The Cup and Saucer trail is named after its unique rocky shape. The entire route spans about 15km and is part of the Niagara Escarpment - which began forming over 450 years ago from a tropical seabed into the fascinating formations we see today and runs 725km through Canada and the USA.
This was a hike I took at the end August last year. It's also one of my favorite hikes. Luckily the weather was beautiful and sunny. I enjoyed everything -from the tipi I stayed in to the ferry ride across the lake - but most of all the trails. They were an adventure in so many ways and it is such a beautiful area with so many spectacular views and respected natural memorabilia of the land before my time.
When I first arrived, I went to the camp ground. I had booked at Gordon's Park. It is a nice park - taken care of, with friendly people and is decently priced. The first thing I noticed was little frames hanging from the trees for people to take their photos and hiking trails right off the back of property. They also had working washrooms at the time (bonus!).
One of the first things I noticed on the trail was the bubble gum tree - I couldn't just pass by without a picture of that.
Enjoyable as it was being out there, the trail is not easy. It definitely has it's challenges with steep rocky inclines, a little wall scaling, and rope leads. I was definitely huffing and puffing sometimes. Make sure you are well prepared with water and wear good hiking boots or shoes if you plan on doing the entire trail. However, with that being said, even more breath-taking than the work to get there are the views which quickly trump all that work.
The lookout points are promising of panoramic views of Lake Huron and the exposed, jagged ledges of the escarpment which are borderless, without fencing. Bringing children, pets or being careless should definitely be cautioned.
I brought along my trusty BioLite stove, as always. This is one of my favorite hiking bring alongs. It is a little on the heavy side, but so useful and handy in many ways. It has a charging port, perfect for my phone, a flashlight, a grill, and a boiling pot. It also uses only natural fuel sources such as pinecones, sticks and twigs, which means it can double as a small fire pit.
I returned to my camp at about 6pm. All together, I was on the cup and Saucer trail for just over 5 hours. I stopped and enjoyed many views along the way and took every side trail I could.
If you are planning a visit to Manitoulin Island, I would highly recommend checking out the Cup and Saucer trail, and make sure to include the adventure trail - all kinds of fun and things to experience.
Don't forget your camera!
Manitoulin Island is most definitely a place I plan to do some more exploring on foot.
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