Waterfalls

Waterfalls have always facinated me - all of them from water bubbling over a drop of a few inches to mighty Niagara. Unfortunately many of them have been disfigured by the diversion of their water for mills or hydroelectricity works built beside them.

Niagara Escarpment

Albion Falls:
Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton.
On Red Hill Creek.
Very steep ramp waterfall with two 7 to 8-metre drops.
In mid-April after a winter with a lot of snow there was lots of water to make the falls really impressive. This photo was taken from the viewing platform beside the car park on Mountain Brow Blvd, just west of Pritchard Rd.

Albion Falls:
Niagara Escarpment in Hamilton.
On Red Hill Creek.
Very steep ramp waterfall with two 7 to 8-metre drops.
This photo was taken from the foot of the falls. There is a very rough path from the car park at the end of Mud St. just east of Pritchard Rd. It is not for the faint-hearted.

Upper Ball's Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near Lincoln.
On Twenty Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 11-metre drop.
In mid-April after a winter with a lot of snow, there was lots of water. The falls can be dry in the summer.

Lower Ball's Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near Lincoln.
On Twenty Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 27-metre drop.
When we were there in mid-April, there were salmon spawning in the river a short distance below the falls. The falls can be completely dry in summer.

Ball's Falls:
Ball's Mills (Glen Elgin) ghost town.
On Twenty Mile Creek at Lower Ball's Falls.
The Ball family were United Empire Loyalists who came to Canada from near Albany, New York, in 1783 after the American Revolution. By 1852 there were 19 people living in the hamlet, including a blacksmith, cooper, weaver, tailor, butcher and spinners. This church, St. George, was built in Hannon in 1864 and moved here in 1976.

Ball's Falls:
Ball's Mills (Glen Elgin) ghost town.
On Twenty Mile Creek at Lower Ball's Falls.
As well as the Ball family house and barn, there is this grist mill (1809), a tool shed, smoke house, bake oven, tenant's house, lime kilns, and a blacksmith's shop. A ruined woolen mill is on the way to the upper falls. 2 other houses and the church have been moved to the site.

Upper Beamer Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near Grimsby.
On Forty Mile Creek.
Ramp waterfall with 9-metre drop.
Early October 2012 after a very dry summer so there is not much water.

Beamer Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near Grimsby.
On Forty Mile Creek.
Ramp waterfall with 9-metre drop.
Early October 2012 after a very dry summer so there is not much water.

Upper DeCew Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Twelve Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 22-metre fall.
We hiked from below the lower falls all the way to the foot of the upper falls. The trail was terrible; scrambling up beside the lower falls wasn't too bad but coming back down was scary.
Morningstar Mill (1872) at top of upper falls.
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Upper DeCew Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Twelve Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 22-metre fall.
There was no way we were going to try the hike to the foot of the falls in the winter.

Upper DeCew Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Twelve Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 22-metre fall.
It is a really beautiful waterfall when seen from below. It would be so nice if there were a safe trail. Photo taken by Jens Illigen.

Upper DeCew Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Twelve Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 22-metre fall.
My daughter tried her best to get a photo of the falls without Morningstar Mill at the top. She almost succeeded. Photo taken by Kim Sherwood.

Upper Close-up of DeCew Falls from below

Lower DeCew Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Twelve Mile Creek.
Steep cascade waterfall with 8-metre fall.
There was no way we were going to try the hike to the lower falls in the winter.

Louth Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Sixteen Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 8-metre fall.
In early October after a very dry summer, the waterfall was completely dry.

Louth Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Sixteen Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 8-metre fall.
In early March there was lots of water but it was much too icy to get really close to the falls.

Panorama of niagara Falls
Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls. Horseshoe Falls:
Niagara Escarpment at Niagara Falls.
On Niagara River.
Plunge falls with 53-metre drop. 671 m wide.
About half the water is diverted for hydro-electricity so the falls are not eroding as fast as they naturally would. The water is about 3m deep at the top edge and 52m in the pool below the falls. About 90% of the water of the Niagara River goes over the Horseshoe Falls. For more photos and more details, go to my Niagara Falls page.

Niagara Falls. American Falls:
Niagara Escarpment at Niagara Falls.
On Niagara River.
Plunge falls with ~30-metre drop to boulders at base. 320m wide.
The Maid of the Mist boats have been taking tourists to the foot of the falls since 1846. For more photos and more details, go to my Niagara Falls page.

Maid of the Mist aat foot of American Falls<empty>

Upper Rockway Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Fifteen Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 2-3 metre drop.
Seen from road bridge above main falls. Completely dry in October 2012 after a hot, dry summer,

Main Rockway Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Fifteen Mile Creek.
Ramp waterfall with 18.3-metre drop.
We followed a little trail to the left behind the community centre - fine in summer but too dangerous in winter. The waterfall was completely dry after a hot, dry summer.

Lower Rockway Falls:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
On Fifteen Mile Creek.
Plunge waterfall with 2-3 metre drop.
Seen from the trail to the right behind the community centre. Completely dry after a hot, dry summer.

Swayze Waterfall:
Niagara Escarpment near St. Catherines.
Twelve Mile Creek.
Ramp waterfall with 16-m fall.
Also known as Dry Falls as it is often dry in summer and autumn.

Muskoka

Big Chute:
Lock 44 on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Severn River.
Power station spillway. About 18m drop
There is usually no water; but occasionally the siren sounds and water gushes down the spillway..

Big Chute:
Lock 44 on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Severn River.
Power station spillway. About 18m drop.
This is how it usually looks.

Big Chute:
Lock 44 on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Severn River.
Power station spillway.
The water is diverted to this hydroelectricity generating station which supplies the power to run the marine railway. The original Big Chute was probably just to the right of the power station where the tracks of the marine railway are located

Big Chute:
Lock 44 on the Trent-Severn Waterway.
Severn River.
Power station spillway.
The marine railway was built in 1917 and enlarged in 1921 to lift boats over the 18m drop of Big Chute.

Upper Bracebridge Falls:
In the centre of the city of Bracebridge.
North Muskoka River.
Cascade waterfall.
The upper falls is dammed under the bridge. The building on the left, built in 1892, was one of the first hydroelectric power stations in Ontario.

Bracebridge Falls:
In the centre of the city of Bracebridge.
North Muskoka River.
Cascade waterfall.
The building at the top left, built in 1902, is another hydoelectric generating station and still puts out 600kW of electricity.

Coopers Falls:
6 km east of Washago.
Black River.
Steep cascade waterfall with ~7m drop.
The village of Coopers Falls is now almost a ghost town.

High Falls:
6 km north of Bracebridge.
North Muskoka River.
Steep cascade waterfall with ~17m drop.
One of the largest waterfalls in Muskoka.
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Little High Falls:
6 km north of Bracebridge.
Potts Creek where it joins the North Muskoka River.
Several falls with about 5m total drop.
This is also called Potts Falls and the waterfall about 100m upstream near the footbridge is called Little High Falls. I don't know which is correct.

Potts Falls:
6 km north of Bracebridge.
Potts Creek just below footbridge.
Cascade waterfall with drop of ~5 metres.
This is also called Little High Falls.

Muskoka Falls:
East of Bracebridge.
South Muskoka river.
Cascade waterfall; total drop 33 metres.
One of the first hydroelectric generating stations in Muskoka was built here in 1907.

Muskoka Falls:
East of Bracebridge.
South Muskoka river.
Cascade waterfall; total drop 33 metres.
The lower part of the falls under the Highway 11 bridge.

Ragged Falls:
On Highway 60 just outside the western boundry of Algonquin Park.
Oxtongue River.
Cascade waterfall with over 20m drop.

Ragged Falls:
On Highway 60 just outside the western boundry of Algonquin Park.
Oxtongue River.
Cascade waterfall with over 20m drop.
One of the few waterfalls not spoiled by mills or hydro generators.

Upper Ragged Falls:
On Highway 60 just outside the western boundry of Algonquin Park.
Oxtongue River.
Cascade waterfall with 2m drop.

Ragged Falls:
On Highway 60 just outside the western boundry of Algonquin Park.
Oxtongue River.
Cascade waterfall with over 20m drop.
Oxtongue River above Ragged Falls.

Victoria Falls:
East of Washago at the east end of Black River Road. On Ganaraska Trail.
Black River.
Cascade waterfall with 5m drop.

Wasdell Falls:
East of Severn Bridge.
Severn River
Dam.
The hydroelectric power station was built in 1914 and operated until 1955. It was torn down in the 1970's. There are plans to build a new power station to supply Orillia, Washago and other nearby communities.

Wilsons Falls:
North side of Bracebridge.
North Muskokia River.
Cascade waterfall with 5m drop.
In 1909 the town of Bracebridge built a hydroelectric power station beside (left) Wilsons Falls.

Wilsons Falls:
North side of Bracebridge.
North Muskokia River.
Cascade waterfall with 5m drop.
In 1909 the town of Bracebridge built a hydroelectric power station beside (left) Wilsons Falls.

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may not be copied or used without written permission.

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