Lion’s Head Lookout

As you may have noticed my instagram is a bit more active lately, and one of the locations I’ve visited recently is Lion’s Head Lookout. I’m trying to become a better photographer and videographer so let me know how I’m doing. These ones are all my own!

You’ll find Lion’s Head Lookout in the village of Lion’s Head, in a sort of halfway point between Northern and Southern Ontario. If you’re coming down from up north the easiest way to get there is on the Chi-Cheemaun Ferry which crosses from South Baymouth on the Manitoulin Islands to Tobermory on the tip of Georgian Bay.

You can either pay for parking at a local school and take a shuttle to the trail, or you can reserve yourself a parking spot on this website. You can technically also park along the roadside, but I wouldn’t. It’s disrespectful to the residents of the town; you’d essentially be parking alongside their lawns. I would also advise going on a weekday because on summer weekends this trail is busy! I would be willing to bet that there were easily 500 people on the trail at the same time we were. Be sure to bring your mask and wear it as you pass your fellow hikers. It’s your duty as a responsible traveler to reduce the spread of Covid!

The trail itself isn’t all that technical. If you can put one foot in front of the other, you can manage, and the incline is very gentle. I will say, though, that the rocks can be slippery, and I would recommend at least three water bottles for each person hiking, as well as good shoes. The rocks can be slippery, and the trek from the carpark to the lookout is roughly one and a half hours both ways.

That’s not to say you can’t do the hike without these things, it’s just that you may get some odd looks. We saw some people carrying highly impractical purses, wearing shoes that could barely count as slippers, and carrying one water bottle between two people. One person was even carrying a pizza!

These people were either ill prepared or highly determined. Either way, I can’t say I envy the hike they took.

Be careful when you come to the lookout. The area in which you can see the Lion’s Head rock formation from can barely hold ten people standing, and there isn’t a rail in sight. The view is worth the hike, but not a life. Personally, it’s not a chance I’d be willing to take with children or animals who run around thoughtlessly. If you decide to bring children or pets, keep both on a tight leash. I hate leashes on kids but in this case even I’m willing to admit that it’s better than the alternative.

If you follow the lookout trail to the right there are more viewing points. Though their no safer than the official lookout, they do offer different vantage points and are well worth the little effort it takes to visit them. Along the trail you’ll also find smaller side trails which lead to other rock formations. Take a few minutes to explore them, they’re pretty cool!

As with any hiking or natural area remember to take all your trash with you, respect the area and your fellow hikers, leave nothing but footprints and take nothing but photos.

Hopefully mine turned out okay!

Wash your hands, wear a mask, and stay safe gentle reader.

.