Scenic Falls


September 2006

Province: Ontario

Location: Hamilton

Height: 60?

Crest: 10?

Water Source: Unnamed?

Waypoint: 43.244257N 79.934732W

Summary: Scenic Falls is the most scenic of a set of falls found along the Chedoke Radial Trail in Hamilton Ontario. Best seen after a good rain, but even then it is hard to get a good view of the falls.

Scenic Falls is located at the west end of the Chedoke Radial Trail. The Chedoke Radial Trail is a pedestrian/bike trail that follows the route of an old railway up the side of the escarpment. Along the way it passes several mostly seasonal waterfalls. Chedoke Falls is the only one that is noteworthy on its own, but if you happen to visit after a good rain I imagine you will be impressed by several of the other falls as well. The Bruce Trail runs along side the Chedoke Trail.

It is not easy getting a good view of Scenic Falls. It is easy to get to the brink of the falls. Trees obscure any other view from the rim of the gorge. The mouth of the gorge is on the 403, so there is no easy way to walk up the gorge.

It is not clear how natural this waterfall is. Clearly a creek did cut a gorge here, and there must have been a waterfall, but it is possible the creek has been diverted somewhat and that the current waterfall is not in its natural position. Above the falls the creek flows out of a culvert and then along a straight, but possibly natural channel in the escarpment rock.

The Chedoke Radial Trail can be accessed from Scenic Drive near the falls, from the Chedoke Golf Course, and from the end of Durndun Street. Between Scenic Falls and Chedoke Falls you can find Princess Falls, Mountview Falls, Westcliffe Falls, and Cliffview Falls plus a few others. All of these are seasonal falls of various sizes. Princess Falls drops about 10', flows under the trail, and then falls 100' down to the 403. It looks like this waterfall was severely altered when they cut into the escarpment to build the highway. Mountview Falls flows out of a culvert, then drops about 30 feet over the escarpment and into an ugly man made channel. This one is very easy to see from the trail. Cliffview and Westcliffe falls are both near the golf course. They both are "culvert falls", and neither is easily seen from the trail. Cliffview was responsible for cutting the gorge the two fall into. It looks like Westcliffe may be man made.

West of Scenic Falls the trail continues through the Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area and on to Tiffany Falls.

[Hamilton Area] Nearby Falls

Chedoke Falls and Tiffany Falls are both short hikes away. Webster Falls, Tews Falls and Borers Falls, Smokey Hollow Falls, Albion Falls and Devil's Punchbowl Falls are all within easy driving distance. Thanks to the Bruce Trail you could walk to them all if you had the time.

Other Websites

Photo Gallery


April 2006

April 2006

Brink of Falls

The source of the falls

Top of Princess Falls

Mountview Falls

Westcliffe Falls

Cliffview Falls

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Last Modified: Saturday, 19-Sep-2009 18:47:02 MDT.

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