Hamilton Conservation Areas
Spencer Gorge I elaborate more on our winter visit here. Spencer Gorge is comprised of two shorter trails, which require a short drive from on to the other. The highlights are the two waterfalls, Tews Falls being just short of Niagara’s Horseshoe Falls, and Webster Falls being very powerful with a picturesque cobblestone bridge downstream. And there is also the view from Dundas Peak across Hamilton, towards Lake Ontario.
Best for: Spectacular waterfall views
Rita’s rating: 2
Valens Lake In winter, the frozen Valens Lake is quite impressive, albeit icy underfoot. We walked a combination of the Lakeview, Open Field and Boardwalk trails. This gave us a 360 view of the lake, including a couple of bridge crossings. Some key features of the park were the elevated viewing platform and the small dog beach. There are also lots of spots for picnicking and year-round camping.
Best for: A long lakeside walk
Rita’s rating: 3
Tiffany Falls Highly cited as Hamilton’s best waterfall, Tiffany Falls is a must-see in the winter when it’s frozen. The only trail is the short 10-15 minute walk from the car park to the falls, and so we recommend pairing it with another nearby area for some hiking (we went to Dundas Valley afterwards). On the day we visited, a Sunday mid-January, there was a queue of cars into the small parking area. Due to the high turnaround of people, we only had to wait for 10 minutes. The trail to the falls was pretty icy, so be prepared! The falls themselves were pretty awesome. It is possible to go ice-climbing on the falls, something I have done before on an Alaskan glacier and so I would like to try this another day.
Best for: Frozen waterfalls in winter
Rita’s rating: 2
Dundas Valley With over 40km of trails, Dundas Valley is a must-go for any avid Ontarian hiker! We parked at the large car park next to the Beckett Trail and walked down to the Trail Centre, which is in the form of a replica Victorian Rail station, complete with a train! From here, we could join the 3.4km Main Loop, however multiple longer trails also start here and are accessible by cyclists, horse-riders and skiers, season-permitting. Throughout the hike we got pretty frozen river views, and time to explore the Hermitage Ruins, leftover from the 19th century estate which occupied the grounds.
Best for: Lots of other dog walkers, and the coffee bar in the Trail Centre
Rita’s rating: 4
Christie Lake This was the third conservation area we visited in Dundas. We completed the 6.4km Round the Lake trail, which…went round the lake. Hence lots of great views and geese! The lake was completely frozen when we went, and the trails were equally slippery! Nevertheless, it was an enjoyable and pretty walk. The trails could have had more frequent markers as we made a couple of wrong turns (and were not alone….we met another Irish woman who was also lost…). I think I would like to return in the summer with some friends to try the disc golf and kayak on the lake.
Best for: Pairing with other fun activities at the conservation area
Rita’s rating: 2
Fletcher’s Creek With “provincially significant” wetland and flora and fauna diversity, this ecological preserve was established with the primary goal of protecting the natural features, and a secondary aim of allowing visitors to enjoy the landscape. This second aim is achieved through the 3km looped trail which Rita and I followed, stretching from the small car park to the decommissioned quarry. The quarry pond was pretty cool and is surrounded by several viewpoints with information boards. The walk was very peaceful and uncrowded.
Best for: Fewer crowds, wide paths
Rita’s rating: 3
Eramosa Karst This area has 7km of trails, so it’s good if you want a long walk. However, the draw isn’t the scenery, but the limestone karst landscape. Pick up a trail brochure and see how many features you can spot. The caves are most impressive! Read more here.
Best for: Spotting the geological limestone features
Rita’s rating: 3
Devil’s Punchbowl This is a more of a viewing spot than an area, but it does connect to the Dofasco 2000 Trail system. This striking landscape features two waterfalls. Unfortunately they had dried up when we visited!!
Best for: Awesome rock features
Rita’s rating: 2
