Crawford Lake Conservation Area ~ Travel Ontario

Sign at Crawford Lake - Great Place for Parties as well as Day Trips!

Outdoor fun for a birthday party or meeting, says the sign up the hill from the park entrance.

There's a well equipped visitors center. Park staff said the best time to visit is during the week in August and early September, beofre the school field trips begin.

During the school year, Crawford Lake is very busy with school groups.

A Dragonfly Alights on Reeds

At the end of Crawford Lake, furthest from the start of the trail near the visitors center the water is fairly shallow, and I spotted this little dragonfly on the reeds.

Crawford Lake is 24 meters (79 feet) deep, and, says my brochure, there is little oxygen below 15 meters (50 feeet).

We walked the gentle boardwalk around the entire lake in about 20 minutes, stopping to read interpretive signs along the way and take pictures.

Boardwalk Views Reflections of Crawford Lake

Most of the boardwalk is shaded by overhanging trees. From this calm surface, you'd never guess how deep this lake actually is!

Sediment deposits (called varves) on the bottom, can, like rings of a tre trunk, be accurately dated.

The lake is south of the visitors center, about a 2 minute walk.

Old Growth Cedars Frame Lake Views

Along the boardwalk, old growth cedars framed the views of Crawford Lake, while providing cool shade on a sunny afternoon.

We'd brought a picnic lunch and made use of the tables on the lower level of the visitors center.

The circular trail and boardwalk around Crawford Lake itself is 1.4 km (just under one mile), and usually takes about 30 minutes to complete.

Jewel Weed - Spotted Jewel Weed - Ontario Wildflower

Jewel Flower would be more apt - Weed is such an unlovely name for such a gorgeous wildflower!

Along the sunnier parts of the boardwalk trail around the lake, huge stands (several feet across) of the 3-foot-tall jewel weeds brightened the path.

Crawford Lake Shoreline - Pollen, Leaf Debris, Algae

Meromictic lakes waters do not circulate from top to bottom, and from the looks of this picture, there is also little circulation in any other direction.

This photo is taken at the start of the boardwalk trail, closest to the visitors center, and a few feet from the little baach area seen earlier on this page.

Here, in a little bay area, the water surface was covered with pollen grains that well may find their way to becoming sediment layers on the bottom, and should the lake survive long enough, will serve future scientists with accurate dating of this day in Ontario.

On the Lake Trail, North Side of Crawford Lake

Though still shaded, the trail opens up to allow views of the surrounding forest.

The trail is mostly gravel/ limestone screenings once the board walk ends.

Notice the rock formations and piles alongside the trails, and remember this area of southern Ontario has all been shaped, molded, fashioned and formed by Ice Age glaciers.

The hikers in this photo are friends who traveling across Canada in their RV - and writing about it on their RV blog.

Wild Aster in Bloom  ~ Crawford Lake Ontario Wildflowers

Wild asters - the little blue daisy like flower in the center of the photo - are in bloom across southern Ontario all summer long.

Dragonflies were thick in the air, butterflies did their thing, too, and birds could be heard and seen in the treetops.

The midday sunlight tended to fade the color from the Asters.

My Favourite Picture! Red Baneberry in Woodlands Forest

Along the walking trails, the flash of red baneberry (Actaea rubra) would catch your eye in the shaded forest.

The fallen gnarled branches added such visual interest to the picture / scene.

I took all these photos with my little Canon A530, turning off the flash to catch the natural light.

I just love how this photo turned out. Thanks, little Canon!

TIP The road off Guelph Line to Crawford Lake is difficult to spot. It is located east of Guelph LIne on Conservation Road between Derry Road and Campbellville Road. Technically on Steeles Avenue, though this is very vague.

If you are coming from the north (Hwy 401, Exit Guelph LIne - Mohawk Raceway exit) go south on Guelph Line through the village of Campbellville and continue south for a few kilometers. If you come to Stone Haven Farms you've passed it. One sign for Crawford Lake is on your right pointing left, and the main sign is on the east - your left.

If you are coming from the south on Guelph Line, go a few kilometers north of Derry Road past Stone Haven Farms (large sign on west side of road) and look for Crawford Lake / Conservation Road sign on the right.

See More : Elora via Guelph

From Crawford Lake, continue north on Guelph Line to Hwy 401 and go west (London), to the next two exits for Guelph (googlemap) and go north through Guelph (pretty in its own right!) to explore the heritage village of Elora and the Grand River and Irvine River gorges.

More Ontario Canada Pictures and Information on Travel

• Canada home page
• Iroquoian Village Crawford Lake
• Ontario Travel
• Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area
• Snapshotjourneys Home Page