Dyer's Bay: Devil's Monument

We hiked this trail on Sunday, February 8, 2026, continuing our adventure from the day before. Dyer's Bay is just north of Cape Chin. If you're interested in reading more about our previous day's journey and the experiences we had, make sure to check out that blog post here: Cape Chin

This day felt just as cold as the previous day, with temperatures sitting at a biting -28 degrees Celsius. Despite the frigid conditions, there was a noticeable absence of wind, which made the cold feel somewhat more bearable. The sun shone brightly, warming us and making the hike very enjoyable.

When we approached the parking lot at 11am, we saw three other vehicles sitting there. We were instantly excited, imagining that perhaps these fellow adventurers were headed in the same direction as we were. The thought of them having already forged a path for us filled us with optimism for a slightly easier day ahead of us.

As we got all our gear on and started our new adventure, we very quickly realized that the other people headed down a side trail. They were not going in the same direction as us! Instantly, we knew what was in store for us and that today would not be any easier than the day before at Cape Chin.

This hike proved to be significantly more challenging than the previous day's excursion, as it seemed to feature multiple more inclines and declines that tested both of our endurance and agility. One of the pleasant aspects of hiking in the winter is the cushioning effect provided by the snow. When you do slip and fall on those steep declines (I consider myself an expert at this point), you are often greeted by a soft landing, which can alleviate some of the sting associated with a tumble. However, this does not diminish the potential for mishaps; rather, it adds an element of unpredictability to the hike. The fluffy snow, while beautiful and serene, posed its own challenges. My snowshoes struggled to gain a solid grip on the powdery surface. At times, I resorted to crawling on my hands and knees, desperately clawing my way up these small but steep hills, trying to find any semblance of traction. Reflecting on the previous day’s experience, I made a strategic decision to wear my medium snow pants for this hike. This choice was particularly wise, as I wanted to ensure that the cold did not seep through to my legs, when bear crawling up these hills.

Devil's Monument

As we hiked along the main trail, we spotted an intriguing rock tower just over the edge of the path. This natural formation, piqued our curiosity and beckoned us to explore further. As we continued our trek, the path led us to a sign that read "Devil's Monument," a name that immediately invoked a sense of wonder and mystery about what lay below. Adjacent to the sign, a set of sturdy metal stairs descended toward a viewing platform, promising a closer look at this geological marvel.

My mom suggested that she stay behind with the dogs while I ventured down to get a better view of the monument. I decided to remove my snowshoes, recognizing that navigating the metal stairs while wearing them could pose a significant hazard. As soon as I removed the snowshoes I was immediately struck by the difference in my footing. My foot sank into the soft, powdery snow beneath me, sinking twice as far as it had when I was still wearing the snowshoes. This sudden realization reaffirmed my initial decision to bring the snowshoes along; they had indeed been a smart choice for traversing the deep snow.

As I cautiously made my way down the metal staircase, I noticed that a small stream of water was trickling alongside me, following the path of the stairs. I was shocked that despite the cold temperates that the water wasn't completely frozen since the flow was so gentle and small. It made the steps incredibly slick and slippery. I had to tread carefully, ensuring that I maintained my balance with each step I took.

Reaching the platform at the bottom of the stairs, I took a moment to appreciate the stunning view of Devil's Monument. The towering rock formation loomed above, its rugged surface contrasting beautifully with the pristine white snow surrounding it. This inland flowerpot stands at a magnificent 44 feet tall. Devil's Monument is actually the only complete flowerpot formation on land on the eastern side of the Bruce Peninsula. The photo I took, despite my best efforts, doesn't do justice to the sheer scale and beauty of this natural wonder—do they ever? As I stood there, I couldn't help but marvel at how this massive rock formation is narrow at the bottom and expands dramatically at the top. The unique shape of the flowerpot is a result of centuries of erosion, where water has carved away at the rock, leaving behind this impressive structure. This unstable crag is formed by precariously piled rocks, each one seemingly balanced on the other, as if they were placed there by the hands of a giant. If you have seen the flowerpots in Tobermory, you will recognize this same fascinating geological formation, which is a hallmark of the region. The flowerpots are not just visually stunning; they also tell a story of the natural forces at work in this area over thousands of years. The combination of the lake's waves, the wind, and the freezing temperatures has sculpted these formations into what we see today. It was exciting to come across this rare beauty.

Lookouts

The far peninsula section in this photo is where we were the previous day.

There were so many lookouts on this trail and we were initially captivated by the breathtaking views. The views stretched endlessly over Georgian Bay where the water was snow/ice covered. As we continued along the trail, where there was a lookout every couple feet, we found ourselves breezing past subsequent lookouts with a casual indifference. Like yeah yeah another lookout, no big deal.

The water bodies that we had admired yesterday, had open water with a mix of snow and ice. However, in this short distance away they were now completely frozen over as far as we could see. This stark difference highlighted the dynamic nature of Georgian Bay, showcasing how quickly and dramatically the environment can change, even when one is exploring a relatively small geographical area.

At the 2-kilometer mark, we ventured onto a small side road where we noticed snowmobile tracks. We were optimistic about following these tracks for a bit, as walking is much easier when the trail is packed and has visible marks. Unfortunately, we only followed the tracks for a brief time, making our initial excitement seem unwarranted. After that, we returned to the trail and began creating our own path again.

Hiking tip: always refuel and energize before you’re depleted of energy. Don’t allow yourself to get to the point of exhaustion before eating or drinking water.

Michiganders Arch

During our hike, there were multiple instances where we found ourselves losing sight of the trail markers. Typically, when hikers find themselves in such a situation, taking a few more steps forward often reveals the markers just ahead, guiding the way back to the right path. However, this particular hike presented its own unique challenges.

Since we were breaking trail the entire time we could only rely on the tree markers to know which direction we were supposed to go. The Bruce Trail marks the main trail with white blazes and blue blazes are for side trails. Many on this section of the trail were notably worn out and faded on the trees, making them difficult to spot. The white of the snow often camouflaged the white markers, making them nearly invisible against the snowy backdrop. In moments of uncertainty, we had to rely on our instincts and the general direction of the trail, retracing our steps when necessary. It became a test of both our navigation skills and our perseverance, as we worked together to stay on course.

Hiking Tip: if you haven’t seen a marker for a while, take another 10 steps because it is likely just out of sight

I must say, to be fair, that the Bruce Trail is really well marked for the majority of sections. This is perhaps the first time where I had multiple times of not seeing markers which typically doesn't happen often. The volunteers for the Bruce Trail truly do an amazing job!

Halfway Point

As we continued our hike, we arrived at a stunning lookout point situated approximately halfway through our journey. The panoramic view stretched out before us, revealing a breathtaking expanse of nature that seemed to go on forever. As I stood there, taking in the beauty of the surrounding landscape, my gaze was drawn to a particular structure in the distance. To my surprise, I recognized a house that looked strikingly familiar. This house was a long, narrow brown structure, uniquely positioned right at the water's edge. Its elongated shape was a result of the limited space available on the shoreline, making it an intriguing sight. I recalled that we had driven past this very house earlier when we were en route to drop off our car at the end point of our hike. The realization hit me like a wave: we were destined to hike all the way to that house, and it was now a tangible marker of the distance we still had to cover. The house served as a beacon of motivation, reminding us of how far we had come and how much farther we needed to go. As we pressed on, every time we reached a new lookout, we would glance out, eager to see how much closer that familiar house appeared. It became a fun and engaging landmark, a reference point that not only marked our progress but also added an element of excitement to our hike.

For this day’s hike, we naturally came to the conclusion that Mom would take care of the dogs while I would break trail the entire time. This arrangement would ease the physical burden on Mom, allowing her to focus on managing the dogs, and it would also give the dogs more of a break as well. About halfway through the hike, I began to feel the weight of my snowshoes bearing down on me. It felt as if each one weighed a staggering 10 lbs, making every step increasingly laborious. The effort required to lift my feet became a significant challenge; with each stride, I had to exert considerable force to break through the thick layer of snow that had accumulated on top of my snowshoes. Each time I lifted my foot, I focused on the satisfaction of knowing that my efforts were making the hike slightly easier for Mom and the pups.

Oliver's Struggle

We had stayed at an airbnb the previous night which was such a lovely stay however it was very warm inside. Apparently the thermostats don't listen when they are turned down because the temperature never moved even after we turned it down many times. Throughout the night I could hear Oliver moving around constantly and panting, so he must have had such a horrible sleep. That combined with so much physical activity left his body exhausted and not feeling well. He had diarrhea a couple times on the hike which definitely concerned me. I didn't want to push him past his capabilities. I had looked it up and Google said that when dogs are overexerted physically that you need to make sure they have plenty of water (check) and that they can fully rest and cool down before the next physical adventure. So I think that the airbnb just wasn't a good fit for him since he could never fully relax and cool off. Poor guy!

Hike's Ending

The last 2 km involved relatively flat walking through a bush. I noticed tracks from someone who had likely walked this path a couple of snowfalls ago, so the snow wasn't completely packed down, but I appreciated the slightly packed snow. As we continued, we glanced to our right and realized we had lookouts again. When did that happen? It felt like we were walking on flat ground, not at a high elevation. Just when we thought the trail would end easily, we encountered rolling hills and had to exert ourselves once more. It eventually leveled off again as we neared the end.

With about 1 km remaining in the hike, we encountered a road that required us to climb over tall snowbanks. After scaling the first one and beginning to cross the road, Oliver and Mia both turned to face the road. It was as if they were saying, "Enough of this madness, let's just walk down the road where it's easier!" It took some persuasion to get them over the second snowbank.

At the end of the hike, Mom mentioned that she enjoyed this one more than the day before. She explained that the sun was shining brighter and there was almost no wind, making it feel less cold. She also noted that this hike offered much more visual variety than the previous day's.

As we walked along, extremely exhausted from another day of challenging terrain, we became ecstatic the moment we saw the blue markings. These blue markings indicate that we are taking a slight side trail back to the vehicle. Once the vehicle came into view, we were thrilled to be finished with the day's struggle. We finished this hike at 3:30 pm, we had to travel back to the trailhead to pick up the truck and then I had a 2.5 hrs drive home where I would then need to get ready quickly to attend a Superbowl party.

Drive Home

Since I had been sweating on this hike, I couldn't fathom driving for 2.5 hrs in these damp clothes which would surely make me freeze for the entire drive (I've experienced this many times before). I decided to remove my damp sweater and just drive home in my dry winter coat. For future hikes, I definitely need to keep a dry sweater in the cab truck to change into.

Normally Oliver and Mia are quite good in the truck. Mia will typically sleep and Oliver will just sit there watching everything go by. However, with Oliver not feeling well about half way into the drive he started losing his mind. He was crying and screaming so loudly, he is such a chatty dog that normally I wouldn't think anything of it but this was next level. I realized that he must need to go to the bathroom, urgently! My mom had the leashes in her vehicle so I had to call her to get her to also pull over. As I'm talking to her on the phone she can hear Oliver wailing in the background. We turned down the first side road and she brought the leash over for me to take him out. She hopped into the truck to stay with Mia. I got Oliver out of the truck and he instantly jumped on the snowbank looking for the perfect place that deserved his excrement. After he was done he jumped back in to the truck and we kept on our way. I'm so glad that Oliver is really good at communicating his needs because that would have been an awful mess to clean up.

I got home by 6:45pm, so I was a bit late for the party but it all worked out. Luckily, there is always so much amazing food that I could delve into since by that time I was so hungry from the hike.

This hike took us longer than we expected, which happens probably more often than not.  This hike took us 4.5 hrs and we covered 6.7 kms of the main Bruce Trail.

Thank you,

Kendal