As it gets ready to celebrate its 50th anniversary in 2010, the Bruce Trail has taken its place as one of most enduring and venerable nature routes in Canada. And now, thanks to dedicated trail enthusiasts, it has a more prominent place in Dufferin County.

Running from Queenston up to Tobermory on the northern tip of the Bruce Peninsula, the 880-kilometre trail is even more remarkable as it provides a placid walk in the woods while passing through some of the most densely populated areas in the country.

There are also more than 400 kilometres of side trails.

Last weekend, the grand opening of a 5.4-km new section of the trail, known as Hemlock Ridges, took place at Fifth Line and Hockley Road in Mono. According to local Bruce Trail volunteer Carol Sheppard, it was a long time coming but worth the wait.

The idea for this particular section first came up 30 years ago, says Ms. Sheppard, who is in charge of landowner relations for the Bruce Trail between Cheltenham and Mono Centre. The hope was to make it possible for hikers not to have to walk on the Fifth Line itself. While it was not an exceptionally long stretch of road, Ms. Sheppard says, "When you're a Bruce Trail hiker, you love the forest. So any amount of road is unpleasant."

Finally, four years ago, Ms. Sheppard and her colleagues were able to get nine local landowners to "buy into the dream," and the necessary 58 acres was acquired. The financing was provided by husband and wife Dave Moules and Sally Cohen. They, in turn, transferred the land to the trail.

Ms. Sheppard affectionately refers to such benefactors as "the white knights" of the Bruce Trail.

She admits that landowners are often reluctant to turn over land to the trail because they fear it will infringe on their privacy. More often than not, though, most owners who turn over their land are pleasantly surprised.

"Once we're there," says Ms. Sheppard, "[the landowners] say 'we don't see anybody. We don't even realize they are there.'

"On a hiking trail, we want to be on the back 40, as invisible to the landowner as possible."

A question does arise, however. How can such a huge project function properly when it has only a handful of staff on the payroll? The answer is an army of volunteers.

So many, says Ms. Sheppard, that each kilometre is assigned a "trail captain" who ensures the area is clear is traversable and clear of litter. It doesn't take long, she adds, for trail captains to be as attached to their kilometre of trail as they would be to their own backyard.

The trail is also funded by those who buy annual family memberships for $50. The memberships come with such trappings as a newsletter four times a year.

As well, there is no shortage of organized hikes that are open to the public large. Ms. Sheppard figures there are around five different hikes to choose from on any given weekend that tend to draw an average of 15 to 20 people.

(On one particularly lovely day, 125 showed up for a hike, but Ms. Sheppard says that was definitely an anomaly).

If you want to get involved with the Bruce Trail, or want to know more about it and its activities, visit the website at www. brucetrail.org

Dufferin area residents are invited to celebrate Bruce Trail Day this Sunday by accepting two local trail clubs' invitations to hike along their portions of the trail.

The Caledon Hills Bruce Trail Club will have special events at Forks of the Credit Provincial Park, where visitors will witness the Credit River as it narrows and rushes through the deep gorge at Cataract, plunging over the Niagara Escarpment and geological features that were deposited or carved out by retreating glaciers, such as kame hills and kettle lakes, surround the river. The club also promises "a terrific barbeque."

The day includes two-hour hikes, one-hour family hikes and a one-hour "scenic autumn walk (easy hike, slow pace)," as well as a threehour "GPS Mystery Quest over Fields and Forest (self guided) for medium to advanced GPS users."

Meanwhile, the Dufferin Hi-Land Bruce Trail Club will entertain at Mono Cliffs Provincial Park, where visitors can explore the Trail, see crevice caves, an upland limestone plain, and talus slopes. Kids' activities include hands-on fun for children under 12 who will learn about animals and habitats; build a bird feeder and get a kid-centred introduction to hiking.

The club will offer BBQ hot dogs and sausages and trail day cake-cutting around noon, "while supplies last."

Trail builders will help build a bridge and may join one of the club's crews to clear trails, blaze paths and sculpt hillsides.

Guided hikes will leave every hour from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Full details are available at the Bruce Trail website, www.brucetrail.org