Find Your Way to Bald Hill

It had been five hours in the forest. Four and a half hours ago the elevation should have started to change. After all, I set out to climb a giant hill. Let’s just say that my first attempt to Bald Hill turned into a five hour flat-land excursion. One friend swore he knew the way. The hike was beautiful, but it ended on the side of a  dirt road with a phone call to my mom. Not only did we miss Bald Hill, but we also hiked five hours away from our car. Yes, judge away. Can you tell I grew up in the city?

My second attempt was much more successful. Not only did I make it to Bald Hill, but I did the trek with 12 other friends. My friend Robert was an absolute champ and carried a cooler full of ice. My other friend Kayla brought a fold-up chair. We had photography equipment, flashlights and food for thirteen. All I can say is choose your hiking buds carefully. Not everyone gets to sit at the top of Bald Hill with a lawn chair and ice-cold drinks. 

To be completely honest, it’s not that hard to get to Bald Hill. You are going to make it on your first try. Just read the directions yourself, follow the path, and don’t trust a guy who says he knows the way.

1. Leave Wasagaming and head north on the Highway 10.
   
   
2. Drive about 5 mins and take a right down Highway 19. There is a sign posted marking the highway. Pre-warning the highway is a gravel road. You might not want to drive your fancy sports car that day.
   
   
3. Follow Highway 19 for about 40 minutes. Take a left just before the East Gate. If you go too far, you will simply arrive at the very obvious East Gate. There is a sign labelling the road “burls and bittersweet.” Follow this road north until you hit the end.
   
   
4. Park and the trailhead is right there. Starting at the trailhead, take the first trail on the left.
   
   
5. You will go over a small bridge and head about 2.5 km to a fork in the trail. Once at the fork, take a left towards the “Bald Hill junction.” Continue another 2.6 km to a second fork. This is where things get tricky. You will see one sign that has arrows going left and arrows going right. Ignore that sign, step directly behind it and follow that trail for about 8 minutes.
   
   
6. Now you know how to get to Bald Hill. To get home, take the same path you came on.
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