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 halton hills driving tour
sixteen mile creek driving tour
bronte creek driving tour
birding and wildflower viewing
Fall Colours - Best picks |
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Fall colours - best picks
Halton is one of the best places in the GTA to witness the amazing fall colour change.
From late September to early October, Halton Hikes trails are great places to experience the kaleidoscope of fall colours just minutes from home. Amid a background of limestone cliffs, waterfalls, breathtaking lookouts and lakes, the deciduous forests of Ontario are changing their foliage to brilliant reds, oranges and yellows.
Nature Calls [Falling Leaves]
Many people believe that Jack Frost is responsible for the colour change, but in fact the change is the result of a chemical process, which takes place in the tree as the season changes from summer to winter. As winter approaches, trees move nutrients in the leaves to the roots where they are stored for the winter. The stored nutrients provide the energy for the first growth in the spring. As nitrogen and magnesium are taken from the leaves, the characteristic green colour of leaves is also removed. With decreasing temperatures, the carbohydrate-producing factory in the leaves closes down, and chlorophyll moves from the leaves into the branches and trunk of the tree. As the green colour or the chlorophyll fades, the other pigments already present in the leaves become more visible, producing rich shades of yellow, orange and red. A number of factors influence the depth of colour in the leaves. Bright sunny days with chilly, frost-free nights create the brightest colours.
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The colour also depends on the amount of rain and the concentration of sugar in the leaves. During warm days the leaves produce more sugar and become trapped by cold night temperatures. As the sugar accumulates, the red colour of the leaves deepens. There are a few days near the end of the colour change when the leaves fall to the ground en masse. If you are in the woods when this happens you will hear a constant unique sound, pat pat pat, not unlike a slow gentle rainfall.
The adjacent map includes our top 15 picks of great sites and trails to see fall colours. These locations have been selected for the size and scope of the colour change and for the backdrops and vantage points from which the colours can be viewed.
Bright sunny days with chilly, frost-free nights create the brightest colours
Tips [to enjoy your hike]
See the fall colours from Kelso-Glen Eden Conservation Area in Milton. On selected fall weekends you can ride the chairlift up the ski hill for a great view of the Niagara Escarpment and the surrounding countryside. |
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