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Waterfalls Of Ancaster
If you're looking for some easy-to-access waterfalls,
this episode of the Genuine REALTOR® Show is for you!
One of the many bonuses of living around the Niagara Escarpment are the many waterfalls as our watershed begins at the top & makes its way down the escarpment, then into Burlington Bay & Lake Ontario.
Because the falls are along the cliff face of the escarpment, all of todays locations are near each other, though it would take a full day to see them all in one go - so, you might want to pace yourself 😉
Now I am a local REALTOR® who grew up enjoying these amazing places & I want to share what living here is like, but
please, respect any of the places you visit.
Do not litter, stay on the marked trails, keep your dogs on leash & pick up after them.
These are fragile ecosystems & they deserve our respect.
So, the City of Hamilton amalgamated with 5 surrounding towns, including Ancaster, back in 2001 making it the waterfall capital of the world due to the over 100 waterfalls found within the city’s limits!
Many of those are found on private property or are difficult to get to, so today I’m sharing 4 of Ancaster’s beautiful waterfalls that you are able to visit without trespassing or requiring special gear or skills.
UPPER + LOWER MILL FALLS
Let’s kick off here at Upper Mill Falls - a 7 metre high classic waterfall which creates quite the atmosphere for dining or celebrating at the Old Mill restaurant. As the name suggests, the first mills were built in the area back in 1791 because of the hydro power made possible by the watershed which led to Ancaster becoming the second largest Upper Canada settlement.
Just downstream from the Upper Mill Falls are the aptly named
Lower Mill Falls which are 6 metres in height & cascade down the incline as the water continues along the escarpment.
There are parking lots around the grounds to accommodate visitors to the Old Mill as well as access to the Heritage Hiking Trail that ventures down into Dundas Conservation Area.
MILL FALLS HIGHLIGHTS:
Parking - Easy
Difficulty - Easy
Hike Time - 5 min for Upper + 5 min for Lower
Kid Friendly - Yes
Stroller Friendly - Yes (to an extent)
CANTERBURY FALLS
If you were to follow the Heritage Trail it would bring you to our next destination --
Canterbury Falls!
We chose to park inside the Dundas Conservation which does require a membership or payment in order to access the interior Trail parking lot, but of course,
supporting these local conservation areas whenever possible is a small way we can all help protect these nature spaces.
To get to Canterbury Falls, you’ll
follow the Heritage Trail until you spot some of the markers with red dots painted onto them. We used google maps & it was great for keeping us on the correct path, but those trail markers are more than enough if you can manage to not get distracted by the natural beauty of the landscape.
After about 20 min of walking, you’ll likely hear Canterbury Falls before you see them as the trail is quite serene. You can enjoy watching the water drop 9 metres creating a ribbon waterfall from the nearby bench, perfect for a snack break, or head over to the bridge & take it all in from the crest.
CANTERBURY FALLS HIGHLIGHTS:
Parking - Easy
Difficulty - Easy but there are hills
Hike Time - 23 min to falls
Kid Friendly - Yes but be aware of the drop off at the falls
Stroller Friendly - Yes (to an extent)
TIFFANY FALLS
Now, let’s make our way over to Tiffany Falls, arguably one of the most popular in the area as it is a stand alone area in the Hamilton Conservation Park system.
With limited parking, which also requires a membership or payment,
it’s a tight trail which is often quite busy.
You’ll get to enjoy 2 bridge crossings as you make your way closer to the 21 metre high ribbon waterfall.
The falls & the creek are named after the first doctor in the area who began his practice back in the 1790’s.
The ecosystem here is extremely fragile, especially the moist talus slopes & off trail exploration has led to slope failures & severe damage to the valley. Please stay on the trails when visiting Tiffany Falls.
TIFFANY FALLS HIGHLIGHTS:
Parking - Easy but busy
Difficulty - Easy but uneven ground & some hills
Hike Time - 10 min to Falls
Kid Friendly - Yes
Stroller Friendly - Not Really
SHERMAN FALLS
Last one for today is my favourite!
Sherman Falls is a tiered ribbon waterfall that is 17 metres high fed by Ancaster Creek. Over the years it has changed names but its current name is an homage to the Sherman brothers who founded one of Canada’s largest steel producing companies in 1912 known back then as Dominion Steel Casting Company. Another current name is Farrah Falls after the Farrah Family who currently own the land & graciously allow us to enjoy the beautiful falls on their property.
This is a
very easy walk in but there is no street parking allowed. The Dundas Valley Conservation Area has a parking lot a short distance away & after you take in the falls, you can enjoy the access to the Monarch Side Trail which heads into the Dundas Valley.
SHERMAN FALLS HIGHLIGHTS:
Parking - Easy but a 5 min walk
Difficulty - Easy
Hike Time - 5 min to Falls + 5 min walk from parking
Kid Friendly - Yes
Stroller Friendly - Yes (but not recommended)
If you get out and enjoy any of these, let me know what you thought in the comments!
Thank you so much for joining me as we explored Ancaster’s Waterfalls!
Until next week,
Keep it Genuine!
The Genuine Blog
