Trail Talk: Nearly perfect trails and signage in Huron County

Two Hobomok Skippers.

I think of June as the proper start of the butterfly season, when unless it is a cold wet day, I expect to see a few butterflies.

June 1 was a good example, on my morning hike at Hullett Sugar Bush I saw a Little Wood Satyr, a Midsummer Tiger Swallowtail, a Silver spotted Skipper, an American Lady, a Crescent and three Hobomok skippers.

Strangely on the next day with a very similar walk, I only saw one Azure.

Later that day I saw 14 Common ringlets in the neighbours long grass, and then what I assumed was just another Azure turned out to be a new species for me, a Silvery Blue.

These sightings have impressed me about the benefits of not having an excessive amount of lawn.   It is not only better for pollinators, but it saves time, and energy of grass cutting.

On Thursday, June 4 we hiked at Wawanosh Valley Conservation Area.  This has the best wildflower area of all the Huron County Trails.  On that day the area had masses of Yellow Golden Alexander blossoms.  There were several butterflies seen, but later in the season this wildflower patch has a much greater variety of native wildflowers and attracts more butterflies.

A course in Kincardine was being offered on the trail construction and maintenance.  I have been hiking for over 70 years and find that the trails in Huron County are nearly always excellent.

The common problems on trails are poor markings, unavoidable wet areas, obstructions such as windfalls, unsafe structures, and bad surfaces such as mud or boulders.

There is nothing worse than getting lost on a trail. On the Maitland Trail the most frequent problem is that a hiker was not paying attention to the blazes and missed a turn.

I remember when at a work party on the Voyageur Trail, we were in an area that had been logged, two of us took 15 minutes before we found the blazes indicating where the trail continued.

Not all local trails have blazes, but most have maps at the trail, and/or maps in the Huron County Hiking Guide. There has been a steady improvement in signage during the last 20 years I have been hiking here.   

I have noticed most hikers avoid wet areas if possible.  The Maitland woods has over 26 board walks to help solve this problem, but a very wet spring can still result in some puddles.  You can also get wet after heavy dew or rain when the grass is long, or the shrubs overhang the trail.

The Maitland Trail volunteer work crew is often out cutting trail areas with long grass.

Windfalls are an on-going problem, especially with so many dead ash trees.  Often it is not obvious which trees will be a problem.  Hullett tried to cut down all the trees they thought could be a problem, however, inevitably, were not totally successful.

One stretch of two kilometres of the Maitland Trail had 12 windfalls over the past winter.

The 2011 tornado resulted in so many windfalls that much of the Maitland Trail was closed for quite a long time before these could all be cleared.  One day a work party for a crew of four chainsaw operators with many helpers spent seven hours clearing the trail in the Morris Tract.

Trail subsidence can also result in trail closures.  The Menesetung Trail used to be longer and the Maitland Trail at one time used to end close to the Benmiller Bridge. This year the trail north of the Robert Edgar Bridge has been closed due to a landslide.

Unsafe structure can result from flooding undercutting a bridge support, or rotting timbers can be a problem.  This spring two handrails were broken by windfalls, but the bridges are over four foot wide, so it is not a cause of concern.   

On a few trails a bridge has been constructed without a handrail, which means extra care needs to be used when crossing it.

Finally, the problem of falling is due to a slippery surface from rain or ice, or tripping on a root or stump.  If the boardwalk is old and not shingled, I find that when it is wet the best way is to take small steps to reduce the tendency to slip.

The registration for the Maitland Camino event on September 19 and September 20 opened on May 16 and by May 21 over three quarters of the 300 maximum enrolments had been filled.

The options include a two-day hike of 30 kilometres and 20 kilometres, or lesser distances on one of the two days.

EVENTS:

Saturday, June 13, 2026, at 9 a.m. - 10.30 a.m. - Hike the Maitland Trail and Robertson Tract Trail.  Meet at the bottom of Bridge Road in Auburn. This section does not have any significant hills, but meanders along the Maitland River. For information and to confirm your attendance, please contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com. This is a Level 1, moderately, brisk paced hike.

Saturday, June 20 at 11 a.m. – 12 p.m. - BRVTA Soundwalk hike at Bannockburn Tract - This Soundwalk hike led by Robert Tremain, who has a degree in cultural anthropology, requires individual reflection and meditation.  We will begin with how culture frames our view of nature and will consider our longing for a more authentic soundscape. Participants will have the opportunity to collect aural samples and weave a sonic fabric of their own making. Pre-registration is appreciated but not required: email or call/txt Ralph Blasting at rjblastingjr@gmail.com, 519-525-3205.

Sunday, June 21 from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. - Hike from Benmiller to Morris Tract.   Meet in Benmiller at the pullover just north of the bridge on Benmiller Line and carpool to the Trail Head at 36833 Londesboro Road at the Morris Tract Line.

For more information and to confirm your attendance, please contact Susan Ethelston at susan.ethelston@gmail.com. This is a level 1-2, moderate to brisk paced hike with flat and hilly sections, uneven footing and stairs.

Tuesday Trompers meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday to hike for about an hour. If you wish to be on this email list, send an email to mta@maitlandtrail.ca

Midweek hikers meet at 9 a.m. and hike for 1.5 to 2 hours on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Contact Patrick Capper at pcapper99@gmail.com

LIFE hikers meet every Friday for a hike of about 1 .5 hours, with a choice of pace, striders moving a little faster than the strollers.  The hikes now start at 9a.m. and can be joined through ONE CARE.