boyne -- all cut through the glacial deposits, creating a landscape intersected frequently with steep, narrow, wooded valleys. Villages sprang up in those valleys in the past, taking advantage of the fast-moving water to run grist mills, saw mills, and electrical power stations. Most are now just tiny hamlets, or even ghost towns. They're fascinating places to explore, conjuring up images of what Ontario was like 100 years ago.

Many of the public properties in the Simcoe-Dufferin section are resource management, rather than recreational areas, and offer minimal facilities. Though not always easily accessible by car, they are all accessible on foot. The Bruce Trail provides some of the best access to this section of the escarpment.

If day-tripping by car is more your style, you can pull over to enjoy the views, visit the region's picturesque hamlets and villages, browse through antique, craft and pottery shops, even visit a micro brewery.

With its remarkable vistas out over miles of rolling countryside, small rushing rivers set in intimate valleys rich in human history, and textbook examples of glacial features, the Simcoe-Dufferin area offers a different type of escarpment experience. Often the only evidence of the escarpment is the soft, easily-recognized red clay of the Queenston shale, visible at roadcuts or where rivers have eroded through the sediments to expose this escarpment rock formation.