It’s like exploring an enchanted forest with streaks of light forcing it’s way through the lush canopy of trees and spring wild flowers stretching out of the ground in an attempt to catch every second of these rays of sun from above. On our way back from St Jacobs we decided to explore the trails at Hilton Falls, as we had not done anything outdoor related for the season and we all know how fast this wonderful warm weather can be transformed into bitter wintery conditions.
Marko and Toni are very active and have been doing walks, mountain biking and other trails in the area, so I assumed they were better prepared for the hike. However Caron and I have been couch potatoes the past few months and though we consider ourselves outdoor people, in reality the closest we’ve come to doing something like this would be watching an episode of Survivorman on tv. Hey, but at least if we got lost I’d put my fire starting skills that I learned from Les Shroud to good use.
Trail Guides For Ontario Trails.
The conservation area at Hilton Falls is about 1592 acres and is a hub of activity all year for outdoor enthusiast who enjoy hiking, mountain biking, skiing and snowshoeing on it’s 33.5 kilometers of overlapping trails. The trails are all colour coded and very easy to identify with the colour tags that are posted along each route. Here’s a list of the trails that can be explored:
Hilton Falls Trail (Yellow Marking) - 4 km – Takes about 1.5 hrs Hiking or 1 hour skiing (This is the trail we did – more on that later)
Red Oak Trail (Red Marking) – 3 km – Takes about 45 minutes hiking or 30 mins skiing.
Beaver Dam Trail (Orange Marking) – 9 km – takes about 2.5 hours hiking or 2 hours skiing.
Bent Rim Trail (Green Marking) – Biking - 5 km – takes about 1.5 – 2 hrs.
Single Track Mountain Bike Trail (Blue Marking) – Biking 7 km - takes about 1.0 -1.5 hrs
Wandering Lynx Backcountry Trail System (Brown Marking) – 6.5 km for biking and takes about 1-1.5 hours.
Then there’s part of the famous Bruce Trail (725 km) which follows the Niagara escarpment from Georgian Bay to the Niagara river and is marked with white painted blazes on the trees.
As you enter the conservation area you’ll be required to pay an entry fee (see link below for current prices) which goes directly to the upkeep of the conservation area. However in my humble opinion – it’s priced too high. With all we see, hear and read about being fit and enjoying the outdoors etc, and the fact that we pay so much taxes in Canada, this should be cheaper. Marko gets the yearly membership for all the conservations in the area, so we didn’t have to pay this day. After you check through the gates you’re given (be sure to ask) a map of all the trails and then head over to the designated parking area, which is free.
Not only did Marko (our trail leader for the expedition) choose what turned out to be the shortest and easiest trail for us, it was the most scenic. It gave us an introduction into the trails at Hilton Falls, without having to worry too much about our physical capabilities as confessed couch potatoes. The trails does have old logging roads through them, so in the event of an emergency I assume it would be fairly easy for rescue to get to you. The mixed forest would have seen better days prior to the forestry that occurred here years ago, but it’s still teeming with life, both flora and fauna.There’s wooded swamps, beaver ponds, stream, wetland pools and brush. As an avid gardener I was amazed at the wide assortment of wild ferns and the moss covered rocks were absolutely stunning.
The prize view this day had to have been the intrinsic beauty of the 10 metre waterfall that cascades over the Niagara Escarpment like a sheet of water glistening with the rays of the midday sun and the mysterious mill ruins that can be seen to the left side of the pool that formed at the bottom of the falls. Kids will be kids, which would probably explain the teenage girls (in dresses) that were allured to take a dip in the cool water, this warm and humid day. Quite honestly, I wished I had packed my swimming shorts as well. That water looked absolutely refreshing as well as the rush of water pouring off the top tempted me to come stand below it’s flow.
Here are some of the pictures I took along the way. Pay attention to the rock formation (hole carved in the rock-bed) that was formed during the ice age I believe and you’ll also see a couple pics of the dam that was built back in the 1970′s to help control flooding in the area.
The trail itself is fairly easy to navigate and I would recommend this one is you’re just starting off hiking or if you’re doing this as a family with younger children. Iit’s short, not too demanding physically, marked, there are benches along the way if you need to take a breather and depending on the time of the year you go, you’ll even come across raspberries in fruit! I did notice a sort of outhouse bathroom setup and at the top of the falls, there a picnic area where I did see a campfire lit. Do pack water, sun block and your camera.
Hours of Operation
Park entrance gates open daily at 8:30 a.m. all year round.
Park entrance gate closing times vary by season and are as follows:
June/July/August – 9 p.m.
September/October – 7:30 p.m.
November/December/January – 5 p.m.
February / March – 6:30 p.m.
April/May – 7:30 p.m.
Please note facilities and activities begin at varying times during these hours.
For Current Pricing: http://www.hrca.on.ca/ShowCategory.cfm?subCatID=1292
Hilton Falls Contact Information
Tel: 905.854.0262
Fax: 905.854.2303
Address: 4985 Campbellville Sideroad Milton, ON
Mailing Address: 2596 Britannia Road West Burlington, ON L7P 0G3
Email: Hilton@hrca.on.ca
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