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History of the Bruce Trail
In 1963 the Bruce Trail association was incorporated under the laws of Ontario. The trail was completed in just 4 years and was officially opened on June 10th 1967 by the Honorable Rene Brunelle, Minister of Lands and Forests of Ontario. The opening ceremony took place in Tobermory.
The Bruce Trail is the oldest and longest marked hiking trail in Canada. It is approximately 800 km long with over 300 km of side trails. Every year more than ½ million visitors hike, ski and watch wildlife along the various trails. They take photographs and admire the glorious scenery of the
escarpment.
By providing access to Mother Nature’s creation, it has also created an opportunity to bring an increased awareness to the uniqueness and rich diversity of the landscape which was granted the status of UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve in 1990 by the United Nations. It is one of only 6 such reserves in Canada. The Bruce Trail Association is dedicated to conserving the Niagara Escarpment and securing permanent routes for the Bruce Trail. The association boasts more than 8000 members and more than 1000 volunteers in 9 regional clubs. The volunteers are the lifeblood of the association. It was volunteers who planned and build the whole trail and whom today are responsible for maintaining it. Volunteers also play an important role in promoting the trail and increasing public awareness not only for its beauty but also for its ongoing conservation, as well as securing new land or right-of-ways for additional new or side trails. Funds for the Bruce Trail Association are met from a number of sources, some of them including membership fees, grants and donations from individuals, corporate groups or organizations and foundation grants, since the trail is officially a non-profit organization. The 9 Clubs who form the Bruce Trail Association are:
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The idea of a continuous foot path along the Niagara Escarpment from Niagara to Tobermory was proposed in 1960 by Raymond Lowes to the Federation of Ontario Naturalists. The proposal was welcomed enthusiastically and a planning committee was formed. One of its first tasks was to choose a name. Lowes suggested the name Bruce trail after the Bruce Peninsula, which had been named for James Bruce, Governor General of Canada from 1847 to 1864.
