Hike 10 : Steeltown Stomp and Amazing Nature - Buttermilk Falls to Tiffany Falls
Bruce Trail in Hamilton
Our next hike on the Bruce Trail would begin with us first completing a spring season assessment of the Dopko property and pathway which we had become land stewards of. Our last visit to this section of the BTC had been during the winter months and as such we were stunned at how much of the pathway had transformed. The seemingly barren landscape had changed into a lush forest. Now flowers were out, frogs, salamanders, snakes, and even voles could be spotted and we found it challenging to find the pathway amid the dense growth! I am forever impressed at the ability of nature to change, adapt and amaze!
After completing our summer ecological survey of the Dopko property we drove on and met back up at the parking lot for Tiffany Falls – our final destination for today’s hike. When we arrived, the long thin pull-off, which can probably accommodate around 25 cars, was nearly full. It seems there was a planned hike beginning at the falls, starting as we arrived, which we hadn't known about. In any event, we managed to nab one of the last available parking spots, and then discovered that it was paid parking, which we also hadn't realized beforehand. The maximum time allowed on the meter was 5 hours, which we thought probably wouldn't be enough time for us to cover our planned 18km hike at our usual pace, so we wrote a note saying we would pay the difference when we returned, if there was one. In the end the hike took us 6 hours, and thankfully no one ticketed us – but when we returned later in the day we paid for the additional time.
When Lenora arrived we all squeezed into her car, with Sean and Saryon – our younger relative - sharing the backseat with her furry companion Mackenzie, who once again seemed to be somewhat unhappy about the car ride. Driving on we backtracked through Ancaster Ontario into Hamilton and onto Mountain Brow Blvd and parked at the entrance to the King's Forest.
The Niagara Escarpment
Setting out onto the pathway we backtracked a short distance down the side of the escarpment, and eventually reconnected to the main Bruce Trail. En route we were greeted by the song of a Rose-breasted Grosbeak, one of many bird calls we would hear throughout the day. The woods were much more alive than during our last hike, with the leaves around 3/4 emerged and hiding the longer distance views. Many of the spring flowers were blooming: columbine, wild honeysuckle, some early (or late?) May apples, wild geraniums, and a few others, as well as lilacs, red-buds, and some other blooming shrubs. Sadly, it looked like we missed the earlier blooming trillium and trout lilies, but it still felt very much like spring.
Despite it still being early in the year, the fact was that the weather today was blazing hot! Thankfully the Bruce Trail did its best to remain in a green corridor giving us a ton of needed shade! Entering into Hamilton we had been a little concerned about hiking in such a large city. Images of a trail moving down sidewalks soon dissolved amid the reality that the Bruce Trail here was almost entirely fit into a green corridor with the only exceptions being urban bridges and short roadside sections.
King's Forest and Escarpment Rail Trail
Continuing on along the Bruce Trail we navigated through what was left of King’s Forest. This conservation area, set amid the residential sprawl of Hamilton, is wonderful. King’s Forest is composed of loops of trails amid a beautiful green space hemmed in by the Red Hill Valley Parkway and Mountain Brow Blvd and allows visitors to visit a number of waterfalls, including Albion Falls, and explore the rugged landscape as well as Red Hill Creek.
On the western edge of King’s Forest the Bruce Trail turned north leading us to Kimberly Dr Side Trail where we entered into a forested corridor toward the Escarpment Rail Trail near the Kenilworth Access. En route we passed beautiful flights of wooden steeps, which looked very picaresque. The treads were held by wooden ties, and the railings were made of logs. These stairs were the precursor to the sets of steel stairs we would pass later in the day, and they had much more character. The first set was unmarked from the bottom, but the second set was noted as the Uli Stairs.
According to online resources the Uli stairs include more than 300 stone steps and were entirely built in 2007 by a single dedicated individual – Ulrich – who sought to provide access between upper and lower Hamilton. Apparently city officials worried about citizens using this route as an access point and sought to prevent people from using it. Ultimately however it became a loved part of Hamilton and the city would soon begin construction on a series of established metal stair cases along the Niagara Escarpment.
Hamilton's Steeltown Stomp
Indeed, a short distance onward we arrived at our first metal staircase - the Kenilworth Stairs – composed of more than 200 metal steps. Each step has metal teeth to aid in use during harsh conditions and each has also been numbered for local athletes. As we would discover throughout the day’s trek the Kenilworth Stairs were only one of several metal staircases along the Bruce Trail route that enable residents to go up and down the Niagara Escarpment an which are regularly used by locals for fitness and endurance.
Our way soon merged with the Escarpment Rail Trail, and become a wider, flatter, gravel surface trail. Here we found ourselves amid an ever increasing number of happy people walking and jogging along the pathway. Historically the ERT was first part of the Hamilton & Port Dover Railway, before being a section of the Hamilton & Lake Erie railway in the nineteenth century before being handed off to Canadian National rail line in 1923 and later transformed into a local rail trail in the 1990s.
The trail crosses the wide, very busy mountain access on a metal overpass, which provides a good view out across the city of Hamilton to the lake. Although the Bruce Trail at this point is certainly in the middle of city, sandwiched between a very busy road and a set of railway tracks, with neighbourhoods and industrial areas stretching into the distance, it is located in a fairly wide belt of trees, giving it a nice, somewhat secluded feeling. It was clear that we had long since transitioned out of the vineyards, rural landscapes, and green spaces of the Niagara region, but it is also evident that today’s venture is by no means a trek through an urban centre either. Much wonderful work has been done to keep the BTC amid a green corridor through Hamilton for which we were grateful.
After a short trek the Bruce trail again split off from the ERT, and made its way up the escarpment on the Wentworth Stairs. These stairs are one of the oldest and most frequently used of the five sets of metal stairs that run up the escarpment. "The original wooden steps were built in 1903, next to the site of the city's second Incline railway (1895-1936) at the base of the escarpment and Wentworth Street. They were replaced with metal steps after a rock slide in March 1983 and now follow the path of the old Incline Railway.”
While the stair climbers and exercising groups were patient with us, their physical strength was daunting to watch. Two gentlemen in fact were hopping up and down the stairs on one leg, one step at a time just behind us and yet WE were slowing them down!
In an aside, the Bruce Trail annually holds hikes in Hamilton called the Steeltown Stomp which hundreds have participated in since its inception. The Steeltown Stomp is a 20km trek which leads people to climb over 2000 stairs along the escarpment in Hamilton! The route involves venturing all 6 sets of stairs including Chedoke (289 stairs), Dundurn (326 stairs), James (227 stairs), Wentworth (498 stairs), Kenilworth (387 stairs) and Uli's (343 stairs) while navigating the Bruce Trail, Chedoke Radial Trail and the Escarpment Rail Trail back to the beginning. Today as we hiked part of this route we were stunned by the energy of participants!
Ironically it was actually myself and Sean who designed the patch logo years ago for the BTC’s Steeltown Stomp after having twice walked the route ourselves. Ah to be young again!
City Navigation
Thankfully walking the Bruce main tail today only required us to climb up a few steps, and then we emerged onto the side of the Sherman Access. This was another busy road, which we crossed over, and then followed on the shoulder for a few meters before starting to climb the escarpment again on a canopy covered footpath.
After another venture through a wonderfully treed section of trail, which continued to climb upwards, we emerged onto the sidewalk running along the north edge of Arkledun Ave. As Arkledun crosses over the Claremont Access, there is a huge open view out over Hamilton and the lake. Here we took a break to catch our breath, enjoy snacks and drink some water to cool off.
Continuing on we crossed an urban bridge over the Claremont Access and promptly thought we were lost. For several moments we could not figure out how to cross the road safely and could not find any blazes. Checking the guide we discovered that here the trail takes a hard right, and leads under the road!
Uncertain, we
ventured under the bridge only to find white blazes on the upright supports of
the structure. Thankful to be back on
the trail we crossed under the roaring roadway above and climbed into the
forest on the other side continuing our trek in a green tunnel of trees!
Chedoke Radial Trail
Soon after we again came to yet another set of metal stairs on which we descended back down the escarpment to the Chedoke Radial Trail. Here the pathway was level, well maintained and lead us through Chedoke Park passing by several more sets of metal stair cases. The Bruce Trail throughout this section is beautiful, being both covered by trees and giving hikers a wonderful view over the whole of Hamilton and Hamilton harbour.
The BTC eventually encountered the Chedoke Staircase approximately halfway up the escarpment which we followed as we descended to the bottom passing alongside the Chedoke Civil Golf Course. There are no words to describe how beautiful this stretch of the Bruce Trail is. This is a section that we have visited several times in different seasons and been constantly amazed . We have been here in the fall when the colours on the trees magically light up the trail.
While today there were neither amazing fall colours nor fog, we were nonetheless grateful for the good weather, the patience of athletes on the stair cases as we hiked through, and the water bottle refill station at the base of the Chedooke Staircase!
Refreshed after a small break at the base of the Chedoke Staircase we continued on as the trail turned to follow a paved pathway. Here we were led past a small waterfall, through a short tunnel, over a mesmerizing geometric metal bridge, and were periodically given views of the surrounding region including Hamilton Harbour and Lake Ontario – the site of some of Canada’s largest Industrial development throughout the nation’s young history as well as being one of its busiest ports.
Iroquoia Heights Conservation Area
Tiffany Falls Conservation Area
All too soon we left the meadows of Iroquoia C.A. behind and arrived to the roaring and busy HWY 403 which we were thankful to be able to cross over on a covered bridge as the road raced beneath us. Descending a small set of metal stairs the Bruce Trail briefly ventured along a residential street before leading us into Tiffany Falls Conservation Area.
Here we had a quick stroll through the pleasantly cool and lush forest to our parked car. As such we took ten minutes to relax, and admired the thin but beautiful stream of water cascading over Tiffany Falls. When it’s flowing, Tiffany falls is a 21 meter, or 69 feet tall ribbon waterfall and is situated only a few minutes walk from the nearby access parking lot.
Done trekking for the day we reflected on our hike through the region.
Not being from Hamilton, we always had previously had the sense that it was a huge city which was heavily industrialized and dirty. Yet today proved that this was far from true! Here the trail systems was amazingly developed, the Bruce Trail itself largely remained in a green corridor throughout most of the venture, and the city could not have more welcoming. This area is situated in the Carolinian forest zone and along with the Niagara Escarpment it combines streams, valleys, lookouts, and a wondrous collection of waterfalls. In short, our expectations of hiking in Hamilton had been of a day full of sidewalk trekking and venturing through urban sprawl. Instead we were shown a greener side of the city that made us come to realize that nature can be found in every community.
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Date: May 21, 2016
Distance: 27.5 km - 45.0km (Tiffany Falls)
Duration: 10:30am - 4:30 pm (6 hours)
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