On June 17, I crossed over the border from the Thousand Islands of New York into Canada for a 30-day trip through Ontario to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. I drove along the north shore of Lake Ontario to a KOA campground just west of Toronto. There are a couple lighthouses that I wanted to photograph at this end of the lake.

My deluxe site at the KOA near Toronto. Yes, sometimes you actually get patio furniture and a gas grill!

The Burlington Canal Main Lighthouse in Hamilton, Ontario is wedged between two bridges making it a challenge to shoot.

The Burlington Canal Pier Lighthouse is at the same location but at the end of a pier. It was such a calm day, a had to wait awhile for a breeze to unfurl the Canadian flag.

While driving around the area, I saw numerous signs stating: “Welcome to Escarpment Country.” I wondered what that was about and, in fact, I didn’t know what escarpment meant so I did a little internet research and discovered something fascinating (to me, anyway). An escarpment is a a long cliff formation caused by either a fault or erosion. This particular escarpment was formed by erosion 415 million years ago and essentially created Niagra Falls and the Great Lakes. Aside from being an interesting geological feature that I could view and photograph, it turns out I had planned my entire summer travel route to take me the full 700-mile length of the escarpment without ever knowing it existed.

What an amazing coincidence that my travels this summer would take me along the path of the Niagra Escarpment.

The Niagra Escarpment’s eastern end begins in Rochester, New York, near where I stayed in the Finger Lakes. It extends westward across upstate New York to Niagra Falls. The falls drop 167 feet over the edge of the escarpment. Although I wasn’t at Niagra Falls this summer, I was there during my time in New York in 2017.

From Niagra, the escarpment travels north into Ontario and skirts the west end of Lake Ontario where I first learned about it. It creates the Bruce Peninsula in Lake Huron where I’m headed next. From Ontario, it crosses the Upper Peninsula of Michigan (my summer destination) and then down Door Peninsula on the Wisconsin side of Lake Michigan and ends at Lake Winnebago. These Wisconsin locations are where I am planning to end up in late September/early October. That was my intent, however, as I write this post, I’ve had to alter my plans. While in the Chicago area in September, I slipped and pulled a hamstring that’s had be laid up for two weeks and forcing me to cancel my reservation on Door Peninsula.

Hiking in Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area

The trail runs along the top of the escarpment so there aren’t many views of it from here.

This area is very popular with rock climbers and one surprised me as he reached the top edge of the escarpment.

After five days, I moved to Tobermory, Ontario at the northern tip of Bruce Peninsula for two weeks where I was able to get a much better view of the escarpment from a boat. The peninsula is sparsely populated and yet most the coastline seemed to be privately owned and inaccessible. There is a National Park that covers 60 square miles at the north end with challenging hiking trails to the water where people enjoy tent camping and rock climbing.

My campsite at Tobermory Village Campground.

Blue Heron Cruises out of Tobermory, Ontario operates several cruises to nearby islands and the Niagra Escarpment.

This is a good example of what the Niagra Escarpement looks like. Although it is a cliff, vegetation has taken root in the rubble at its base.

There are eight lighthouses on Bruce Peninsula and I was able to photograph four of them.

On Georgian Bay is Lion’s Head Lighthouse, a replica of the original.

Tobermory (Big Tub) Lighthouse at the entrance to Big Tub Harbour at the tip of Bruce Peninsula.

Cape Crocker Lighthouse is located on the Georgian Bay side of the peninsula.

This is as close as I got to Cove Island Lighthouse but it was a spectacular sunset from the tour boat. The island sits just off the north tip of Bruce Peninsula between Lake Huron and Georgian Bay.

This little guy was living under the bushes next to my campsite. I only saw the mamma cat once in the two weeks I was there so every day I left water and some softened cat food under the bush for him.

Click on image and let him melt your heart.

In early July, I drove back down the peninsula and around the east side of Georgian Bay to Parry Sound for another couple weeks. There weren’t any lighthouses convenient to this location but there were a number of very nice waterfalls.

The Bracebridge Falls on the Muskoka River have been dammed to control the water flow but there are two areas where the water spills over rocks. This is the upper level.

300 feet below the dam is the lower falls.

About four miles north of Bracebridge is Muskoka High Falls. With its beautiful 50 foot drop, its hard to believe there’s a dam above it that diverts the river for a hydroelectric power plant.

Hatchery Falls near Ullswater, Ontario is a hidden gem on the Skeleton River that requires a 20-minute hike through the woods to find.

By mid-July, I was ready to return to the United States by way of Sault Sainte Marie into the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where I spent six weeks this summer mostly photographing lighthouses.

My route through Ontario from Thousand Islands in New York to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Next post:
The Upper Peninsula of Michigan

My name is Lindsay Reed and I’m a photographer and retired graphic artist with a passion for both lighthouses and road trips. I am living as a full-time solo RVer in my 33 foot Grand Design Reflection Fifth Wheel trailer ( I spent my first two years in a 31 foot Coachmen Mirada motohome) and plan to spend the next few years traveling the U.S. and Canada photographing not only lighthouses, but everything else there is to see in this wonderful land. I hope you enjoy my blog and will follow my adventures in the months and years ahead.