<p>Take a step back in time! One of Ontario&rsquo;s most spectacular geological sights, the <a href="https://www.blogto.com/travel/2024/05/cheltenham-badlands-toronto-reopen-change-year/">Cheltenham Badlands</a> opens for the season next week. Here's what to know.</p><p>You won't have to travel far to enjoy a day on the Badlands. This incredible sight is right in the GTA, located at 1739 Olde Base Line Road in Caledon.</p><p>The beloved and popular attraction officially opens for the season on May 9, 2025.</p><p><b>What are the Cheltenham Badlands?</b></p><p>According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.heritagetrust.on.ca/properties/cheltenham-badlands">Ontario Heritage Trust</a>, the badlands were first formed at the base of an ancient sea over 450 million years ago.</p><p>The site is known as "one of the most recognizable and visited natural heritage landmarks in southern Ontario,"&nbsp;and for good reason.</p><p>There's&nbsp;nothing else quite like it anywhere in the province, and its history is equally fascinating.</p><p><b>History of the Cheltenham Badlands</b></p><p>Spanning 36 acres, the badlands were first occupied by Ancestors of the Mississaugas of the Credit for hunting, fishing, and foraging.</p><p>Then, from around 1850 to 1950, the land was used by European settlers to grow crops and raise cattle.</p><p>However,&nbsp;since the early 1900s, the "removal of trees and early farming practices caused the shallow topsoil to erode away, in turn exposing the underlying Queenston shale,"&nbsp;says the Heritage Trust.</p><p>The erosion of the shale over time is what led to the badlands transforming into the desert-like landscape it is today, made up of rolling red rock with ridges and gullies.</p><p>Because The Cheltenham Badlands are at high risk of damage due to frequent public use, conservation work was performed to preserve the site<a href="https://www.blogto.com/travel/2022/05/cheltenham-badlands-open-2022/"> and upgrade the surrounding trails</a>.</p><p>Besides the wonderful sights, it's also a great place to <a href="https://www.blogto.com/videos/cheltenham-badlands/">stretch your legs</a>.</p><p><b>Trailing the badlands</b></p><p>The Badlands trail takes you along the viewing platform and boardwalk overlooking the red rocks, and then through a slow-growing forest. It's important to note that walking on the Badlands itself is strictly prohibited.</p><p>The site is open to the public from dawn until dusk by reservation, which you can book in advance&nbsp;<a href="https://admin.parkpassproject.com/book?inventoryGroup=1609410446&amp;inventory=1687658458&amp;sid=">online</a>. Costs range from $10 plus tax for 90 minutes on weekdays to $35 plus tax for three hours on weekends on holidays.</p><p>With the warm weather finally creeping its way into the region, this is the perfect spot for some outdoor exploration.</p><p>We'll see you there!</p>