Maple Grove Trails
MAPLE GROVE CROSS TRAIL
OTTERTAIL LOOKOUT TRAIL
TRAIL SPECS:
Trail distance:
Maple Grove Cross: 1km
Ottertail Lake: 2km
Total trail time:
Maple Grove Cross: 30 minutes
Ottertail Lake: 1 hour
Total lookout elevation: TBA
Total trail elevation: TBA
Trail Rating:
Maple Grove Cross: NOVICE
Ottertail Lake: INTERMEDIATE
PART ONE (Maple Grove Cross)
Located off Nethery Road off hwy 638, a grave yard is the centre point for this double hike. Make sure to park so as not to impede traffic goign to the quarry.
To get to the Maple Grove Cross, we followed the chain-link fence to the right and then followed the white markers of the Voyageur Trail. Almost immediately, we found some orange flagging tape, and then some more to the left of the trail. Some of the markers were hard to see but we followed the rock clearings and found our way just fine.
We soon came to a large steep clearing. There was no set trail from here. We just stayed on the rock and kept climbing. To the left was quite noticably easier climbing, whereas to the right was more for seasoned hikers.
When we reached the top, there was a large, wooden cross and a horizontal pine tree. Turning around, we could see some quaint farmland mixed in with rocky forests with Lake Huron in the distance. It was very windy, but well worth the climb.
Climbing back down was a breeze as we took the easier way down and then back on to the same trail to the graveyard.
PART TWO (Ottertail Overlook)
Continuing on past the graveyard on the Voyageur Trail, we soon came to a fork. Turning left off the Voyageur Trail brought us to a quarry. We continued on past the shack until we came upon a humoungous carved out hole. This is where we started climbing up the natural rocky clearing.
We climbed up and up until we reached what appeared to be the top. We could see the other rock wiht the Maple Grove Cross proudly standing tall.
There was a forest atop the rock, but we followed some natural clearings and soon found some orange flagging tape. We followed the trail of flagging tape through a valley up onto another rock. From this rock we could walk along the clearings for different vantage points of a panoramic view of Ottertail Lake, with a different angle of Lake Huron in the distance. Although it was snowy, the terrain suggested there may be blueberries around in season.
When we had our fill of the beautiful scenery and cool gnarled pine trees, we followed our same trail back down to the car.
 climbing up the rocky hills on the first hike |  view of the maple grove cross |  another view of the cross |
|---|---|---|
 another view of the cross |  another view of the cross |  standing atop the mountain |
 lookout out from the first mountain |  looking at the farmland from the top of the mountain on the first trail |  walking down the logging road heading to the second trail |
 the section of blasted rock just before climbing the mountain |  looking across the way at the other hill we climbed where the cross is |  some of the cool rocky and rich forested terrain |
 some of the cool rocky and rich forested terrain from the top of the second mountain |  more of the cool rocky and rich forested terrain |  many different types of trees growing out of the rocks on the hill |
 the lookout at the top of the second trail - ottertail lake covered in snow |  cute raccoon on the road on the drive home |