Experience Maple Town and Sweet Water Season at Conservation Halton Parks.

Experience Maple Town and Sweet Water Season at Conservation Halton Parks.

The Sweetest Time of Year at our Parks!

CELEBRATE A LOCAL TRADITION

It's one of the most delicious and historic traditions at Conservation Halton and you're invited to take part! Experience Maple Season like never before with one or all of this year's offerings including The Sugarmaker's Breakfast, Mountsberg Maple Town, and Crawford Lake Sweetwater Season! Learn more about each of these offerings and get tickets below. 

Sugarmaker's Breakfast​

February 25 & 26, 2023

Help us welcome Maple Season with a truly unique maple event! Enjoy a jam-packed two-hour experience featuring a wagon ride, syrup tasting flight, maple taffy on snow, guided tour, and of course a delicious pancake breakfast by the woodstove. Get hands-on and take part in an age-old spring tradition by tapping one of the park’s 150-year-old sugar maples and hang your own sap pail! Guests will take home a fire-branded souvenir of their visit and can stay to enjoy all the park has to offer, including a visit with Mountsberg’s resident farm animals and birds of prey.  

Non-Members
Adult: $36.00 +HST
Senior: $32.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $32.00 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Members
Adult: $26.00 +HST
Senior: $22.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $22.00 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Maple Town at Mountsberg

March 4, 2023 - April 9, 2023
(Weekends, Holidays, and March Break)

The Mountsberg sugarbush has been producing maple magic for more than 150 years and educating the public for over 40 years. The park will tap about 300 sugar maples this spring and the crystal-clear sap will be magically transformed into sweet maple syrup in the Sugar Shanty. 

Your visit to Maple Town will offer park visitors exploration of the various demonstrations and exhibits around the sugar bush- and of course, don't forget the pancakes! Plus, you can add a Wagon Ride through the sugarbush for a truly unforgettable experience or Talons and Tailfeathers for a closer encounter with the Mountsberg Raptors.

 

Included in your Maple Town Experience:

  • Raptor Centre
  • Cameron Barn
  • Maple Taffy on Snow (additional fee applies)
  • Wagon Rides: Additional fee applies, available first come, first served. Purchase tickets at the Discovery Centre or Country Store. Wagon rides are available 10am-2:30pm.
  • Candy Cabin: Watch our educators whip up a batch of delicious maple sugar on the woodstove and try a free sample of this tasty treat!
  • Pancake House (additional fees apply): What’s maple season without a piping hot stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup! Pick up yours in the pancake house!
  • Sugar Shack: The Sugar Shack is where the maple magic happens. Watch our skilled sugar makers turn watery maple sap into sticky sweet maple syrup in the evaporator. Our educators lead formal presentations every twenty minutes.
  • Historical Sites: From the first Indigenous sugar makers to pioneer cast iron kettles to the flat pan, this area takes you through the changing technology used to make maple magic over the years.
  • Country Store: Pick up a bottle of maple syrup or some maple candies to take home and enjoy!
  • Maple Trivia Trail: Take a stroll through the sugar bush and pick up some maple trivia as you check out the 150-year-old maple trees and watch the sap drip into the pails!
  • Talons and Tailfeathers (Additional fee applies): If you are looking for a closer encounter with the Mountsberg Raptors, you’ll love Talons & Tailfeathers! This limited group experience offers a meet and greet with some of our birds of prey while learning all about the adaptations that make them exceptional hunters through the exploration of bio artefacts! Each participant must have a ticket to attend ($10/person) Children under 2 are free. Please meet at the Raptor Centre. Dogs not permitted.

Non-Members
Adult: $12.00 +HST
Senior: $9.75 +HST
Child (5-14): $8.75 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Members
Adult: $7.00 +HST
Senior: $5.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $4.00 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Pancake Pavillion Menu (Taxes Included)
Pancakes with Pork Sausages  
Small Meal................ $9.95
1 Pancake, 1 Sausage, Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 2 oz. syrup

Regular Meal...........$18.95
2 Pancakes, 2 Sausages, 1 Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 3.25 oz. syrup

Large Meal ..............$26.95
3 Pancakes, 3 Sausages, 1 Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 5.25 oz. syrup

Family Meal ............$49.95
6 Pancakes, 6 Sausages, 4 Juices or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 10 oz. syrup


Meatless Meals

Small Meal.................$9.25
1 Pancake, 1 Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 2 oz. syrup

Regular Meal...........$16.95
2 Pancakes, 1 Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 3.25 oz. syrup

Large Meal ..............$25.25
3 Pancakes, 1 Juice or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 6 oz. syrup

Family Meal .............$46.25
6 Pancakes, 4 Juices or Hot Chocolate or Hot Cider, 10 oz. syrup

Drinks
Coffee / Tea……………….$3.50
Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider….$3.00
Juice.........................................$2.50
Water …………….………….$2.00

Sides (Available with meal purchase only)
Extra Pancake........$5.00
Extra Sausage........$5.50
Syrup Small............$2.75 2 oz.
Syrup Large ..........$3.75 3 oz.

 

Lumberheads Food Company Menu

Real Maple Kettle Corn......$6.99
Sweet & Salty Kettle Corn......$6.99
Movie Style Sea Salt Popcorn......$6.99

Maple Town at Mountsberg

Weekends, holidays and the week of March Break from March 4, 2023 to
April 9, 2023

The Mountsberg sugarbush has been producing maple magic for more than 150 years and educating the public for over 40 years. The park will tap about 300 sugar maples this spring and the crystal-clear sap will be magically transformed into sweet maple syrup in the Sugar Shanty. 

Your visit to Maple Town will offer park visitors independent exploration of the various demonstrations and exhibits around the sugar bush- and of course, don't forget the pancakes! Plus, you can add a Wagon Ride through the sugarbush for a truly unforgettable experience or Talons and Tailfeathers for a closer encounter with the Mountsberg Raptors.

 

Included in your Maple Town Experience:

  • Raptor Centre
  • Cameron Barn
  • Maple Taffy on Snow (additional fee applies)
  • Wagon Rides: Additional fee applies, available first come, first served. Purchase tickets at the Discovery Centre or Country Store. Wagon rides are available 10am-2:30pm.
  • Candy Cabin: Watch our educators whip up a batch of delicious maple sugar on the woodstove and try a free sample of this tasty treat!
  • Pancake House (additional fees apply): What’s maple season without a piping hot stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup! Pick up yours in the pancake house!
  • Sugar Shack: The Sugar Shack is where the maple magic happens. Watch our skilled sugar makers turn watery maple sap into sticky sweet maple syrup in the evaporator. Our educators lead formal presentations every twenty minutes.
  • Historical Sites: From the first Indigenous sugar makers to pioneer cast iron kettles to the flat pan, this area takes you through the changing technology used to make maple magic over the years.
  • Country Store: Pick up a bottle of maple syrup or some maple candies to take home and enjoy!
  • Maple Trivia Trail: Take a stroll through the sugar bush and pick up some maple trivia as you check out the 150-year-old maple trees and watch the sap drip into the pails!

Non-Members
Adult: $12.00 +HST
Senior: $9.75 +HST
Child (5-14): $8.75 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Members
Adult: $7.00 +HST
Senior: $5.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $4.00 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Pancake Pavillion Menu (Taxes Included)
Pancakes with Pork Sausages  
Small Meal................ $9.95
1 Pancake, 1 Sausage, Juice or Hot Drink, 2 oz. syrup

Regular Meal...........$18.95
2 Pancakes, 2 Sausages, 1 Juice or Hot Drink, 3.25 oz. syrup

Large Meal ..............$26.95
3 Pancakes, 3 Sausages, 1 Juice or Hot Drink, 5.25 oz. syrup

Family Meal ............$49.95
6 Pancakes, 6 Sausages, 4 Juices or Hot Drinks, 10 oz. syrup


Meatless Meals

Small Meal.................$9.25
1 Pancake, 1 Juice or Hot Drink, 2 oz. syrup

Regular Meal...........$16.95
2 Pancakes, 1 Juice or Hot Drink, 3.25 oz. syrup

Large Meal ..............#25.25
3 Pancakes, 1 Juice or Hot Drink, 6 oz. syrup

Family Meal .............#46.25
6 Pancakes, 4 Juices or Hot Drinks, 10 oz. syrup

Drinks
Coffee / Tea……………….$3.50
Hot Chocolate, Apple Cider….$3.00
Juice.........................................$2.50
Water …………….………….$2.00

Sides (Available with meal purchase only)
Extra Pancake........$5.00
Extra Sausage........$5.50
Syrup Small............$2.75 2 oz.
Syrup Large ..........$3.75 3 oz.

Sweet Water at Crawford Lake

March 4, 2023 - April 9, 2023
(Weekends, Holidays, and March Break)
Weekends, holidays and the week of March Break from March 4, 2023 to 
April 9, 2023

This experience focuses on the First Nations heritage of maple sugaring through a series of exhibits throughout the Longhouse Village where visitors can take a step back in time to the 15-th century site when maple sugaring was the first harvest of the year. Sweetwater demonstrations will run throughout the day where guests can gather by the fire and learn all about the history of maple sugar making. There will also be guided maple syrup tasting flights offered where you can try different grades of maple syrup, similar to a wine tasting.

 

 

Included in your Sweetwater Season Experience:

  • Longhouse Village exploration       
  • First Harvest: Celebrating Sweet Water Exhibit           
  • Maple Syrup Tastings 12pm, 2pm
  • Maple Taffy on Snow 11am-3:30pm (additional fee applies)
  • Sweet Water Demonstrations 11am, 1pm, 3pm
  • Gift Shop 10am -4pm

Gate Fees
Non-Members
Adult: $10.50 +HST
Senior: $8.25 +HST
Child (5-14): $8.25 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE
*Extra $1.50 charge when purchasing at gate

Members
Included in Membership.

Gate Fees
Non-Members
Adult: $10.50 +HST
Senior: $7.25 +HST
Child (5-14): $7.25 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE
*Extra $1.50 charge when purchasing at gate

Members
Included in Membership.

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Schedule & FeesSchedule
Maple Season runs from March 4th, 2023, until April 9th, 2023. The event operates on weekends, holidays, and daily during March Break (March 13-17). Reservations are 3 hours in length.

Mountsberg’s Maple Town – 9:30am-5pm
Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season – 10am-4pm


Fees

Mountsberg’s Maple Town
Non-member:
Adult $12.00 + HST,
Senior $9.75 +HST,
Child (age 5-14) $8.75 +HST,
Children 4 and under free

Member: 
Adult $7.00 +HST
Senior $5.00 +HST
Child (age 5-14) $4.00 +HST
Children 4 and under free

Reserve ahead and save! A $1.50 additional fee applies to non-member tickets purchased at the gate.


Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season 
Non-member:
Adult: $10.50 + HST
Senior: $8.25 +HST
Child (age 5-14) $8.25 +HST Children 4 and under free

Member: Included in Membership

Reserve ahead and save! A $1.50 additional fee applies to non-member tickets purchased at the gate.


Sugarmaker’s Breakfast (February 25 & 26, 2023)
Non-member
Adult: $36.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $32.00 +HST
Senior: $32.00 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Members
Adult: $26.00 +HST
Child (5-14): $22.00 +HST
Senior: $22 +HST
Child 4 & under: FREE

Programming & LocationsWhat is Mountsberg’s Maple Town?
Mountsberg’s Maple Town has been making maple magic for over 40 years!

 Activities available during Maple Town include:
- Raptor Centre 9:30am-5pm
- Cameron Barn (9:30am-4pm): Come and visit with our horses, donkeys, sheep, goats, chickens, and bunnies!
- Maple Sweets & Treats 9:30am-5pm (additional fee applies): Visit the Discovery Centre to pick up an extra special maple treat – maple taffy on snow, maple iced coffee, and more
- Discovery Centre Giftshop (9:30am-5pm)
- Wagon Rides (additional fee applies, 10am-2:30pm): Enjoy a horse-drawn wagon ride to or from the sugar bush and soak up all sights and sounds of spring. Tickets are limited and can be purchased in the Discovery Centre, first come, first served.

Maple Town 9:30am-5pm
- Candy Cabin: Try a free sample of maple sugar fresh off the woodstove!
- Pancake House (additional fees apply): Pick up a piping-hot stack of pancakes covered in maple syrup!
- Sugar Shack
- Historical Sites
- Country Store
- Sugar Bush Trail
          

More information on Wagon Rides
Mountsberg’s popular horse- drawn wagon rides are back in 2023! Access will be first come first served, please make sure to purchase your tickets at the giftshop at the time of your arrival.

Due to the growth of some of our precious maple trees we are unable to complete the same route that was used pre-pandemic. Please be aware that our new route is not a round trip. Depending on the time of your ride the wagon may travel from the railway tracks out to the Sugar Bush (15-20 minutes) or from the Sugar Bush back to the tracks (15-20 minutes). The trail to the Sugar Bush is 500m one way and can be walked in approximately 7 minutes.

Note: for the safety of our horses and guests a tractor drawn wagon may be used during inclement weather.

What is Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season?
Maple sugaring is a truly Indigenous tradition. Visit Crawford Lake to learn more about how Indigenous sugar making has changed over the years.

Activities available during Sweetwater Season include:
- Longhouse Village (10am-4pm)
- First Harvest: Celebrating Sweet Water Exhibit (10am-4pm): Explore the Indigenous heritage of maple sugaring through this informative exhibit in the inspiring Deer Clan Longhouse gallery.
- Maple Syrup Tastings (12pm and 2pm): Join the Crawford Lake team to sample a syrup-tasting flight and discover what syrup suits your palate.
- Maple Taffy on Snow (additional fees apply, 11am-3:30pm)
- Sweet Water Demonstrations (11am, 1pm, and 3pm)
- Gift Shop (10am -4pm)

What is Sugarmaker’s Breakfast?
Sugarmaker’s Breakfast is Mountsberg’s unique way to welcome Maple Season! If you are a real maple lover, this event is for you. Guests to the Sugarmaker’s Breakfast will enjoy a jam-packed two-hour experience featuring a wagon ride, syrup tasting flight, maple taffy on snow, guided tour, and of course a delicious pancake breakfast by the woodstove. Get hands-on and take part in an age-old spring tradition as you tap one of the park’s 150-year-old sugar maples and hang your own sap pail! Guests will take home a fire-branded souvenir of their visit and can choose to stay to enjoy all the park has to offer, including a visit with Mountsberg’s resident farm animals and birds of prey.  


Locations
Maple Town & Sugarmaker’s Breakfast
Mountsberg Conservation Area.
2259 Milburough Line
Campbellville, ON
L0P 1B0

Sweetwater Season
Crawford Lake Conservation Area
3115 Conservation Road
Milton, ON
L9T 2X3

Reservation Questions, Changes, & Cancellation
Why do members pay a fee for Mountsberg’s Maple Town?


Mountsberg’s Maple Town is a time-honoured tradition that requires a very high input of staff time and effort to bring to life each year. User fees are calculated to ensure they offset these costs while trying to ensure they are as fair as possible for all our guests. Conservation Halton Parks are not associated with Ontario Parks or Parks Canada. Our park operations are 100% self-funded we are not funded by tax dollars. 


How do I make a reservation/get tickets?
Click here and then simply reserve your visit, just as you would reserve your hike time for any of our parks. You will receive a record of your reservation via email, please bring this email with you for check-in. We will also be able to retrieve your reservation via your license plate number.
 

Can I change my booking date or time?
No, Maple Town, Sweetwater Season, and Sugarmaker’s Breakfast are rain/snow or "shine" events.
 

Can I book multiple vehicles/families under the same reservation?
No, please book only one vehicle/household per reservation. License plate numbers are used to grant access to the park.


Are dogs allowed?
Mountsberg’s Maple Town:
Yes, dogs are welcome to attend! As always at our parks, they must be kept on a 2m leash.

However, there are some areas of the park where dogs are not permitted. These include:
- The Pancake Pavilion
- The farm animal barn
- The path featuring our Birds of Prey
- The Wagon Ride
**Service animals excepted – please contact visitorservices@hrca.on.ca to make arrangements to bring your service animal in these areas)

Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season:
Yes, dogs are welcome to attend! As always at our parks, they must be kept on a 2m leash.

Sugarmaker’s Breakfast:
Due to the wagon ride and pancake breakfast, dogs are not permitted at Sugarmaker’s Breakfast. (Service animals excepted – please contact visitorservices@hrca.on.ca to make arrangements to bring your service animal to Sugarmaker’s Breakfast)


Can I add-on to my experience at Mountsberg’s Maple Town?
Yes, you can add the following additional experience to your reservation (spaces limited)

Talons & Tailfeathers
If you are looking for a closer encounter with the Mountsberg Raptors, you’ll love Talons & Tailfeathers! This group experience offers a meet and greet with some of our birds of prey while learning all about the adaptations that make them exceptional hunters through the exploration of bioartefacts!
Fee: $10+HST per person (children 2 and under free).
Available: 10:30am-11:15am, 12pm-12:45pm, 2pm-2:45pm, 3:30pm-4:15pm

Wagon Rides
Mountsberg’s popular horse- drawn wagon rides are back in 2023! Access will be first come first served, please make sure to purchase your tickets at the giftshop at the time of your arrival.
Fee: $6.50 +HST per person (children 2 and under free).
Available: 10:00am, 11:00am, 12:30pm, 1:30pm, 2:30pm OUT TO Maple Town
10:30am, 11:30am, 1:00pm, 2:00pm, 3:00pm BACK FROM Maple Town

Logistics
Parking

Parking is included in your reservation fee.

Should I bring cash or credit?
All areas accept debit, and credit (Mastercard & Visa). Cash is accepted in gift shops only.  

Do I have to arrive at the start of my reservation time?
Your reservation start time will be stated on your e-ticket. It is important to arrive on time for your reservation to ensure a quality experience and sufficient parking for all guests.
 
Do I need to bring a receipt with me to Maple Town?
Yes, please bring your reservation email with you on your phone. There is no need to bring a printed copy. Your reservation will be validated at check-in.
 
Can I just show up without a reservation?
Yes, however, we strongly encourage you to reserve in advance as tickets are limited and may be sold out upon arrival. A $1.50 additional fee applies to non-member tickets purchased at the gate.

Will Conservation Halton ever cancel Maple Season Events?
Sometimes cancellations occur due to extreme weather. We will email guests as soon as possible if they will be impacted by a closure. We will also keep our social media platforms updated. Follow Conservation Halton on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

Clothing
Please dress appropriately for the weather, Maple Season events are primarily outdoors. Warm, sturdy, footwear and dressing in layers is strongly recommended.

Accessibility
Strollers & Wheelchairs
Mountsberg’s Maple Town & Sugarmaker’s Breakfast:

Mountsberg’s Maple Town is located approximately 500m (one way) from the parking lot. The pathway is flat, hardpacked, and wide. You must cross a railway line to get to and from Maple Town. Although the trails will be plowed, fresh snow, ice, or rain will impact trail conditions and may make travel difficult for strollers or people with mobility challenges.

Maple Town buildings have a  lip at doorways and some wheelchair users may need assistance to navigate 

Please contact us for more information about accessibility - we are happy to help! – visitorservices@hrca.on.ca.

Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season:

The trails in the Longhouse Village have been recently resurfaced, they are wide, flat, hard-packed gravel. Although the trails will be plowed, fresh snow, ice, or rain will impact trail conditions and may make travel difficult for strollers or people with mobility challenges.

Please contact us for more information about accessibility - we are happy to help! – visitorservices@hrca.on.ca.

Washrooms
Mountsberg’s Maple Town & Sugarmaker’s Breakfast:

Indoor washrooms including an accessible/family washroom are available in the Discovery Centre located beside the parking lot. Washrooms, including wheelchair-accessible stalls and change tables are also available in the Sugar Bush. Some locations may have lips at doorways that require assistance for wheelchair users or strollers.


Crawford Lake’s Sweetwater Season:

Indoor washrooms including change tables and accessible stalls are available in the Visitor Centre located down the hill from the main parking lot.

One wheelchair-accessible bathroom is available in the Deer Clan Longhouse. Some locations may have lips at doorways that require assistance for wheelchair users or strollers.

For more information on accessibility

We want all our guests to experience maple season! If you or a group member requires accommodation to be able to participate, please contact us at visitorservices@hrca.on.ca to discuss options available.

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