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How to Spend a Day at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, Ontario

How to Spend a Day at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, Ontario

If you’re up for a lil’ adventure, Mono Cliffs Provincial Park is the perfect day hike to do near Toronto.

It’s one of the most stunning hikes in Ontario, with its forested cliffs, secret crevices, and reflective ponds.

Mono Cliffs is actually part of the Bruce Trail, which runs all the way from Niagara all the way to Tobermory!

The drive from Toronto to Mono is just over an hour, with a total distance of 84 kilometres.

It’s not too far from the city, so it’s great for a day trip!

Here’s how to spend the ultimate day trip exploring Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario.

Be sure to also follow me on Instagram and TikTok – I share a lot more content on those platforms that don’t make it to the blog!

If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Ontario, you might enjoy these posts:


Things to do in Mono, Ontario


Hike the trails at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park

The main sight to see in Orangeville is Mono Cliffs Provincial Park itself.

It’s a gorgeous park filled with cliffs, crevices, and plenty of cool photo spots!

We visited in mid-September and the leaves were already beginning to change colour, but I can imagine it’d be even more beautiful at the height of the fall season.

The trails are fairly easy for the average person, but there are some uphill areas and staircases that are a little more challenging.

It’s an incredible spot to spend a couple of hours hiking and exploring, even if you’re not much of a hiker!

You can hike along 9 different trails within the park:

  • Walter Tovell Trail
  • McCarston’s Lake Trail
  • Carriage Trail
  • Spillway Trail
  • Cliff-Top Side Trail
  • South Outlier Trail
  • Lookout Trail
  • Link Trail
  • Bruce Trail

Parking is $7.50 for 4 hours or $15 for the entire day, and the parking lot is pretty huge.

We spent around 3 and a half hours hiking most of the trails, but you’ll definitely want to spend a whole day to hike all of them and maybe even have a small picnic.

LOCATION: 795122 3rd Line E, Orangeville, ON | Website

Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
Leaves starting to change colour for fall.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
We encountered plenty of beautiful flowers along the hike.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
One of the many ponds at the park!
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
The main viewpoint at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
The famous crevice you’ll find all over the Instagram geotag for Mono Cliffs.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
The staircase also makes for cool photos!
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
Another one of the pretty ponds on the trails.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario
The second popular staircase along the hike.
Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario

Lunch at Pia’s on Broadway

Adam was the one who found Pia’s for us, and it was an amazing spot for lunch.

Everything on the menu is made in-house, from the bread, to the sauces, to the dressings.

They also focus on local and seasonal ingredients, and the fish we had was sustainably farmed!

We both grabbed the Fried Catfish Sandwich, which was absolutely fantastic.

The restaurant is currently takeout-only for lunch, and there’s a small patio out front with a few tables.

I’d recommend ordering ahead by phone if possible to get your food quicker!

Across the street are two thrift stores if you’re interested in doing some vintage shopping!

LOCATION: 177 Broadway, Orangeville, ON | Website

Pia's on Broadway in Orangeville, Ontario
The incredible Fried Catfish Sandwich featuring breadcrumb-coated catfish, chipotle mayo, jalapeño coleslaw, and lettuce on a house-made bun.

Explore the caves at Split Rock Narrows

We stumbled upon Split Rock Narrows while scrolling through Google Maps during lunch, and we were so happy we did.

That’s a pro-tip for y’all: search up terms like “lookout” or “viewpoint” wherever you are to find cool hidden gems in the area!

The coolest part of this hike is the mossy crevice system, but it’s overall a beautiful hike that isn’t very busy!

I’m not sure if there are actual caves you can walk into, but we stumbled across a group of photographers who were trying to find them.

I’ve seen way too many horror movies to want to explore any caves though…

I also saw a blue jay bird for the first time here, which was really cool!

LOCATION: 755311-755619 2nd Line EHS, Shelburne, ON

Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
One of the viewpoints early on the Split Rock Narrows trail.
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Walking through the crevice system is the highlight of this hike!
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Peeping out one of the caves.
Hiking at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Crevice system at Split Rock Narrows in Orangeville, Ontario
Another one of the deep and scary caves at Split Rock Narrows.

Things to do at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park in Orangeville, Ontario:

  1. Hike at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park
  2. Lunch at Pia’s on Broadway
  3. Hike at Split Rock Narrows

If you’re up for a whole day of exploring, you’ll definitely want to hike the trails at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park.

It’s the perfect road trip to do if you’re just looking to getaway from Toronto for a day!

Don’t forget to also pack plenty of water and snacks – we went through 5 water bottles throughout the entire day!

Have you been to Mono Cliffs Provincial Park before? What are some other fun things to do in Orangeville, Ontario? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!

If you’re looking for more fun things to do in Ontario, you might enjoy these posts:

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Jessica Lam | Toronto lifestyle, fashion, beauty, and travel blogger | Diary of a Toronto Girl, a Canadian lifestyle blog


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Mono Cliffs Provincial Park is a stunning spot for a day trip in Ontario. Here's how to spend a road trip exploring Mono Cliffs in Orangeville, Ontario!
How much is parking at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park?

Parking is $7.50 for 4 hours or $15 for the entire day.

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