Cascades and Waterfalls Brochure - Hamilton Conservation Authority

Welcome to Hamilton and the mesmerizing beauty of our city's cascades
and waterfalls.
Ontario's internationally recognized Niagara Escarpment provides
perfect geological conditions for waterfalls to occur, from Tobermory to
Niagara Falls. It's been said that the Escarpment is Hamilton's crown and
its waterfalls are the jewels in that tiara. In multi-year scientific study, the
Hamilton Conservation Authority identified over 100 waterfalls within
her boundaries, so Hamilton could well be known as the "City of
Waterfalls". In fact, Hamilton may have more waterfalls than any other
city of its size in the world!
2011 Edition
And they are only one of the many attractions visitors can explore and
experience outdoors in Hamilton.
Amid one of southern Ontario's most vibrant urban centres are more
than 4,000 hectares filled with forests, lakes, ponds, creeks, streams and
meadows. Hamilton can boast lush, green conservation lands, botanical
gardens, and more than 122 km of multi-use long-distance trails.
Start your day at the Dundas Valley, Christie Lake, or the Spencer
Gorge/Webster’s Falls conservation areas. Be sure to enjoy our other
attractions as well. Visit city museums, art gallery or hike the Hamilton
Beach Trail, part of the provincial Waterfront Trail network, meandering
along Lake Ontario and through Confederation Park, connecting citizens
to the water's edge. Pack a lunch and walk the Bruce Trail to see
waterfalls along the way.
Twelve of the most spectacular - that can be most easily accessed, or
viewed from public lands - are described pictorially and in detail here.
A total of 34 accessible waterfalls are highlighted in chart format.
2011 Edition
For five decades, Hamilton Conservation Authority (HCA) has managed the natural
environment in partnership with the City of Hamilton, Puslinch Township and the
Province of Ontario to help ensure a safe and sustainable community.
As one of 36 conservation authorities in the province, HCA protects water sources,
guards against flooding and erosion, manages conservation and recreation lands, and
promotes environmental stewardship and education.
The Authority is the region's largest environmental management agency, owning or
managing more than 4,370 hectares (10,800 acres) of environmentally significant land.
Its recreational lands range from long distance trails and relatively passive natural areas,
such as the Dundas Valley, Christie Lake and Valens conservation areas, to more
developed sites on the lakefront, like Confederation Park and Fifty Point Conservation
Area and Marina. For more information about HCA's environmental or recreation
programs, visit us at www.conservationhamilton.ca or call 1-888-319-4722.
Project Coordinator:
Research by:
Written by:
Edited by:
Design & Graphics:
Map by:
Photos by:
Joan Bell, HCA Manager of Grants and Special Projects;
Elizabeth Berestecki, Watershed Planner
Sarah Gauden, HCA Information Officer;
Garnet Cowsill, HCA Manager of Marketing & Communications;
Tricia Leong, HCA Graphic Artist;
Richard Woodworth, HCA GIS Specialist
John Overmeyer, Alexander Bell, Joe Hollick, P. McMillan
Chris Hamilton & Robert McCaw
You & your family can enjoy all that nature has to offer,
close to home, for one year, for one low price.
Your pass entitles free
entry for your vehicle and
passengers to:
◆ Valens
◆ Spencer Gorge
◆ Dundas Valley
◆ Christie Lake
◆ Fifty Point
◆ Confederation Park
◆ Westfield Heritage Village
For more information please call: 905-525-2181 or 1-888-319-4722
or visit our website: www.conservationhamilton.ca
For more waterfalls information, visit www.waterfalls.hamilton.ca
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The third edition of this publication is very much the result of a
cooperative effort by the City of Hamilton, Hamilton Conservation
Authority on whose lands many of these falls can be found, local
waterfall enthusiasts and photographers, The Bruce Trail Conservancy,
the Hamilton Naturalists' Club and Tourism Hamilton. Content has been
provided by the Authority's Waterfall Project Team, and gathered from
other well-used sources.
The purpose of the HCA's Waterfalls Project was to update the inventory
of waterfalls with accurate maps and data sheets, and then rank the
waterfalls from a tourism perspective.
HCA employees, Joan Bell supervised the project; Doug Mallory and
Richard Woodworth provided surveying and mapping assistance.
The Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities (Employment
Ontario) and the Hamilton Conservation Authority provided funding and
logistical support. The City of Hamilton provided base data for mapping.
Special thanks to City of Hamilton staff for providing assistance with GIS
mapping.
Project research began with Joseph Hollick,
Scott Ensminger and Stephen Head. In particular,
Joseph Hollick's work was most helpful; his list of
44 waterfalls with accurate street directions,
criteria and classifications was our starting point.
The Hamilton Waterfalls Project Partners have
been working together for five years and include
the following: the City of Hamilton Public
Works Department, the Hamilton Naturalists’ Club,
the Iroquoia Bruce Trail Club, Bruce Trail
Conservancy, Tourism Hamilton, Joe Hollick and
the Hamilton Conservation Authority
We also wish to recognize the leaders in the
community who worked hard to ensure
escarpment lands and waterfalls were purchased
and protected in public ownership many decades
before now; to the Bruce Trail Conservancy, whose
trail links many of the waterfalls, and to the
Hamilton Naturalists' Club for drawing attention
to the “City of Waterfalls”.
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Location: Crooks Hollow Conservation Area, Greensville
Type: Washboard Curtain Cascade
Height: 4 metres
Source: Spencer Creek
Ownership: Hamilton Conservation Authority
Driving Directions: From the 403, exit onto Highway 6 North. From
Highway 6, turn left on Highway 5. Turn left on Brock Road and right
onto Harvest Road. This will turn into Crooks Hollow Road. The conservation area and parking will be located on your left. Walk west
along Crooks Hollow Road to the bridge where the Darnley Mill Ruins
are visible on the north side of the road.
Trail Access: Access is from the Dundas section of the Bruce Trail,
Crooks Hollow Historical Trail and ‘Round-the-Lake Trail at Christie
Lake Conservation Area.
Nearby Attractions: Christie Lake, Spencer Gorge/Webster’s Falls
and Dundas Valley Conservation Areas, downtown Dundas, Dundas
Historical Society Museum and Carnegie Gallery.
The picturesque Darnley Cascade, at 225 metres above sea level, is at
the highest elevation of any waterfall in the Hamilton area.
Darnley Cascade is located in Crooks Hollow, founded by James
Crooks, a Scottish immigrant who came to the area in 1805. The
Hollow had its industrial beginnings in 1801, when Jonathan Morden
built a sawmill on Spencer Creek. James Crooks built the area’s first
gristmill, completed in 1813, and named it after his hero, Lord Darnley.
By 1829, this area contained the Darnley gristmill, a woollen mill, tannery, a distillery, linseed oil mill, cooperage, a general store, clothing
factory, foundry, paper mill, agricultural implement factory, log cabins
for workers and an inn. The cascade was named after the Darnley
Mill, which was gutted by fire in 1934, leaving only the ruins.
As you look upstream from Crooks Hollow Road, with the mill to your
left, you will be able to see the cascade, signs of the former James
Crooks dam and the mill race. In the background is the present-day
Christie Dam and Reservoir.
Location: Borer’s
Falls Conservation
Area, Dundas
Type: Plunge Ribbon
Height: 15 metres
Source: Borer’s
Creek
Ownership:
Hamilton
Conservation
Authority below
escarpment, Royal
Botanical Gardens
above escarpment
Driving Directions:
For access to top Take QEW west to
Hwy 403. Follow Hwy
403 to Hwy 6 and go
north. Turn left onto
Hwy 5 (Dundas
Street) and then turn
left onto Rock Chapel Road. Stay on this road for a few kilometres. It will take a sharp left turn and you will be able to see the
creek on your left. The parking lot for Rock Chapel will be on
your left in a few hundred metres. For access to base - Take QEW
west to Hwy 403. Follow Hwy 403 to Hwy 6 and go north. Turn
left onto York Road. Watch for "Conservation Area" signs. Parking
for Borer’s Falls Conservation Area will be on your right.
Trail Access: Access is from the Dundas section of the Bruce Trail
Nearby Attractions: Spencer Gorge/Webster’s Falls
Conservation Area, the Royal Botanical Gardens and Nature
Centre, Rock Chapel Sanctuary
This 15-metre curtain waterfall can be accessed from both the
Hamilton Conservation Authority’s Borer’s Falls Conservation
Area (base of the falls) and the Royal Botanical Garden’s Rock
Chapel Sanctuary (top of the falls). This waterfall powered the
Rock Chapel village sawmill, run by the Borer family, for more
than 100 years. Land clearing in the area eventually altered the
creek’s flow to such a degree that it could no longer provide sufficient energy, so the family switched to steam to power the mill.
Borer’s Falls Conservation Area features informal trails and a
wide variety of plants and animals, including large stands of
lilacs. The Borer’s Creek bridge offers a stunning view of the
gorge.
Location: Spencer
Gorge/Webster’s Falls
Conservation Area,
Greensville
Type: Plunge Classical
Height: 22 metres
Source: Spencer Creek
Ownership: Hamilton
Conservation Authority
Driving Directions:
Take Highway 8 from
Dundas. Keep right on
Brock Road and turn
right at the flashing light
onto Harvest Road.
Turn right on Short Rd.
and left onto Fallsview
and follow the signs to
the parking lot.
Trail Access:
Access from the
Dundas section of the
Bruce Trail
Nearby Attractions:
Spencer Gorge, Dundas Peak, historic Crooks Hollow Conservation
Area, Christie Lake Conservation Area,
downtown Dundas and the Dundas Historical Society Museum.
One of the most stunning and easily accessed waterfalls in the
Hamilton area, Webster’s Falls is created by the main branch of
Spencer Creek as it flows into the gorge. One of two waterfalls
within the Spencer Gorge, it is a beautiful, classical waterfall. With a
crest of 30 metres (79 feet), it is also the largest in the region. The
main falls has two overhanging drops with a short break in between.
A second smaller 30-foot ribbon waterfall, known as Baby Webster’s
Falls, is located to your right as you descend the staircase to the
bottom of the main falls.
The Webster family purchased the waterfalls and surrounding land
in 1819. Their manor still stands on Webster’s Falls Road, accessible
only by foot from this area. Family gravestones have been preserved
in a small area just off the Bruce Trail by the edge of the woods as
you head towards Tews Falls. This area also offers picnic and
washroom facilities. The cobblestone bridge crossing Spencer Creek
was built in 1936. Over time, the bridge fell into disrepair and was
slated for demolition. The Greensville Optimists raised the
necessary funds and held a Canada Day Celebration to reopen the
bridge to the public July 1st, 2000.
Location: Just off Mill Street in Waterdown
Type: Terraced Ribbon
Height: 10 metres
Source: Grindstone Creek
Ownership: City of Hamilton
Driving Directions: Take Hwy 403 towards Toronto and exit on Highway
6 North. Exit on Highway 5, also known as Dundas Street East. You will
be heading east on Dundas Street East. When you come to Mill Street,
turn right. Follow Mill Street downhill and under the railway overpass.
There is a park called Smokey Hollow Park on the right. The falls is a
very short walk from the parking lot.
Trail Access: This waterfall is just off the Waterdown section of the
Bruce Trail as it runs from Highway 6 to Waterdown Road.
Nearby Attractions: Royal Botanical Gardens, Borer’s Falls
Conservation Area, downtown Waterdown
Great Falls is the last in the series of waterfalls in the northern part of
the escarpment in the City of Hamilton as it tapers back from the
Flamborough Head. This waterfall is also known as Smokey Hollow
Falls and Grindstone Falls. The area known as Smokey Hollow is a former industrial area where Grindstone Creek once powered several
mills, including a sawmill that was built at the base of Great Falls. As late
as 1890, this area still supported two mills, nine outbuildings, three
houses and fourteen other buildings.
By 1912, due to the reduction of the water level in Grindstone Creek,
and the inherent danger of the steam engines used to maximize waterpower, the mills had all closed down. In 1994, the area was rehabilitated by the Town of Waterdown and turned into a beautiful city park.
Location: Dundas Valley Conservation Area
Type: Complex Classical Cascade
Height: 4 metres
Source: Hermitage Creek
Ownership: City of Hamilton
Driving Directions: From the 403, take the Rousseaux exit west to
Ancaster. Follow Rousseaux to Wilson Street (2nd set of lights) and turn
left onto Wilson. From Wilson Street, turn right onto Sulphur Springs
Road. Turn right again at the stop sign. This is Sulphur Springs Road.
Continue downhill into the valley until you see a small sign on your
right for the Hermitage. Park at the first parking lot. The falls are
located behind the Gatehouse, the small stone building near the
entrance. Please ensure you view the falls from only this side of the
trail, which is public property.
Trail Access: This waterfall can be accessed by taking the Dundas
section of the Bruce Trail in the Dundas Valley. It will parallel the Main
Loop Trail and take you right to the Hermitage Ruins. The Main Loop
Trail can also be accessed from the Hamilton-to Brantford Rail Trail or
from the Dundas Valley Trail Centre.
Nearby Attractions: Griffin House, Dundas Valley Trail Centre,
Hamilton Conservation Authority Main Office, Woodend, Fieldcote
Museum, historic Ancaster Town Hall (built in 1871).
At only 4-metres this diminutive hidden treasure is one of the
smaller waterfalls in the area, but still worth the trip to see, especially in
the spring thaw, or after a heavy rain. To find the waterfall, park in the
first parking lot at the Gatehouse (before the Hermitage Ruins) and
walk back toward the entranceway. The waterfall is located east of the
driveway. If you have the time, take a few minutes to follow the Main
Loop Trail to view the Hermitage Ruins.
Back in 1855, George Gordon Browne Leith bought the Hermitage property in the Dundas Valley. As a second son of a Scottish baronet, he
could not inherit either his father’s fortune or his title, so he moved to
Canada to start a new life. Only ruins exist today, but it takes little imagination to consider what they must have looked like in their
heyday. The ground floor of the main house had a drawing room,
library, dining room and a huge entrance hall; all furnished in stately
opulence with oil paintings, fine carpets and polished fixtures.
Regrettably, The Hermitage burned almost completely in October 1934,
leaving the Ruins and Gatehouse that stand today.
Location: Directly
below Oak Knoll Park
(adjacent to King’s
Forest Park), Mountain
Brow Boulevard,
Hamilton
Type: Terraced Ribbon
Height: 23 metres
Source: Red Hill
Creek
Ownership: City of
Hamilton
Driving Directions:
Follow the Albion Falls
directions to its exit on
Mud Street/Mountain
Brow Boulevard.
Continue along
Mountain Brow
Boulevard. Oak Knoll
Park is located just
past Limeridge Road
East on the right.
Nearby Attractions:
Escarpment Rail Trail, Felker’s Falls, Mohawk Sports Park, Albion
Falls, scenic views of Hamilton, King’s Forest Golf Course and Park,
Gage Park and Hamilton Children’s Museum.
The flow of water over the falls for much of the year is either
non-existent or a trickle, so it is best viewed during spring thaw or
after a heavy rainfall. Located near Albion Falls by Oak Knoll Park,
Buttermilk Falls is just a short walk away. From Oak Knolls Park,
visitors can view the Buttermilk Falls Gorge. Buttermilk Falls is a
narrow waterfall entering a deep gorge. Visitors to the falls are
also offered a beautiful view of the Red Hill Valley. They can also
access the bottom of the falls from side paths of the Red Hill
Valley Trail.
Looking out over the valley, one can only imagine what the flow of
water once must have been to carve out the large gorge. The original gorge was
carved by glacial
meltwaters around
10,000 years ago
and over the years,
the stream was
reduced to a thin
ribbon of water.
Settlement in the
area has further
reduced the water
flow to an
intermittent stream.
Location: Spencer
Gorge/Webster’s Falls
Conservation Area,
Greensville
Type: Overhang Ribbon
Height: 41 metres
Source: Logie’s Creek
Ownership: Hamilton
Conservation Authority
Driving Directions: Take
Highway 8 from Dundas.
Turn right on Brock Road
and right again at the flashing light onto Harvest
Road. Access to Tews is
just off Harvest.
Trail Access: Access is
from the Dundas section of
the Bruce Trail.
Nearby Attractions:
Spencer Gorge/Webster’s Falls Conservation Area (spectacular in the fall),
Dundas Peak, Crooks Hollow and Christie Lake Conservation Areas,
Carnegie Gallery and downtown Dundas.
Logie’s Creek tumbles 41 metres over the escarpment to form Tews Falls,
just a few metres less in height than Niagara Falls. Though the flow of
Logie’s is substantially less that the main branch of Spencer Creek, the
sheer height of the falls is what makes it such a stunning sight. There are
two platforms just off the Bruce Trail that allow visitors to get a spectacular view of the falls and gorge below. Side trails in the area also offer
access to Dundas Peak and the historical Crooks Hollow Conservation
Area.
Most of the present gorge at Spencer Gorge/Webster’s Falls was carved
out by the predecessor to Spencer Creek about 10,000 years ago when
the creek’s water volume was much greater
and stream erosion consequently much more
active. The various rock layers embedding the
escarpment can be seen in the walls of the
gorge. These layers are deposits of mud, silt,
and muck from the floors of primeval seas that
covered portions of this continent. Fossilized
remains of various aquatic plants and animals
can be found in rocks in the area.
Location: Southernmost tip of Upper King’s Forest Park, Hamilton
Type: Complex Classical Cascade
Height: 19 metres
Source: Red Hill Creek
Ownership: City of Hamilton
Driving Directions: From the Lincoln Alexander Parkway, exit on
Dartnall Road. Head south on Dartnall Road and left onto
Stonechurch Road East. Turn left onto Pritchard Road, then turn left
again onto Mud Street. There are two parking lots for Albion Falls
located on either side of Mud Street where it meets Mountain Brow
Boulevard.
Trail Access: This area can be accessed by at least three different
major trails; the Escarpment Rail Trail, the Red Hill Valley Trail and the
Albion Side Trail of the Bruce Trail.
Nearby Attractions: Devil’s Punchbowl and Felker’s Falls
Conservation Areas, Confederation Park , Mohawk Sports Park,
Buttermilk Falls, scenic views of lower Hamilton, King’s Forest Golf
Course and Park, Gage Park and Hamilton Children’s Museum.
Once seriously considered as a possible source of Hamilton’s water
supply, Albion Falls is a stunning, 19-metre cascade waterfall with a
crest of 10 metres located at the southernmost tip of King's Forest Park.
Rocks from the area were used in the Royal Botanical Garden's rock
garden. A wonderful, distant view of the falls can be seen from the
parking lot off Mud Street. The trail from Mud Street to the bottom of
the falls can be quite difficult, so take care.
Once known as Albion Mills or the Village of Mount Albion, the
original owner of the property was William Davis, a plantation owner
who sided with the British in the American Revolution. He lost
everything and fled North Carolina in 1792. He was granted the
waterfall and surrounding 500 acres (202 hectares) and, by the year
1800, had established Albion Mills as a thriving business. This area
once housed a gristmill, saw mill, three hotels, a general store and a
blacksmith shop. A millstone has been preserved in King's Forest Park,
not far from its original location.
Location: Private
property, just off Lions
Club Road in Ancaster
Type: Terraced Ribbon
Height: 17 metres
Source: Ancaster Creek
Ownership: Vijean
Holdings Inc.
Driving Directions:
From the 403, take the
Rousseaux exit. Follow
Rousseaux to Wilson
Street (2nd set of lights)
and turn right onto
Wilson Street. You’ll be
heading down the
escarpment. At the first
set of lights, turn left on
Montgomery Drive,
then a quick right onto
Old Dundas Road. You
will come to a three-way intersection where Old Dundas Road
crosses Lions Club Road. The falls are located in the woods to your
left. Park on Lions Club Road.
Trail Access: This waterfall is located on private property just steps
from the Dundas section of the Bruce Trail.
Nearby Attractions: Tiffany Falls Conservation Area, Dundas Valley
Conservation Area, Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area, Hermitage
Ruins, Griffin House, Fieldcote Museum and downtown Ancaster.
Located on private property along the Bruce Trail, this is where
Ancaster Creek flows over the Niagara Escarpment. This waterfall,
fed by springs from its headwaters, has a strong, continuous flow
throughout most of the year. This lovely waterfall, also known as
Fairy Falls or Angel Falls, has two cascading drops with a wide flat
ledge that divides the upper and lower falls. Although it is located
just off of the intersection of Lions Club Road and Old Dundas Road
and is fairly large in size, many people pass by this hidden treasure
without ever knowing of its existence.
The waterfall is named after the Sherman family, who had a farm in
that area. The Shermans are well known in the Hamilton area, as
Clifton Sherman founded Dofasco Inc. in 1912. He was joined later
by his brother Frank A.
Sherman. His son (and Clifton’s
nephew), Frank H. Sherman,
joined Dofasco in 1939 and
served as an officer, director,
chairman, and honorary
chairman from 1949 until his
death in 1994.
Location: Felker’s Falls
Conservation Area,
Stoney Creek
Type: Terraced Ribbon
Height: 22 metres
Source: Red Hill Creek
Ownership: Hamilton
Conservation Authority
Driving Directions: Exit
the QEW on Centennial
Parkway and go south.
You will be heading up
the escarpment. Turn
right onto Mud St, and
then turn right again at
Paramount Dr. From
Paramount Drive, turn
right onto Ackland
Street, follow the street
around the curve and
you will find the
parking lot. The waterfall is located across the field, behind the wooden fence.
Trail Access: Access is from the Stoney Creek section of the Bruce
Trail.
Nearby Attractions: Devil’s Punchbowl and Mount Albion
Conservation Areas, Albion Falls, Battlefield House Museum.
Felker’s Falls is a 22-metre ribbon waterfall located in the Felker’s
Falls Conservation Area, a beautiful spot steps away from an urban
environment. Since the waterfall is located in a subdivision, visitors
must observe care and respect for private property. This escarpment
area is forested and features trails, scenic vantage points and the
Peter Street Trail, a wheelchair accessible loop trail which travels
through the conservation area.
Felker’s, like many escarpment river channels, has an upper and
lower gorge. The upper gorge eroded to rapids while the lower gorge
developed a waterfall due to its composition of a layer of hard
limestone over softer rock. These layers are repeated near the base
of the falls, creating another small waterfall.
Location: Tiffany
Falls Conservation
Area, Ancaster
Type: Complex
Ribbon
Height: 21 metres
(Lower Falls)
Source: Tiffany Creek
Ownership:
Hamilton
Conservation
Authority
Driving Directions:
From Hwy 403 to
Hamilton. Exit at Main
Street West and continue on Main Street
West past McMaster
University in West
Hamilton. Just after
you pass University
Plaza, you will make
another left to
continue on Main
Street West. Main Street West will become Wilson Street as you
head towards the Ancaster area. Soon you will begin to ascend a
long climb up the escarpment. About half way up there is a small
parking area on your left with a sign identifying "Tiffany Falls
Conservation Area". Park there and follow the footpath that runs
along the south bank of the creek.
Trail Access: Tiffany Falls is located just off the Dundas section of
the Bruce Trail.
Nearby Attractions: Sherman Falls, Iroquoia Heights Conservation
Area, Dundas Valley Conservation Area, Hermitage Ruins and
Griffin House, Fieldcote Museum and downtown Ancaster.
This waterfall, made up of an Upper and Lower Falls, is surrounded
by typical Bruce Trail terrain: rocks to step over and steep ascents.
At the Lower Falls, a cascade waterfall, Tiffany Creek tumbles 21
metres from a broad valley above the escarpment into a V-shaped
ravine below. It is an imposing sight, towering above visitors and
surrounded by dolostone cliffs on either side. The Upper Tiffany
Falls at 6.4 metres is a much smaller classical waterfall, which has
also been called Washboard Falls. Tiffany Falls was named after
the area’s first doctor, Dr. Oliver Tiffany.
The footpath from the Wilson Street parking
lot crosses Tiffany Creek in two locations.
The footpath is steep and quite rocky, so
hiking boots are recommended. During wet
weather the slopes of the trail can be slippery,
so visitors should avoid using the trail when
conditions are inclement.
Location: Devil’s
Punchbowl
Conservation Area,
Stoney Creek
Type: Overhang
Ribbon
Height: 37 metres
Source: Stoney
Creek
Ownership:
Hamilton
Conservation
Authority
Parking: Available
at the Devil’s
Punchbowl
Conservation Area.
Driving Directions:
From the QEW, exit
onto Centennial
Parkway South.
Head up the
escarpment until
you reach Green Mountain Road. Turn left onto Green
Mountain Road and left again at First Road East. Follow the
signs to the Devil’s Punchbowl.
Trail Access: Access is from the Stoney Creek section of the
Bruce Trail and the Dofasco 2000 Trail.
Nearby Attractions: Battlefield House Museum, Nash Jackson
House, Hamilton Museum of Steam and Technology, Fifty Point
Conservation Area and Confederation Park.
This waterfall area contains two separate falls, Upper and
Lower. The Lower Falls is a 6 metre classical waterfall, and the
main Upper Falls is a 37 metre ribbon waterfall. The Devil’s
Punchbowl is one of the Niagara Escarpment’s most amazing
sights, created at the end of the last ice age by huge meltwater
rivers that plunged over the Stoney Creek Escarpment, thus
carving the Punchbowl and gorge. From the bottom of the falls,
you can see the many different coloured rock layers of the
Escarpment. The Punchbowl is the only area where you can
view such a large vertical display of Ordovician and Silurian
stratified rock. Some of the layers include
Queenston Formation red shale, Cabot Head
grey shale, limestone and shale dolomite.
There is a spectacular view of Stoney Creek
and Hamilton Harbour from the lookout, not to
mention the view down into the seemingly
bottomless gorge.