Treetop Walk

A Walk In The Trees

My good friend Drew is afraid of heights– or at least he used to be. About a year ago, he took his first steps to overcoming his fear when he came to visit me in Toronto . As with seemingly all novice visits to the big city, a trip to the CN Tower is amidst top priority locales. This proved to be a bit of a soft-spot for Drew but after much over-the-phone convincing, he eventually gave in and admitted that we really wanted to "conquer the tower." Well, he made it up the elevator and took the tour of the first deck (but not across the glass floor) and even agreed to go up to the upper pod. We both agreed that this would be the first of many experiences to come that would involve overcoming his new not-so-great fear of heights.

About a year later, Drew called me up to tell me all the tour that he and his visiting German friend enjoyed of Ontario and Quebec . Not unlike that list of essential Toronto landmarks, Drew compiled an impressive list of must-see sites: Niagara Falls , Quebec City, Montreal ’s Old Port , and, of course, that famous CN Tower of ours. They even drove up to Algonquin Park and made a stop in Collingwood to do some Treetop Walking. "Treetop Walking? What are you talking about? YOU, up in the trees?? Wow!" I just couldn't contain my curiosity or excitement– for Drew’s new daredevil persona and also to learn more about this treetop walking that I had never heard of.

Collingwood , Ontario is home to Scenic Caves , an organization that offers a three-hour EcoAdventure for those courageous enough to walk along 10 inch-wide planks hoisted amidst the treetops and to finish off that walk with a zipline ride back down to the ground!

Scenic Caves has brought together a good mix of outdoor adventure and nature savoring activities– that is, during the three hour tour:

-you'll take a walk across a 410 foot suspension bridge that boasts views of lakes and nearby cities, enjoy a tractor ride through the forest;

-you'll learn to walk from treetop to treetop without losing your balance;

- you'll feel the rush of adrenalin that a 300 metre zipline ride provides;

-you'll finish it all off with a hike through a little rocky trail and cave and perhaps a squeeze through a rock formation lovingly referred to as "Fat Mans Misery."

Though walking in the trees may seem like a bit of a security risk, Scenic Caves provides an orientation session upon arrival and an additional cable tutorial at the base of the network of treetop walkways. They also suit you up with appropriate gear and provide you with a bottle of water too!

Overall, Rob and I felt that the $90 fee was well worth the expense for this unique experience. We really enjoyed the chance to meet other like-minded outdoors people and the chance to challenge ourselves. Rob was a little disappointed in the hike at the end... but if you've read our other articles about some of our escarpment hikes, you probably understand why. He just loves to explore caves and crevices and I think that he was expecting just a little more grandeur. Seeing him squeeze his way through that little crack in the cave (i.e. Fat Mans Misery) was definitely a fun moment for me!