More than 150 people turned were at Hogg’s Falls on Saturday afternoon for the official opening of a new section of the Bruce Trail.

The Falling Water Trail was officially opened in front of an enthusiastic crowd on Saturday.

The new looping trails have been in the works for over a decade and are the culmination of hundreds of hours of volunteer work.

Over the past four years the Bruce Trail organization has spent approximately $750,000 acquiring land for the trail. Public agencies, the Municipality of Grey Highlands and private landowners have all bee involved in the intense process.

“It took many years and a lot of work to get this trail that adds 30 km to our local Bruce Trail,” Trail Development Director Jack Morgan told the crowd.

“This trail is on some of the most beautiful terrain in the valley. Parts of the trail are a walk in the park, parts are difficult. It truly has something for everybody. Nowhere on the 30 kilometres are you ever far from the sound of falling water,” he said.

The heavy duty work on the new section of trail began just over four years ago when Bruce Trail Association members found out that the Ministry of Natural Resources had purchased the property at Hogg’s Falls. From that point the mission to get the new trail established began.

The Municipality of Grey Highlands Economic Development Committee approached the Bruce Trail about creating a looping trailing system focused at Hogg’s Falls to encourage tourism in the area. The new trails cross over land owned by 15 private individuals - all of who made handshake agreements in order to allow the public to cross their land.

Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club volunteers spent thousands of hours mapping the new trails, blazing them, signing them, building stairs and bridges and creating the new trail network.

“It’s very exciting. This has been a long time coming and it’s very satisfying to see it a reality,” said Beaver Valley Bruce Trail Club President Joelle Martin in an interview Saturday afternoon. “I’ve been on the executive for 13 years and this has always been part of our Master Plan,” she said.

Martin thanked all of the volunteers that participated in the creation of the Trail.

“It was lots of work, but we’re all very pleased with it,” she said. “It’s not an easy trail. There are all kinds of terrain. We have woods, hills, waterfalls, creeks and bush. I think people that hike this trail are really going to enjoy it,” she added.

Following the official ceremonies and the ribbon cutting, separate hikes were held on each of the new trails for everybody in attendance.