Lion's Head

Lion's Head is a small town in Bruce County, Ontario, Canada.

Understand

Lion's Head is about halfway up the scenic Bruce Peninsula. It is named for a (now partially-collapsed) natural rock formation resembling a lion on the face of the cliffs abutting the town. Though with a winter population of only about 1,000, the town explodes in the summer with seasonal residents and visitors. Hours from the nearest major urban settlement, and abutting the massive Georgian Bay, the area features southern Ontario's darkest night skies.

Lion's Head is a popular but crowded place for stargazing, hiking, and water activities. The number of tourists, at times, overwhelms available parking, tourist facilities, and the beach. Parking between the marina and the beach is often strained. Many visitors make Lion's Head their base to explore the wider region, including nearby Tobermory, which in peak season is often jam-packed or even totally sold out.

Climate

The area has four somewhat distinct seasons. Cold, snowy, and blustery winters, as well as warm, comfortable summers are the usual pattern. Summer mornings are usually cool but do warm quickly before 9 or 10AM. Rain showers are common, along with thunderstorms, and a few severe thunderstorms per year. Tornadoes are less likely in the region, unlike the far southern part of Ontario.

Get in

By car

Lion's Head is approximately 3½ hr northwest of Toronto. It can be accessed by taking Highway 410/10 through Brampton, Orangeville, and Shelburne, then highway 6 near Owen Sound to the Bruce Peninsula. The stretch of Highway 6 on the peninsula has seen a big increase in traffic. Speeding is an increasing problem as are accidents.

By bus

The Parkbus from Toronto to Tobermory, which operates sporadically on weekends in the summer, stops in Lion's Head in both directions. Owen Sound, approximately 1 hr to the south, is regularly served by afternoon Greyhound Canada buses from Toronto (with stops in Barrie and Collingwood, amongst others), which take about 4 hours. Owen Sound often has car rentals available for further transport, or a taxi to Lion's Head is about $100.

Bruce Peninsula Transit cancelled its scheduled bus service in June 2018.

On foot

The 885-km Bruce Trail from Niagara Falls to Tobermory along the Niagara Escarpment passes through Lion's Head.

Get around

Small and compact, Lion's Head is perfectly walkable. Street parking is free everywhere in town.

See

• 🌍 Greig's Caves, 407 Scenic Caves Road (Take highway 9 south of Lion's Head for about 9 km, then turn east following signage), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 9AM–6pPM in summer. Privately owned scenic cave system with hiking trails atop the escarpment and dark caverns beneath it. Bring a flashlight and a jacket. Dogs not permitted, parking free. Adults $10, ages 3-12 $5, kids under 3 free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Stargazing, 1 Bruin St. You can do this anywhere with a clear night sky, but every Friday and Saturday night during the summer, a local group of star aficionados brings their telescopes down to the marina, and gives talks while allowing you to see some spectacular sights that are inaccessible to the naked eye. Free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Cape Chin Bison Farm, 94 East Rd, ☎ [phone]. There's no storefront, but you can call to make a meat order, or pull over on the side of the roads around the farm to take a look if you want to see a herd of farmed Canadian bison. (This is not a tourism operation, please don't get in the way and don't call with tourism questions.) (updated Aug 2017)

Do

• Rock Climbing. There is a wide variety of rock climbing and bouldering routes along the Lion's Head section of the Niagara Escarpment. Many have pre-installed metal loops. There's a little bit of a legal grey zone, so most professional guide outfits won't take you to the escarpment. If you're going without a guide, you should be sufficiently trained and experienced. Be sure to consult widely within the rock climbing community and carefully inspect any pre-installed equipment. Never tie your ropes around trees; this is endangering ancient cedars in the escarpment area and risks getting rock climbing strictly banned. For professional support, consider Atlas Adventures in Owen Sound. (updated Aug 2017)
• Paddling. There is good kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, and other water sports available from the Lion's Head marina and in the wider region. Supporting businesses include (listed by distance from Lion's Head) Calypso , Explorer's Tread, Fathom, The Spirit Rock, and Suntrail. (updated Aug 2017)

Beaches

• 🌍 Town Beach, 1 Forbes St. A small sandy beach and adjacent grassy park accessible to nearby marina amenities. The park is a local gathering spot and has a small stage for occasional live performances. Free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Sandy Beach at Black Creek Provincial Park, Sandy Beach Rd, Old Woman's River. A nice beach popular with locals but generally unknown to tourists. Calm clean warm water in a protected harbour that deepens gradually. Features a small block with pit toilets and a gravel lot, but is otherwise unserviced. Free. (updated Aug 2017)

Hiking

• 🌍 Sydney Bluffs. Park at Hope Bay (access via a ladder) or at Sydney Bay (access via stairs) for a ~8-km loop along the top of the escarpment. The south side of the trail is hilly and a bit overgrown, while the north is relatively flat with beautiful vistas. Please be Bear Aware! Free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Lion's Head Lookout (take Moore St east of town and park at McCurdy parkette). A pleasant walk along a well-maintained section of the Bruce Trail to a series of stunning lookouts over the Lion's Head harbour. Other sights include 10,000-year-old glacial potholes and small caverns. Approximately 4 km each way, with some rocky sections. Free. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Devil's Monument, 201 Borchardt Rd (from Hwy 6 north of town, take Lindsey Road 5, E Rd, Cape Chin North Rd, and finally follow Borchardt Rd to the parking lot and the end). A nice section of the Bruce Trail culminates at a 6,000-year-old upturned "flowerpot" rock formation. You can follow the small creek and waterfall down from the monument to an isolated pebble beach with crystal clear waters, or continue along the nearby trail and side trails to do loops of various lengths. Free. (updated Aug 2017)

Buy

Shops

• 🌍 Foodland, 7 Webster St. Summer: M-Th 8AM-6PM, F Sa 8AM-8PM, Su 9AM-6PM. The local grocery, it has all of the staples you would expect from any small town chain supermarket franchise. Upstairs is Grandad's Attic, a souvenir and craft store. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Artists Co-Op Gallery, 2866 Hwy 6, ☎ [phone]. Summer: M-Sa 10AM-4PM, Su noon-4PM. Weekends only the rest of the year. Features exhibitions of for-sale artwork sorted into sections by various local artists. Worth taking a look, and prices are usually fair if you're interested in making a purchase. $5–3000. (updated Aug 2017)
• Dandy Lions
• Aunt Donkeys
• The Cottage - Women's Clothing

Agricultural

• Lion's Head Farmer's Market (Saturdays 9am-12pm)
• Garden In Thyme

Eat

• 🌍 Rachel's Bakery, 79 Main St, ☎ [phone]. A small diner and bakery selling sweet treats like cakes and tarts. (updated Aug 2017)
• Cindy Lou's
• Marydale's Family Restaurant
• Mom's Pizza
• 🌍 Ferndale Drive-In, 2865 Hwy 6, Ferndale, ☎ [phone]. Ice cream, burgers, and good subs. Open to 9PM most days in summer, later than most other shops and restaurants nearby. (updated Aug 2017)
• Harvest Moon Bakery
• 🌍 Katemma's Diner, 607 Pike Bay Rd, Pike Bay, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. 8AM-8PM. Big portions, friendly service, and good food at a classic atmospheric roadside diner. (updated Aug 2017)

Drink

• 🌍 LCBO, 1 Ferndale Rd, ☎ [phone]. M-Th 10PM-8PM, F 10PM-9PM, Sa 10PM-6PM, Su 11PM-6PM. Government liquor outlet at the entrance to town, where Ferndale Rd connects Hwy 6 to Hwy 9. (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Lion's Head Inn and Pub, 8 Helen St, ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Summer: daily 11AM-11PM. A large full-service bar and restaurant, in the off-season it doubles as a small hotel (during summer peak, these rooms are reserved for out-of-town staff working in the busy restaurant). Try the award-winning wings! (updated Aug 2017)
• 🌍 Hava Java, 75 Main St, ☎ [phone]. The only coffee shop in Lion's Head, Hava Java serves good fresh coffee. A side business to Sacred Fire crafts shop, the atmosphere is artsy, verging on spiritual, and the eclectic owner is friendly and talkative. Hours vary. (updated Aug 2017)

Sleep

Camping

• Marina Campground
• White Bluff Campground
• Heron Point Campground
• Hope Bay Campground

Indoors

• 🌍 The Fitz Hostel, 4 Mill Street, Lion's Head (on Mill St, 3 buildings down from Main St.), ☎ [phone], e-mail: [e-mail]. Check-in: 3PM–8PM or by prior arrangement, check-out: 11AM. Dorm and private room options with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities. The hostel is centrally located in the village of Lion’s Head. One private double room and two 4-bed shared dorms (two bunk beds in each). Full bedding is $5 per stay for the dorm rooms. A fitted sheet and pillow is included for hygenic purposes. Full bedding is included in the private room. Opened in 2016 in a renovated building dating to 1895, the 10-bed Fitz Hostel is clean and charming. It has shared bathrooms and a full kitchen for guests to use. Staff have lots of maps and tips for things to see and do. Jul-Aug: dorm $44, private room $115; off-season $40/100. (updated Jul 2018)
• Beach Motel
• Lionheart Guest House
• Nellie's B&B
• The Cat's Pajamas

Connect

The town is served by a Canada Post office. Cellular service is available though sometimes spotty. Hotels and restaurants often offer free Wi-Fi. The only bank is an RBC Royal Bank, which has a 24-hr ATM. There are two gas stations in nearby Ferndale, where the road to Lion's Head meets highway 6.

Go next

• Tobermory, Bruce Peninsula National Park, and Fathom Five National Marine Park
• Manitoulin Island
• Sauble Beach
• Wasaga Beach
• Collingwood
• Owen Sound
• Guelph
• Waterloo Region
• Toronto

Routes through Lion's Head

Espanola ← Tobermory ←

N  S

→ Owen Sound → Guelph