Heber Down Conservation Area in Whitby

Heber Down Conservation Area is located in Whitby, and is owned by Central Lake Ontario Conservation. The area features 687 acres and three trail loops altogether over 5 kilometres. In exploring, you will come across forest, meadow, and wetlands.

Devil’s Den Trail

We started our journey from the main parking lot off Lyndebrook Road. There is a large parking lot at the main entrance with pay-and-display parking (cost is $6 per day or $75 for a year membership; only Visa/MasterCard accepted). This entrance connects directly with Devil’s Den Trail.

The trail itself alternates between concrete, dirt, and gravel. The terrain is evenly sloped, with a main elevation change splitting between the Devil’s Den trail. From the parking lot, we followed Devil’s Den trail along the creek towards Devil’s Den Pond.

Devil’s Den Pond itself is roughly 100 metres in length, and is quite scenic. There is a lookout point with a small observation deck with a clear view of the pond.

Railway Trail

Railway trail features both forest and an open meadow with overhead power lines. The trail itself is gravel in the forest areas, and dirt near the power lines. The terrain is fairly even, and makes for a nice light walk.

Wildlife

We visited around 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM on a Tuesday in April, and with spring coming, there was a lot of bird activity at this time. We also spotted a few chipmunks scurrying across the trails.

History

The area was previously partly farm land, and was purchased from Heber Down in 1967 by Central Lake Ontario Conservation. The area known as Devil’s Den received its name from rumours of horse-thieving in the area.

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Have you visited Heber Downs Conservation? What was your experience? Let us know in the comment section below!

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