Everything’s Great at the Cheltenham Badlands!

When you first lay your eyes on the Cheltenham Badlands in Caledon, just north of Brampton and a mere 30-minute drive from Toronto, you’ll feel as though you’ve arrived in another country—or even on another planet. The unique size, shape, and vivid colors of this natural wonder stand out like nothing else in southern Ontario.

The Badlands were formed due to outdated farming practices that eroded the soil, ultimately uncovering the Queenston Shale beneath. This shale has a reddish hue thanks to iron minerals present in the soil, while the gray streaks are the result of groundwater leaving behind various minerals after seeping through the area.

We filmed a video for our YouTube Channel, showcasing a different, more relaxed way to enjoy the Badlands. More details about this video will be shared later in the post, so stay tuned!

If you enjoyed the video, don’t forget to subscribe to our YouTube Channel for more content! Also, feel free to leave comments about Tony’s singing below—he would love your honest feedback before he considers leaving his day job!

The Cost

Access to the Badlands is free, although parking is paid. The parking fees contribute to the maintenance and conservation of the area, so your support is greatly appreciated.

The Location

If you’re based in the Greater Toronto Area, the Badlands in Caledon are approximately an hour away, making it an excellent destination for a day trip. The closest major intersection is at Creditview Rd & Old Base Line Rd., and we often visit this picturesque region known as the Headwaters.

If you visited before 2018, you might recall walking or biking along the Badlands. Unfortunately, these activities are no longer permitted due to previous erosion and damage. Consequently, the Ontario Heritage Trust and Credit Valley Conservation closed the site for three years to redesign the area.

The redesign of the area introduced several significant changes. Notably, a new viewing platform was constructed to allow visitors to take in the scenery while preserving the fragile landscape of the Badlands. Additionally, a parking lot was built with a limited number of spaces and portable toilets. The road leading to the Badlands has also been redesigned. Previously, visitors often parked along Old Baseline Rd and walked to the site, which posed safety risks with steep inclines and blind spots. The new design eliminates roadside parking and includes steel guardrails for added safety.

The parking lot accommodates only 33 vehicles, which can fill up rapidly, especially on weekends when over 1,000 visitors might flock to the Badlands. An alternative option is to take a free shuttle bus from the nearby Terra Cotta Conservation Area, roughly a 10-minute drive away. The shuttle runs every 30 minutes, easing congestion in the parking lot. The shuttle service is a great value, as entry to the Terra Cotta Conservation Area includes access to all its trails and amenities, along with unlimited round-trip shuttle rides to the Badlands. During our visit, we took advantage of the trails connecting to the Bruce Trail, one of the longest hiking trails in the world, stretching from Niagara to Tobermory along the Niagara Escarpment. While we didn’t hike the entire 900 km, we made the most of our day!

Since we live near several Conservation Authority parks, we purchased a membership that grants access to both Credit Valley Conservation and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority parks for one year. This membership also waives the parking fee at the Badlands.

We highly recommend visiting the Badlands, whether you drive there or take the shuttle from the Terra Cotta Conservation Area. We genuinely hope you enjoy your trip, and remember to #BeGoodToTheBadlands.

Lastly, for those curious, this breathtaking geological site is owned by the Ontario Heritage Trust, with day-to-day operations managed by Credit Valley Conservation Authority.