The Bruce Trail Association was incorporated on March 13, 1963 and today still remains dedicated to its mission to “provide a public footpath along the Niagara Escarpment and promote the protection of the escarpment and appreciation of its natural beauty.” In 1960 Ray Lowes, a Hamilton naturalist and hiker proposed the idea of developing a continuous hiking trail along the Niagara Escarpment from the Niagara Gorge, originating at Queenston Heights and ending at Tobermory. His suggestion was met with enthusiasm from the Federation of Ontario Naturalists and a Bruce Trail Committee was formed. The clearing and the marking of the trail was accomplished by a large group of volunteers whose dedication enabled the Bruce Trail to be officially opened on June 10, 1967. Currently the Bruce Trail Association is comprised of nine Trail Clubs that represent the following areas: Niagara; Hamilton (Iroquoia); Toronto; Caledon Hills; Dufferin Hi-Lands; Blue Mountains; Beaver Valley; Sydenham and Peninsula. The affairs of the Bruce Trail Association are managed by its Board of Directors, which includes representatives from these Clubs as well as elected members of the Association. In 1995 the Bruce Trail Association received the Lieutenant Governor’s Conservation Award.