Hidden in Shades Mills Conservation Area. I always like hiking this park, close to Cambridge but feels far away! I especially love to walk along Mill Creek upstream of the reservoir. This Geocache is on the far side of the stream, you must follow the Toyota Way Trail to the bridge to cross the stream. It is a beautiful walk along the creek that I enjoy each summer. Once across the creek follow the dark blue arrow signs that will take you 2.5 KM looped hike through this forest ending by coming back over this bridge and takes the same trail back to your car as you came in on. If you want a longer hike you can take some of the other trails with the yellow markers making the longest hike.
Follow the dark blue arrows to do the caches along this trail.
The cedars here grow thick and do not let much light to reach the ground, this prevents other plants from growing by starving them of light. This creates this 'dead zone' under thick cedars. Cedars are very versatile trees, able to grow in both dry and wet conditions.
From the GRCA website: "Shade's Mills has been called the best-kept secret in Cambridge. Favourite activities in this day-use area include swimming, sport fishing and canoeing. The conservation area has 12 km of hiking trails through a mature hardwood forest that winds along Mill Creek. There is good fishing for northern pike, perch, largemouth and smallmouth bass in the 32-hectare (80 acre) reservoir behind Shade's Mills dam. It is open for cross country skiing, snowshoeing and ice fishing during the winter."
Regular entrance fees apply. Check your local library as some have a pass you can sign out and borrow for free entrance.
There are now automated gates present. If you do not have a seasons pass the website says you can pay by credit card at the automated gate, otherwise you will not get in unless there is someone on the gatehouse....and that is rare, usualy only busy summer weekends (10 to 4 or something) is the gatehouse manned. There are also limits on number of visiters at a time so park may not admit if it is at capacity (in peak summer). Please check website to plan apropreatly! Season passes are available see the GRCA website for details and current entrance rates. https://www.grandriver.ca/en/grand-river-parks.aspx or call the park directly : 519-621-3697 Park closes at dusk.
Congrats ApolloandMe for the first to find!