The Niagara Bruce Trail Club

Hike Schedules

Past Hikes...

• Call the leader if you are unsure of the location of the hike.
• Remember you hike at your own risk.
  • Warm up first.
  • Hike at your own pace.
  • Know your capabilities.
  • Wear proper clothing and footwear.
• Hiking boots are recommended.
• Wednesday night hikers are advised to wear easily visible clothing and/or reflective strips and carry a flashlight. Saturday hikers are advised to bring a lunch and
  a sufficient supply of water.

Trail Users' Code

• Hike only along marked routes; especially on farmland, do not take shortcuts.
• Do not climb fences, use the stiles.
• Respect the the privacy of people living along the Trail.
• Leave the Trail cleaner than you found it, carry out all litter.
• Leave flowers and plants for others to enjoy.
• Do not damage live trees or strip off bark.
• Keep dogs on a leash, especially on or near a farm.
• Protect and do not disturb wildlife.
• Leave only your thanks and take nothing but photographs.

Worried about Massasauga Rattlers? The Massasauga rattler is found mainly on the Bruce Peninsula and the eastern shore of Georgian Bay; there is a small population around the Wainfleet Bog near Port Colbourn and in the Ojibway Prairie Complex in Essex County. Here's what one looks like; note, however, that some adult Massasauga are all black and in northern ranges can be quite dark, as the dark colour permits it to warm faster. Here is a .pdf file telling you all about it, and here is some advice from Parks Canada.

A Wisconsin State web page (with some good information) remarks on the danger of the Massasauga that "Since 1900, no one in the state of Wisconsin has died from a massasauga rattlesnake bite. Drop for drop, the massasauga's venom is more toxic than the timber rattler, but because of the smaller volume of venom, a bite would probably not cause severe harm to an adult human." From 25% to 40% of Massasauga defensive bites release no venom at all. They are slow movers, it is difficult to provoke them to bite, and they need a close range. Don't wait for the rattle, however, they like to lie low and escape detection, and may not use it. They are shy creatures, just don't try to pet one. It will really, really hurt, you'll probably feel pretty nauseous, and you might well need an antivenom shot.

And if you must know, from the Rattlesnake Recovery Team website, "The eastern massasauga rattlesnake got its name from an Aboriginal word. 'Massasauga' is the Chippewa word for great river-mouth, and describes the location where the snake was originally found, in marshes along rivers. The snake's latin, or scientific, name is Sistrurus catenatus catenatus. Sistrum means a rattle and oura means tail, in reference to the rattle at the tip of the snake's tail. Catenatus means chained, which describes the pattern on the snake's back."

Under the 1990 Ontario Game and Fish Act, it is prohibited to harass, take, or kill the Massasauga Rattlesnake.