There are several access locations to the Pottawatomi Conservation Area just outside of Owen Sound. We usually park at the Information Centre which is located near the corner or Hwy 6 and 21. Parking is free and if you are there during operating hours you can also use the bathroom facilities. If you download the map you can find the other two access points which also have parking available.

The Main Trail is 1.7 km, the Falls Trail is only half a kilometre and then there is the Bruce Trail (1.7 km) and the Bruce Trail Side Trail (2.4 km). We haven’t actually hiked them all because I wasn’t aware of them until now. The map says that a lot of the trails are also great for snowshoeing!

During the summer months the river and falls are pretty tame. In August there is actually very little water flowing over the actual falls so you might want to time your visit. As with most waterfalls in Ontario, the best time of year to see them is in the spring as the snow is melting and there is more water volume.

As part of the Bruce Peninsula and the Niagara Escarpment, there are a lot of rocks and stones along the trail and in the Pottawatomi River. The trail also offers quite a bit of shade, making the trail nice to traverse during hot summer days. With the river close to the trail at times, it’s a good spot to stick your feet in or let your dog stick her feet in to cool off.

Cedar trees can be found throughout the 116 hectare park and there is a variety of wildlife and birds that you can spot during your hike.

Check out the root system on these cedar trees! Some cedar species may root deeply into the soil but the ones that survive and thrive up here expand their roots more horizontally since there is very little soil on top of the Canadian Shield.

Boulders lay everywhere but the trail itself is fairly flat and easy to walk. As with most trails up here there will be rocks and roots that would make it more difficult for strollers and wheelchairs.

Here’s a shot looking down on the Jones Falls. As you can probably tell we were there in the summer time so the flow isn’t spectacular. You can also see more cedar trees hanging off the edge of a rock cliff.

The falls cascades over a height of 12 metres and has eroded some of the surrounding rock cliffs. We did not attempt to venture onto the falls since the ‘steps’ were not very wide and it looked quite slippery. I wouldn’t advice you to explore the actual waterfalls – it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Here’s a shot farther away so that you can see the height and the bottom of the falls. It’s not flowing very much and large parts of the bottom are actually dry. I’m not sure if there is a better spot to view the falls straight on but the trees were impeding me from this location.

Maya always enjoyed waterfalls and streams. She was also really good at navigating over tree roots and rocks. It’s seems the more difficult the trail the more she concentrated. As she got older she still did great, even with her failing eyesight. She was more likely to trip on a flat trail than a trail like this!

Pottawatomi and Jones Falls Trail Map