A beautiful sunrise took my breath away today and from that
moment I knew I just had to do something different today. Another example of why you have to love
google. I typed in “things to do in
Muskoka” and found this beautiful waterfall with great recommendations on Trip
Advisor. Only 28 minutes away so off I
set.
Exit 193 off Hwy 11, easy peasy. Having a good yak with my sister-in-law Mo as
I exit, can’t see any signs, my philosophy is if not sure head right. After 5 miles I realize something isn’t
right, so back onto google and find the falls on mapquest. Sure enough, it was a left. Off I go, zoom over the highway and keep
going, hmmm – where is the signage. Stop
again, another U-turn (btw I am becoming excellent at U-turns).
3 choices, this time I go left, there is a sign that says
parking so zoom-zoom (mazda) and I head down the road that says parking. Oh my gosh where is MJ when I need her. Having just spent a week at the cottage
reading a fantasy thriller with witches, gigantic spiders and all manor of
other tortures my imagination was getting the better of me. Not sure how but I ended up on a single lane
camp ground road that looked like it needed repaired. Off to the right is a desolate building. I am starting to hear the music from “Deliverance”. This is when MJ and I would be rolling around
the car in hysterics. My brain just kept
saying “this is funny, this is an adventure, omg no one knows where I am”. Can’t see a person anywhere, no turning
around so I keep going. It felt like 5
miles, finally I find an area that I think is a parking lot and stop the
car. I have no idea where I am but I am getting
out and taking some pictures.
Yep somehow I have ended up in a “NUDE family campground”. Seriously has anyone seen the mosquitoes
around this year. Too bad I attach my
zoom lense to my camera and off I go. Must admit I was very
relieved when there was no one on the beach.
It was just as deserted as the road.
Beautiful area, but I really wanted to get closer to the falls, so back
up to the car, and start praying I don’t meet anyone on the road as I am not
backing down this road.
I am still determined to get closer to these waterfalls, so
I pull into the resort/campground registration.
There’s this lovely young man, (btw everyone under 40 is "lovely and young) approaching me, shirtless, omg please
have pants on. Yes I actually thought that J. And he did.
Peeking through the trees I could see the falls, well if I wanted to
leave my car in a parking lot with 2 other cars and walk across his pathway it
was going to cost me $20. Not a
chance. TY, I’ll find another way
in.
Door #3 – perfect. Is
the entrance to the High Falls Generating Station and campground (I think), it
was very confusing, but well worth it.
The generating station needless to say is at the top of the
falls, off I go trying to find a way down to the falls. “No trespassing” sign on the fence –
seriously, not a chance, no one can own the waterfalls and there was a pathway
so it’s not like I was the first to go down this way.
In all this time I only saw 3 kids (thankfully they had all
their clothes on). It was just magical,
the sun shining through the trees, little rivers and more little waterfalls and
then the actual High Falls, 43 metres high.
What a wonderful morning and I survived.
Enjoy my pictures, all rated pg-13 J.
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| Definitely not the right shoes for walking up and down rocks and roots. |
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| Thankfully I drew the line at trying to walk over this little bridge, probably had something to do with my camera in my hand. |
