Crowds flock to Rock Dunder trail, but not everyone's amused

Ahiking trail south of Ottawa is attracting throngs of daytrippers, especially on sunny autumn weekends, but the crowds are upsetting some locals and even damaging the trails.

The Rock Dunder hiking trail overlooks the Rideau River watershed just outside Morton, Ont., about a 90-minute drive southwest of Ottawa. At its highest point, itboasts a panoramic view of Morton's Bay, Whitefish Lake and Seeley's Bay.

On a clear day, hikers can see all the way to the 1,000 Islands Tower at the U.S. border.

The Rock Dunder Nature Reserve is one of 20 wilderness properties owned between Kingston, Ont., and Ottawa by the non-profit Rideau Waterway Land Trust (RWLT). The four-kilometre loop attracts about 25,000 people annually, many drawn by social media to see the changing leaves in the fall.

"The number of hikers [has gone] through the roof. Until Facebook and Instagram became as popular as they did, we'd be looking at 10 cars in the parking lot on a busy Saturday," said RWLT treasurer Peter Walker.

Hikers affecting quality of life

In fact, so many people undertake the leafy pilgrimage that it's overwhelming to locals like Tiffany Gowdy.

"Between having cars lined up and down the highway, people coming into my driveway, turning around [and]the amount of garbage, the amount of people urinating? I've had one person poop in my yard," said Gowdy, who lives nearby.

Gowdy says the crowds of hikers are affecting her quality of life, adding she cringes when she sees Rock Dunder featured on social media.

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"Hell yeah. I end up almost hiding or I become defensive. I sit there on my lawn chair with garbage bags in hand, getting ready to give them to people," Gowdy said.

"Rock Dunder is amazingly beautiful, But since it's been discovered, it sucks," said Gowdy.

Other locals like Wendy Banks, however, welcome the visitors.

Banks runsWendy's Country Market, where hikers can pick up a picnic before heading to the trail or reward themselves with an ice cream cone afterwards.

"They definitely encourage people to come at different times of the year," she said. "They tell people to come in the middle of the week and avoid the weekend."

Pandemic peregrinations

The COVID-19pandemic madeRock Dunder even more desirable, as visitors from across the region sought out wide-open spaces.

Salwa Abdelsamie and Adeola Dare recently drove down from Ottawa to experience a classic Canadian wilderness experience, finding a quiet spot on the large, rocky clearing at the Rock Dunder summit.

"Especially because of the lockdowns, most of our dates have been outdoors. And I've been loving adventuring to new places," said Abdelsamie.

"It's beautiful. It's breathtaking. I love how big it is. So many people can access it, and it still feels exclusive."

Each visitor pays five dollars, with the money helpingto maintain the trails, signage, and occasional boardwalks.

"The really heavy traffic is on a sunny weekend day when the fall colours are out. Other than that, it's not heavy traffic at all," said Walker. "The property can handle that without you really noticing."

Balance between protecting nature,giving access

On busy days, the parking lot fills up quickly,and the laneleading to the trailhead is too narrow to allow any stopping. Visitors often end up parking on Highway 15for hundreds of metres in both directions.

Even on a Wednesday morning, parking at the trailhead was at a premium.

"We were surprised to see this many cars in the parking lot. We thought we'd be the only ones on the trail," said Steve Hicks, who travelled with friends from Ottawa.

The heavy autumn traffic does take a toll. People leave trash behind, and a month ago, someone marked up the trees and rocks for more thantwo kilometres, using several gallons of neon-coloured paint, according to the RWLT.

Even walking on the trails themselves has an impact, Hannah said.

"You get a lot of erosion, root exposure, and tripping hazards," said RWLT chair John Hannah, adding the long-term plan is to place gravel in low-lying areas.

"As soon as it becomes a muddy track, people go off the trail .. to keep their feet dry."

The RWLT's goal is to find a balance between protecting the natural ecosystem of Rock Dunder and its 100 species and allowing visitorsto enjoy its natural beauty.