Bad Lands Ontario and Forks of the Credit Trail

The Cheltenham Badlands is one of Ontario’s geological treasures.

Ancestors of the Mississaugas of the Credit arrived here to hunt, fish and forage. They set up small, temporary villages on the river flats and practised horticulture, seasonally migrating and living lightly on the land. They stewarded this land over many generations.

European settlers cleared the land to establish homesteads and farms. From around 1850 to 1950, crops such as winter wheat, oats, potatoes and peas were grown here, and cattle grazed on the property. Signs of the apple orchard and a stone foundation from one of the original buildings still exist on the property.

Approximately 20 per cent of the property consists off badlands topography; the remaining portions of the site include mature forests, wetlands and regenerating cultural woodland. The property was acquired by the Ontario Heritage Trust in 2002 in collaboration with the Bruce Trail Conservancy and the Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry.

BAD LANDS has a parking lot that is closed and parking is against the law on the road. So Ontario Heritage Trust actually prevents people to see the place unless they charge you a fee.

Interesting phenomena that happened to us two cellphones became overheated.

I feel there is more to the story that we can find.

Nearby is Forks of the Credit Provincial Park

This is a delapidated property where old houses of Native Americans were destroyed or demolished, the apple trees on the property not cared for and the three organizations charge an entrance to see a waterfall at 3.8 km from the parking lot.

I would not recommend to go there in summer since all trails are without shades of trees. 

It is shameless what the Intarii Heritage Trust has done to the land.

As a result to walk on a land you need to pay $12 and provide all your informations where you live what kind of car you drive Credit card no. A sort of data collection from these three corporations. I assume money go to someone who uses the money. The land in the conservation area is depleted of forest or orchards the parking is 3 km walking distance fom a waterfall. We did not reached the waterfall since it was a too long of a walk.

This is what is left from the trees removed from the property.

Bruce Trail Map.

Here is what I found about Baad Lands

Why is badlands called badlands?

For hundreds of years, the Lakota people have called this area mako sica, which literally translates to “bad lands.” When early French fur trappers passed through this area, they called the area les mauvaises terres a traveser ('bad lands to travel across').

What is the history of Cheltenham Ontario?

Cheltenham is one of Caledon's Credit River historic mill villages. This quaint village was originally part of the Chinguacousy Township, which opened for surveyed in 1818-1819, and later in 1820 opened for settlement. It offered excellent farmland, and settlement occurred relatively quickly.

Ishpatina Ridge

Ishpatina Ridge is the highest point of land in Ontario, at an estimated 693 m (2,274') above sea level. It rises approximately 300 m (984') above the immediate area. The name "Ishpatina" comes from an Ojibwa language word ishpadina, meaning "be a high hill/ridge".

Is there any iron in the badlands?

Eroded Badlands, in particular, showcase mineshafts that can be visible from the surface. Though these mineshafts possess a large amount of gold ore, they also contain iron ore and other ores as well

Do badlands have more gold?

There is much more gold ore to be found in badlands than in any other biome, and it generates much closer to the surface. As you're exploring, you'll undoubtedly come across abandoned mineshafts, where former travellers have dug out large underground tunnels in search of treasure.

What minerals are in the Badlands?

The formations in our park contain sandstones, siltstones, mudstones, claystones, limestones, volcanic ash, and shale. These rock types come from a number of different sources. For example, many of the sandstones found in Badlands are the remnants of ancient river channels.
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