the history of blue mountain resort

The History of Blue Mountain Resort

Blue Mountain Resort Offers Adventure and History

• The Town of Blue Mountain sits where the Beaver River enters the beautiful Nottawasaga Bay, just west of Collingwood, Southern Ontario, Canada. A prominent outcropping of rocky terrain that is part of the Niagara Escarpment bears the name of Blue Mountain for the unusual blue clay in the soil there. The Blue Mountain resort community has lots of attractions to offer the vacationer or adventurer visiting this part of Ontario


• The Petun Indians inhabited this region for millennium and their footsteps, following the Niagara Escarpment, laid down a trail along which latter settlers founded the town of Craigsleith in 1854. Craigsleith means rocky harbor and the name was inspired by the geological features in the nearby Nottawasaga Bay.


• The 900 kilometer Bruce Trail goes through the town and follows the original trail made by the Indians while they hunted, fished and traded with their neighbors.


• The Blue Mountain resorts that now abound in this area were probably not in the vision of Sir Sanford Fleming when he first settled the area. Fleming was a famous Canadian railroad engineer and after he built a quarry and furniture factory at Craigsleith, he constructed a train depot there in 1880 which still stands today.


• Once it was connected to the rest of the country and the U.S. by train, the Blue Mountain area became a hub for skiers in the 1940’s and tourism became the main industry.


• It was not until January 1, 2001 that the actual Town of Blue Mountain came into being. The communities of Thornbury and Collinwood joined at this time and were renamed Town of Blue Mountain. The train depot has now been converted into an interpretative heritage center and tourist office where visitors can find information about recreation, dining and lodging as well as learning more about the area’s history.


• The natural beauty and preservation efforts continue to bring outdoor enthusiasts and history buffs to this region for relaxation and renewal.


• There is no shortage of activities at Blue Mountain resorts. Besides skiing in winter, the Bay and river offer plenty of summer water recreation opportunities like canoeing, kayaking, swimming and sunbathing.


• Nearby caves are open for spelunking and there are many trails for day hikes, or longer backpacking trips, including the Bruce Trail. Golfing, biking and snow boarding are other activities that are easily pursued at Blue Mountain.


• The intricate natural environment of rivers and streams, geological formations, plant and animal life have also opened the doors to specialized Eco-Adventure tours for visitors.


• These tours can provide an overview of what the region has to offer for latter in-depth exploration, or they can be a satisfying day trip in the comfort of a tour bus or mini-van for those who prefer an armchair adventure.


• Blue Mountain is an area of small population and big opportunity for adventure, recreation and vacationing. Resorts are open year round and there is always something fun to do, and something interesting to see, amidst the spectacular natural beauty of this corner of Ontario.

Further Reading…

• To visit the beautiful Blue Mountain region yourself, visit Blue Mountain Lodges today at http://www.bluemountainlodges.ca/ and view the possibilities for your next family getaway, or business meeting at the world famous Blue Mountain Conference Centre.

http://www.bluemountainlodges.ca/

http://www.bluemountainlodges.ca/

the history of blue mountain resort

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