Explore Cheltenham Badlands: A Geological Gem – JUST ONE PASSPORT JUST ONE PASSPORT Just a Boomer Travelling Solo and Loving It Primary Menu HOME My Travels Accommodations Adventures Canada Caribbean Cruising Hiking Solo Travel – Tips United States Solo Travel Meet Kelly Work With Me Contact Explore Cheltenham Badlands: A Geological Gem Whenever I travel, I am always on the lookout for a new adventure or activity, and I managed to find one in my own backyard. If you are visiting Ontario, Canada and want to see a rare ecological gem, I recommend visiting Ontario’s only badland, known as the Cheltenham Badlands. Say what you ask! Let me explain, by providing a bit of history on how and what a badland is. WHAT IS A BADLAND Badlands are located in dry areas where sedimentary rock and clay-rich soils have been eroded by wind and water. They are known to be some of the most naturally breathtaking terrains found on earth today and remain a rare ecological gem. Believe me when I say that you will recognize a badland when you see one. HOW DID THE NAME “BADLAND” COME ABOUT Due to the extreme conditions of high temperatures, lack of water and difficult terrain, the Lakota people referred to these lands as “mako siko” or “land bad”. The French Canadian fur trappers referred to it as “les mauvais terres pour travers”, or bad lands to travel through. Hence, the name badlands came to life and they continue to remain known as that to this day. A badland adventure in Caledon, Ontario ECOLOGICAL SIGNIFICANCE During the time the badlands were forming, as far back as 75 million years ago, wildlife became trapped under the soft rock layers which eventually formed into fossils. To this day, geologists and scientists continue to examine the fossils formed in the badlands in order to get a better understanding as to what inhabited our earth during pre-historic times. WHERE CAN I FIND A BADLAND While badlands can still be found across the world, including countries such as Italy, New Zealand, Spain and Argentina, they remain most prominent in Canada and the United States. In Canada they are prominent in the western part of the Country, with the Big Muddy Badlands being located in Saskatchewan and Dinosaur National Park located in Alberta. The Dinosaur National Park was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Numerous badlands can also be found in the United States: Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument has the Chinle Badlands in Utah Makoshika State Park is in Montana The Toadstool Geologic Park is in Nebraska El Malpais National Monument is in New Mexico Welcome to the Cheltenham Badlands, an Ontario geological gem Cheltenham Badlands The Cheltenham Badlands are the only badlands that can be found in Ontario, Canada. They are located a short hour and a half drive from Toronto along the Niagara Escarpment. While they are not near as large as other badlands found throughout Canada and the United States, the Cheltenham Badlands will provide you with with a glimpse of Ontario’s geological history, and are an absolute must to see! Toronto to Cheltenham Badlands At one point in time, a river occupied the area that the Cheltenham Badlands are situated today. As you follow the trails, and take in the shapes and forms of the badlands, the history of the river seems to come to life. It is believed that poor farming practices eventually led to the erosion of the soil which then exposed the underlying shale. Due to the damage being made and the sensitivity of this geological treasure, it was necessary to close the area to visitors and tourists. During the time the badlands remained closed, a viewing deck, educational signage, boardwalks and marked trails were installed. This will allow this geological gem to be preserved for future generations to come. The geological site was re-opened in the Fall of 2018, but all visitors must now remain on the marked trails and take in the badlands from the viewing deck. Location and Hours of Operation Location: 1739 Old Base Line Road, Caledon, Ontario Hours of Operation Summer: May 13th – August 18th 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. Later Summer: August 19th – September 17th 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m. Fall: September 16th – October 27th 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Winter: October 28th – April 18th CLOSED Parking It is highly recommended that you visit in the badlands during non-peak times, so that you are able to get parking. Parking is limited and will only accommodate up to 33 vehicles. A fee of $6.50 for 1 hour or $10.00 for two hours is charged, which is used to off-set the cost of the park maintenance. Parking is not allowed along the street and is highly enforced. If you are unable to find parking directly at the Cheltenham Badlands, shuttle service is available on weekends and holidays from Terra Cotta Conservation area. The shuttle is free of charge when you purchase a pass to Terra Cotta Conservation. Shuttle Hours and Times on Weekends and Holidays: June 1st – October 27th between 10:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. If you are planning on visiting the badlands, one hour is more than enough time, but if you also plan on hitting the trails, at least two hours will be needed. To plan your visit to the Cheltenham Badlands, click here. Trails There are two trails which run through the Cheltenham Badlands. The Bruce Trail (1,330 m) and the Badlands Trail (325 m): Badlands Trail: this trail is ranked as a beginner trail, and is suitable for all ages and fitness levels. The trail offers scenic views throughout and is frequented by casual hikers, walkers, birding and nature lovers in general. It is a 2 km. (1.25 miles) round trip. Bruce Trail: the Bruce Trail runs through the badlands area and is part of a much longer trail expanding 900 km (559.25 miles), from Queenston, Ontario, at the southern end, to Tobermory, at the northern end. This trail is one of 13 UNESCO World Biosphere Reserves. You are able to observe the badlands by connecting to the Badlands Trail, which will take you to the viewing platform. If you haven’t seen this geological wonder, I encourage you to take 2 hours out of your day to visit the Cheltenham Badlands, an Ontario heritage site, just to get a small glimpse of this Ontario gem. This little taste of the badlands has given me a huge thirst to see more. Cheltenham Badlands, Caledon, Ontario “The Cheltenham Badlands offer an extraordinary glimpse into the history of Ontario’s natural landscape. By protecting the site, installing a boardwalk, and improving safety with a parking lot, visitors can better enjoy this exceptional tourism destination. It is important to protect this natural heritage property and promote its conservation so the Badlands can be enjoyed for years to come.” – The Honourable Sylvia Jones, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport When you are finished exploring the Cheltenham Badlands, head over to Niagara on the Lake and do some wine tasting, or visit the thundering falls at Niagara Falls. HAPPY EXPLORING Kelly xoxo PIN TO VISIT LATER Share this: Email Facebook Pinterest Twitter Like this: Like Loading... Related Adventures, Canada, Hiking, UncategorizedJust One Passport28 comments Post navigation Let’s Get Ready for Takeoff Take Yourself on a Date 28 thoughts on “Explore Cheltenham Badlands: A Geological Gem” Sage Scott July 30, 2019 at 3:45 pm I am familiar with the Badlands in South Dakota, but didn’t really understand the term until now. I also naively associated the term with pretty much that part of North America only, so it’s interesting to learn of other areas, from the US to Canada, with similar climate and topography. LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport July 30, 2019 at 4:44 pm I also had no idea. I can’t wait until I can see a bigger one LikeLike Reply Andi July 30, 2019 at 4:32 pm My hubby and I love Badlands but I didn’t realize there were badlands so close to Toronto! I want to go back to Toronto and I would LOVE to add the Cheltenham ones to my trip – thanks for the find! LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport July 30, 2019 at 4:46 pm I just found out these were here a couple months ago. It’s something different to see other than beaches and the cities lol LikeLike Reply chirodoc78 July 31, 2019 at 2:31 am Awesome! We’ll have to check this out when we visit Canada. Looks very similar to the Badlands in South Dakota. It’s been one of our favorite places to go. LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport July 31, 2019 at 2:39 am I’m hooked now! I want to see bigger ones now LikeLike Reply Stéphanie July 31, 2019 at 2:51 pm I never went to Badlands… Thanks for sharing and making me curious! I’ll have to put it on my never ending bucketlist! 🙂 LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport July 31, 2019 at 4:01 pm hahaha. I’ve got the same problem 🙂 LikeLike Reply Undercover Travel Agent July 31, 2019 at 11:39 pm I love to visit Badlands. I’d also recommend the Badlands National Park in South Dakota. LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 1, 2019 at 12:38 am I will have to look into those badlands and visit when I go to the states. I’m hooked now lol LikeLike Reply pamelard July 31, 2019 at 11:50 pm I thought the American badlands were the only ones! I had no idea they were around the world – let alone in Canada. Thank you for sharing! I knew nothing about what made a badland a badland 🙂 LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 1, 2019 at 12:39 am I also didn’t know we had them lol apparently we have some large ones in western canada LikeLike Reply WanderlustBeautyDreams August 1, 2019 at 1:25 pm The landscape looks so incredible, never seen anything like it. This was a very helpful and informative guide. I hope to see this one day! LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 1, 2019 at 3:10 pm I hadn’t heard of badlands until a couple of months ago and low and behold we have this small one a hour’s drive away. I am hooked and want to see bigger ones now lol LikeLike Reply Medha Verma August 1, 2019 at 1:47 pm Wow, I have learned something new today. I’ve never heard of a badland and even though I have travelled to Spain, New Zealand, USA and Canada, I haven’t come across one. Such a pity because I love finding new activities and adventures just like you do and visiting a badland would’ve been a great one! LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 1, 2019 at 3:10 pm I was the same. Now I will be on the lookout for them. I found it very fascinating, not to mention a beautiful landscape LikeLiked by 1 person Reply coriramos August 1, 2019 at 4:26 pm Wow, this is amazing! I’ve never seen this before. And the way you talked about the history had me hooked from beginning to end. 😉 I would love to take a trip to see these…the El Malpais National Monument in New Mexico is the closest one to me. Thanks for sharing this! LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 1, 2019 at 7:54 pm Thank you Cori. I didn’t know a much about them either. I just learned of them a couple of months ago, so I had to go and see one for myself and started doing some research. I’m now hooked! LikeLike Reply itsasweetsweetworld August 3, 2019 at 6:52 am This place looks really beautiful. The pictures seem out of the world! — https://itsasweetsweetworld.com LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 3, 2019 at 12:03 pm Thank you. It was a pretty cool spot LikeLike Reply Milena August 3, 2019 at 7:41 am The pictures look really impressive! I never seen anything like this in real life, but now you inspired me to do some research as I live in Spain, I should be able to find some closer home. LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 3, 2019 at 12:04 pm Yes this one might be a bit far for a weekend trip lol. They are really cool LikeLike Reply Kate Mirton August 3, 2019 at 10:27 am Wow I used to think of Ontario with plenty and plenty of lakes and never have heard about Badlands. This place looks so cool. Since some of my close relatives are living in Ontario, I “often” visit this amazing Region and I will keep this in mind for my next visit to Ontario. LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 3, 2019 at 12:06 pm Thanks Kate. I going to bet that like Me, most other onatarions don’t even know that we have one of these lol LikeLike Reply catemdesjardins August 5, 2019 at 6:44 pm Very cool to know about! I really enjoy visiting Toronto and will have to add this to my list next time I am there! I always appreciate unique hiking trails and this landscape really is stunning! LikeLiked by 1 person Reply Just One Passport August 5, 2019 at 6:50 pm I had no idea that this was here until recently. It was really cool LikeLike Reply Pingback: The Skinny on Forest Bathing Pingback: Explore Ontarios Activities and Adventures – JUST ONE PASSPORT Leave a Reply Cancel reply Enter your comment here... Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: Email (Address never made public) Name Website You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. ( Log Out / Change ) You are commenting using your Twitter account. 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