napanee

Hell holes are subterranean adventures east of Toronto

The ‘Hell Holes’ might not have the most appealing name but trust me, the Hell Holes Natural Trails in Napanee are anything but hellish.

Located just two hours from Toronto, these unique family-owned natural trails are best known for their epic cave systems that plummet deep into the earth.

The most popular of these caves is known as the “Devil’s Horse Stable” that descends eight metres into the depths of a hole that widens below into a cavern approximately three by three metres.

If you dare to venture down the steep ladder to explore (and don’t suffer from claustrophobia) be sure to bring a flashlight, as the darkness will immediately overcome you.

Better yet, get your hands on a headlamp so that you’ll have both your hands free when crawling around the cave. The temperature also drops considerably, so come prepared!

Once out of the cave, there are tons of other things around the park to see and do. There are over three kilometres of beautiful hiking trails (bring bug spray!) that cross over several massive rock formations and sinkholes that were created during the glacial period.

You can also wander around the valley section of the trail where you’ll find a natural stone bridge over a pretty grotto which has rainforest-like surroundings.

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Despite being only 20 kilometres from the 401, the noise from the outside world is nonexistent due to the park’s thick, dense surrounding forests. It’s the perfect place to escape for some quiet exploration.

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The Hell Holes Nature Trails are cash only ($7.00 for adults) and are open daily until Labour Day. After Labour Day, they're only be open on weekends.

Lead photo by

stephintothewild


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