Exploring the natural history of Halton's conservation areas in the 2021 BMW 330e

Inspired by the plug-in hybrid, we set out to check out some gorgeous and educational conservation areas

Sami Haj-Assaad

Jul 22, 2021 • August 12, 2021 • 7 minute read • Join the conversation

Electrified vehicles used to be the butt of cruel memes and jokes, but it’s fair to say that things are changing. Sleek and overachieving luxury EVs have turned more than a few car shoppers into agents of change. While their purchases have yet to make an impact on a global scale, they may spur on more and more environmentally friendly decisions.

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Inspired by the 2021 BMW 330e , a plug-in hybrid sedan from the German automaker, I decided to entertain myself with a series of hikes around the golden horseshoe, taking in the natural beauty of our province which drives shoppers to go green. And while electrified vehicles come with many perks of their own, like low-cost at-home recharging, tax rebates, and prime mall parking spots, the best feelings may come from reducing your carbon footprint so that nature can properly do its thing.

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Plug-in 3 Series, the smartest choice

But of course, the vehicle needs to provide the right inspiration. The 330e arrives with an attractive price point and fairly traditional styling. If it not for the badges, this would look like every other 3 Series on the road. And just in case you forgot, there are a lot of 3 Series out there. With a starting price below $50,000, this is the most affordable 3 Series in the lineup and packs 33 more horsepower than the gas-only 330i model .

Under the rear seats is a 12 kWh battery that allows for just about 35 km of all-electric driving. That should be enough for most home-to-office commutes, and if there is a charging station at work, owners can likely get back home without even dipping into the gas tank. Unfortunately, my first destination on this hot June morning was in Milton, roughly 54 km west of my home base in Toronto. The good news is that along the way, there are several free and paid level 2 charging stations right by several highway off-ramps, so it’s easy to maintain that zero-emissions journey. Unfortunately, it can take up to three hours to recharge the vehicle.

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Touring some great roads and old trees

Except for the actual, tight switchback at the heart of Rattlesnake Point , the rest of the routes are pretty enjoyable with lots of elevation, flowing left-right turns, and limited traffic. Tackling this route in the 330e reminds me of how much I love sport sedans, especially in contrast to the many unremarkable crossovers currently found on the market, which lack the responsiveness and engaging feel of even this heavy luxury car. With the vehicle set in Sport mode, the BMW promises to put the extra juice from the 107 horsepower electric motor to good use. It sounds weird, a strange throbbing four-cylinder soundtrack accompanied with some sci-fi whirring, but it gets the job done.

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The name of this area comes from the winding path cut by glaciers along the Niagara Escarpment rather than the actual poisonous reptile. (FYI: the Massasauga Rattlesnake is typically found further north by the Bruce Peninsula and Georgian Bay.) With that in mind, it is only fair to take in the Rattlesnake Point Conservation Area after driving around the area so many times. Even in the morning sun, there is plenty of shade thanks to the dense tree canopy. Some of these trees are over 800 years old, and have endured through urban sprawl and climate change, and assuming people don’t mess it up, they’ll live longer than we do. The massive roots of these trees grapple over and around some cliffs, where more adventurous types like to go rock climbing. Myself, I love the view and watching the circling turkey vultures ahead.

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Indigenous history and weird lakes

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After a tour of the trails at Rattlesnake Point, I take a short 10-minute route to the nearby Crawford Lake Conservation Area . While the 330e lacks vented or cooled seats, it does have a pretty robust air-conditioning system, blasting out cold air along with a deafening fan speed. Had I been in a pure EV, I might have opted against this strategy of cooling down, worrying about how much climate controls would impact the battery and range.

While the previous site featured tons of greenery and spanning views, Crawford Lake provides a different view. Here I find several longhouses, a staple of the Iroquoian village. While the houses are closed due to provincial restrictions, you’re left admiring the size of them and learning about how the Indigenous people lived out here. Sure, we have huge buildings in the cities surrounding the area, but the dense forests of the conservation area absorb the noise of the traffic, letting you bask in the aura of early life in this region.

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The namesake of this area is the gorgeous Crawford Lake, with a surrounding boardwalk trail to see it from all angles. Not to insult the local lake or your favourite cottage spot, but the body of water here at Crawford Lake is pretty special. Technically known as a meromictic lake, it is deeper than its surface area, meaning the lowest levels of the lake are rarely disturbed and feature extremely low oxygen levels. Most meromictic lakes feature layers of water that don’t intermix, and this one is particularly mesmerizing to take in. Early studies of the lake’s deepest sediment found traces of corn pollen, which led researchers to discover the First Nations site and led to a few archaeological digs and discoveries of indigenous artifacts.

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Final stops

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Ontario’s history and these conservation areas seem to mix better than the water levels in the lake. The next stop is the huge Hilton Falls Conservation Area , which is yet another 10-minute drive away. We walked along the trail to see the old Mill Ruins by the waterfall. It’s a beautiful contrast of how manmade structures can fall into disrepair while nature still flourishes around. A picnic spot by the falls is full of inquisitive squirrels and chipmunks, climbing into our laps to see if we have something to feed them. Sorry to disappoint you, Rocky and Alvin, we can’t help you here.

These are just three of Conservation Halton’s eight parks, but I saved the best for last. I take one more 10-minute drive to the Mountsberg Conservation Area , stopping at the generously provided Level 2 chargers by the Trail Eatery to recharge the BMW while having a snack (Hey, after all that hiking, I need to refuel too). The iDrive infotainment system used by BMW has gone through many generations and had its ups and downs, but the latest unit is pretty intuitive, using a rotary knob for selections on the go, while passengers can make use of the touchscreen. I particularly enjoyed the wireless Android Auto support, which in addition to the wireless phone charger, meant I could jump in and get going without fussing over wires.

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Mountsberg combines everything the other parks have to offer. Along with its trails and hikes, it has an impressive reservoir which is apparently perfect for fishing. Maple trees are perfect for tapping and there’s a program for learning how to make maple syrup, depending on the season. A barn features an opportunity to pet the horses and goats, but the best feature is the Raptor Centre.

Raptor Centre

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Calm down sports fans, you’re not going to catch Kyle Lowry working on his jump shot out here; this is a rehabilitation centre for various birds of prey. The centre cares for and nurses birds that have been injured or raised in captivity and can’t survive in the wild. Getting up close with a great-horned owl, a golden eagle, or red-tailed hawks is awe-inspiring, but the lows come in hearing how they get here. Birds like these are kept for pets and can never learn to fend for themselves. Others get injured by cars while pecking at roadkill.

With the restrictions and limitations over the past year, birding, or birdwatching has become more popular. This experience has certainly swayed me to stop and pay more attention to our feathered friends whenever I’m out and about.

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Though it lacked adaptive cruise control, I piloted the BMW homeward, quietly and smoothly, putting away the sporty nature of my early drives in the country for something more luxurious and sedate. The user-friendliness of the vehicle meant I could spend a bit more time admiring my surroundings, spotting more circling hawks above the 401. I begin thinking if they’ll go for the easy roadkill meal and risk injury, or wonder if they are tracking something in one of our dense forests and parks.

Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are supposed to help reduce our carbon footprint, but they can also inspire more environmentally conscious decisions about your surroundings. With many electric charging stations nearby, it made sense to take a quick road trip and see various Halton Conservation Parks. However, thanks to that spur-of-the-moment idea, the images of the province’s natural beauty, geology and biome will stay with me going forward, encouraging me to continue to respect our environment as much as possible.