Categories: Travel

These beautiful red rock formations in Ontario were formed 450 million years ago

Image via alwayssunnyalwaysreal/Shutterstock

Try to picture what 450 million years ago looks like. Pretty tough, but there are remains of that time period still in the province. The Cheltenham Badlands can be found in Caledon, Ontario and are considered a geological treasure.

Want to check them out for yourself? Here’s how.

Getting there

The Cheltenham Badlands are about 50 minutes by car if you’re driving there from Toronto located in Caledon, Ontario.

The exact address you’ll want to plug into your GPS is 1739 Olde Base Line Road.

The Badlands is now owned and operated by the Ontario Heritage Trust and access to the site needs to be done through the online reservation system, ParkPass.

Cost

The price breakdown is as follows:

Monday to Friday: $10 + HST for 90-minute visit
Weekends and holidays: $20 + HST for 90-minute visit
Monday to Friday: $18 + HST for three-hour visit
Weekends and holidays: $35 + HST for three-hour visit

Pick which day and timeslot you want once you’re on ParkPass but just note that The Cheltenham Badlands closes for the season on November 20th, 2024.

More on The Cheltenham Badlands

The Ontario Heritage Trust details the backstory of the badlands – like how they were first formed at the base of an ancient sea over 450 million years ago.

Known as “one of the most recognizable and visited natural heritage landmarks in southern Ontario,” this geological treasure is a must-visit.

The area spans 36 acres, first occupied by the Ancestors of the Mississaugas of the Credit for hunting, fishing, and foraging.

Since the early 1900s, the “removal of trees and early farming practices caused the shallow topsoil to erode away, in turn exposing the underlying Queenston shale,” says the Heritage Trust.

After years and years of erosion, the badlands now look like the desert-like landscape it is today with rolling red rock formations.

The Cheltenham Badlands are waiting for you, Ontario!