Pocket Guide to HCA Areas
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Your Pocket Guide to Hamilton Conservation Areas HCA has something for everyone… As the largest landowner within the City of Hamilton, HCA holds in public trust more than 4,400 hectares of land. Aside from our seven major recreational conservation areas, we have many other unique and diverse properties where you can enjoy a day of hiking, birding, or the great outdoors. Included in these areas are 25 waterfalls, 14 Niagara Escarpment properties, 12 significant wetlands, two rail trails and 140 km of trails, an 18,000-year-old-muskeg bog, and one ecological preserve. How is HCA funded? Many people believe our conservation areas are paid for by their tax dollars, but that is not the case. User and membership fees pay for trail maintenance, emergency services, property taxes, insurance and all those little things we need to keep our conservation areas open. Just as important, user fees directly contribute to important conservation work throughout our watershed and preserve heritage sites on HCA lands. HCA Membersip Pass Become a member and enjoy year-round access to HCA conservation areas for 12 months from date of purchase at a great price! Your pass is valid for one vehicle and up to 6 people. Members also receive a voucher booklet containing one 2-for-1 entry to Wild Waterworks, one admission ticket to the Christie Antique & Vintage Show, and three one-day complimentary conservation area passes to share with friends and family. Plus, members receive 10% off nightly camping and 15% off boat and pavilion rentals! Purchase your pass at a Hamilton Conservation Area gatehouse or online, by visiting: www.conservationhamilton.ca Activity Legend Boat Ramp Interpretive/Education Boating Mini Golf Cross Country Skiing Pet Beach Cycling Picnic Pavilion K GO IS L F D Disk Golf Picnicking Dog Walking Restaurant/Food Concession Fishing Rollerblading Geocaching Snowshoeing Go Karts Sports Field G Group Picnic Areas Swimming Hiking Tent and/or Trailer Camping Horse Riding (No Rentals) Waterfall Ice Skating Christie Lake Looking for a place to do it all? Then Christie Lake is the place to be! While you’re here, you can swim, fish, hike, bike, paddle, picnic, and even play a round of disc golf! Don’t miss the popular Christie Antique & Vintage Show! Amenities: • Washrooms • Beach Store • Boat Rentals • Picnic Pavilions • Group Picnic Areas • Boat Launch Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise to sunset. Christie Lake 1000 Highway 5 West, Dundas, ON L9H 5E2 905-628-3060 [email protected] K GO IS L F G D Confederation Beach Park Do it all or just a little at Confederation Beach Park! The area stretches 93 hectares along Lake Ontario and offers swimming, biking, birding, picnicking and more! Paved Breezeway Trail is great for strolling the beach area. Amenities: • Washrooms • Pavilions • Group Picnic Areas • Splash Pad Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise until sunset. Confederation Beach Park 680 Van Wagner’s Beach Road, Hamilton, ON, L8E 3L8 905-547-6141 or 1-800-555-8775 [email protected] G Dundas Valley The Valley’s 1,200 hectares of Carolinian forests, fields, cold water streams and stunning geological formations are home to an array of rare plants, birds and wildlife. Visit the restored Hermitage Ruins for a little piece of history. Amenities: • Picnic Pavilion • Food Concession • Washrooms Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise until sunset. Dundas Valley 650 Governors Road Dundas, ON, L9H 5E3 905-627-1233 [email protected] Eramosa Karst Filled with underground caves and streams, meadows and forests, the Eramosa Karst is one of the watershed’s unique natural gems. The perfect location for a hike! Amenities: • Public Washrooms • Picnic Area Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise until sunset. Upper Mount Albion Road between Highland Road West and Rymal Road East Fifty Point Located on Lake Ontario, the 80-hectare park offers superb marina facilities and is the place to be for a swim, family camping or a picnic for groups of any size. Amenities: • Boat Ramp • The Landing Restaurant • Fuel • Laundry • Picnic Pavilions • RV Campground • Showers • Washrooms • Lighthouse • Lookout Point Hours of Operation From 7 a.m. to sunset Monday-Friday 6 a.m. to sunset Saturday-Sunday and holidays, mid-April through August. From sunrise to sunset for the remainder of the year. Fifty Point 1479 Baseline Road, Winona, ON, L8E 5G4 905-525-2187 fi[email protected] Channel 68 VHF for Marina. G Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls Located on the escarpment brow, the area is noted for its panoramas and views to the forested depths of the gorge below. The area features the Dundas Peak and two stunning waterfalls; Webster and Tew Falls. Amenities: • Washrooms • Lookout • Wheelchair Accessible Lookout Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise until sunset. Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls Harvest Road, Greensville, ON 905-628-3060 [email protected] Please visit our website for parking and shuttle bus information. www.conservationhamilton.ca Valens Lake This 300-hectare area offers the feel of the north, right in your backyard and is a mecca for campers, anglers and outdoor lovers alike! Amenities: • Group Picnic Areas • Beach Store • Group Camping Areas • Boat Rental • Picnic Pavilion • Boat Launch • Non-Electrical Campsites • Trailer Dump Station • Electrical & Water Campsites • Washrooms • Radio-free Zone • Showers • Water Tap • Lookout Tower • Campground Store Hours of Operation: Daily, from sunrise until sunset. Valens Lake 1691 Regional Road 97, R.R. 6 Cambridge, ON, N1R 5S7 905-525-2183 [email protected] G HCA Watershed Map HCA is responsible for planning and protecting the water within our watershed. HCA’s watershed ultimately drains into Lake Ontario and major creek systems including Red Hill, Spencer and Stoney Creek. In total, the HCA jurisdiction encompasses 568km2 . Westfield Heritage Village Enjoy a leisurely day in the country as you stroll through over 35 historical buildings, including log buildings, one-room school house, a railway station and more! Westfield offers many events from March to December, with highlights including; Maple Syrup Festival, Ice Cream Carnival, Haunted Halloween and ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas. Westfield also features a trail system for a realxing walk. Amenities: • Gift Shop • Washrooms • Public Telephone Hours of Operation: Sundays, March-December Westfield Heritage Village 1049 Kirkwall Road, Rockton, ON, L0R 1X0 519-621-8851 westfi[email protected] westfieldheritage.ca G Wild Waterworks Take summer poolside fun to the next level! Wild Waterworks offers one of Canada’s largest outdoor wave pools, 4 tube slides, 2 body slides, an Eazy River & Little Squirt Works! Amenities: • Washrooms • Change Rooms • Rentals • Pavilions • Guest Services • Food Concessions Wild Waterworks, 680 Van Wagners Beach Road, Hamilton, ON, L8E 3L8 905-547-6141 or 1-800-555-8775 [email protected] wild-waterworks.com G Natural Areas In addition to our larger conservation areas, HCA also offers over 3,000 hectares of natural conservation areas. Each area is unique, and is an excellent opportunity for getting out and enjoying the great outdoors. • Beverly Swamp • Borer’s Falls • Crooks’ Hollow • Iroquoia Heights • Meadowlands • Mount Albion • Saltfleet • Vinemount Wetland Additional Natural Areas Devil’s Punchbowl One of the most amazing sites along the Niagara Escarpment, the Devil’s Punchbowl is a 33.8-metre high waterfall, offering views of the many different rock layers through the escarpment. Ridge Road, Stoney Creek, ON Felkers’ Falls This escarpment area is forested and features the 20-metre ribbon waterfall, scenic vantage points and trails. Ackland Street, Stoney Creek, ON Additional Natural Areas Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve This unique area, was originally an abandoned quarry. The site was rehabilitated, resulting in the creation of a rare type of wetland called a fen, and is the perfect spot for a hike! Concession Road 7, Flamborough, ON Tiffany Falls A significant natural area, its bedrock exposures are considered an Earth Science Area of Regional Significance. Wilson Street East, Ancaster, ON Additional Trails Dofasco 2000 Trail This 11.5 km trail links the 1812 Battlefield House Museum, Devil’s Punchbowl Conservation Area, Vinemount South Swamp and the Bruce Trail. The trail was developed in partnership with Dofasco Inc., the former city of Stoney Creek, the HCA and the Canada Millennium Partnership Program. Chippawa Trail – Hamilton to Caledonia When completed, this 15-km abandoned rail corridor linking Hamilton with Caledonia will become part of the Niagara Branch of the Trans Canada Trail. It will also be connected to the Caledonia-to-Dunnville Rail Trail. Presently, 12-km of the trail has been completed. Additional Trails Lafarge 2000 Trail This 22-km trail in Flamborough links the Dundas Valley, Christie Lake and the provincially significant Beverly Swamp and Valens Lake. It will ultimately link to Cootes Paradise, Hamilton Harbour and the Lake Ontario Waterfront Trails via the Hamilton to Brantford Rail-Trail. The trail was developed in partnership with the City of Hamilton, the HCA and the Canada Millennium Partnership Program. Hamilton to Brantford Rail-Trail The HCA and Grand River Conservation Authority jointly own and operate this 32-km multi-use trail, which runs from Ewen Road in west Hamilton through the Dundas Valley Conservation Area to Brantford. It is Canada’s first fully developed, multi-use interurban trail system. It’s also a part of the Trans Canada Trail network. Links to Paris and Cambridge extend the trail to 80 km. Rules & Regulations at Conservation Areas… Conservation Areas are open sunrise to sunset. 1. Stay on marked trails at all times. Do not climb or bypass fencing. 2. Please do not deface, remove or damage any property, plants or animals in our conservation areas. 3. Please place your garbage in containers provided. Recyclable materials should be placed in recycling containers. 4. Adults are responsible for watching their children.