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F04 - DeCew, Swayze & Rockway Falls

Click on text in image above to view the selected item -select A or B for desired Trail Map

For Swayze Falls click here       For Rockway Falls click here

DeCew Falls

THE SITE: This is a great location with its picturesque waterfall and historic mill. The mill was built of local stone in 1872 on the site of a former blacksmith and carpentry shop. Water was diverted from Beaverdams Creek to power the mill. Over time, several grain millers leased the mill, and in 1883, it was purchased by Wilson Morningstar, after whom it is named. Destroyed by fire in 1895, it was rebuilt and operated until 1933. It then fell into disrepair but has recently been reconstructed and made into a museum.

 DeCew House was located nearby. During the war of 1812-14, DeCew House was used as headquarters by Lieutenant Fitzgibbon of the 49th Regiment, and it was here that Laura Secord brought her warning of an impending American attack. John DeCew was made Captain of Militia in the Second Regiment of Lincoln, District of Niagara. Though he was captured, he escaped and continued to allow his home to be used in 1913 and 1914 as a military post. Provisions were collected here, the mills ground grain for the army, and it was a busy center of military activity. In 1950, it burned and was destroyed. Ontario Hydro was quick to make the stone ruins a historic site.

THE HIKE: From the parking lot, you will see the remains of DeCew House which are worth a look. Follow the Bruce trail westward around Lake Moodie. You will pass the water treatment plant and a large reservoir that supplies water for the DeCew Hydroelectric Power Station which is one of the oldest in Canada. You are afforded a great view of the Generating Station below from a lookout vantage point. The trail follows the edge of the escarpment for some distance affording great views of the surrounding countryside and urban areas. Continue along the trail through the quiet countryside and soon you will hear the roar of the Lower Falls. At the T intersection turn left and continue to follow the main Bruce Trail. The Lower Falls can be hard to see through all the tree brances and foliage. It is not uncommon to see people who, further along the Bruce Trail towards the east, have scrambled down into the gorge for a great view of both falls. However the slope is both steep and deep and great caution must be exercised. I don’t recommend this descent. If you do descend, you can follow the creek bed downstream for a great view of the Lower Falls and then return upstream to view the Upper Falls. Decew Falls cascades 22 metres into a bowl-shaped amphitheatre just behind the mill. If you are daring, you can go behind the falls and feel the cool spray. On weekends and holiday Mondays, be sure to tour the museums at the crest of the Upper Falls. There is a great view of the falls from a window in the building.

Swayze Falls

THE SITE: Swayze Falls is located in the Short Hills Provincial Park, near St. Catharines. This is an unregulated provincial park where there are no facilities (except for a toilet at the entrance), and no entrance fee. A 19 km network of hiking, skiing, and snowmobile trails criss-cross each other through various habitats in this 688 ha park. See the loops hike section for detailed hiking directions on the marked trails in the park. The park is important as it protects significant Niagara Escarpment features along with the Carolinian forest that is a home to wildlife. Animals living here include white-tailed deer, coyote, and wild turkey. Pawpaw and sweet chestnut trees are among the southern plants.

The landscape in the Short Hills is unlike other areas in Niagara. It has been moulded into a large number of small but steep hills and valleys by the last ice age. Sedimentary deposits and glacial till once filled this valley, until Twelve Mile Creek made its way through, forming the "Short Hills."

With its varied topography and wildlife, interesting and varied woods and vegetation, along with winding trails, Short Hills is a delightful area for for hiking. And if you like this very brief introduction to the short hills seen in the distance you will love hiking in this park as we did.

The creek watershed is quite small and flows can be very low during drier seasons. Mid-winter and spring melts are typically the best time to visit this falls for photography.

THE HIKE: The path from the parking lot to the falls is a relatively short and moderately easy walk on a gravel surface. For direct access to the falls, stay to the right at the fork in the gravel path. There is a good viewing platform overlooking the falls and gorge. If you follow the trail to the left of the platform you will connect with a short dirt trail through the forest that will take you to the crest of the waterfall. Use caution here! The drop off is almost 90 degrees and the gorge is deeper than it seems. If you walk upstream from the crest of the falls, there is an interesting rock creek-bed for 200-300 m upstream. Make an effort not to trample on sensitive aquatic habitat. During dry seasons, there are some isolated pools in the stream bed that may exhibit signs of aquatic life, including fish, crayfish, mollusks, etc.

If you turn right at the viewing platform and follow the path down the lip of the gorge, you can access the gorge bottom. The gorge bottom is moderately easy to access downstream, although there are no trails and you should use caution.
Return to the parking lot by an alternate loop to your right.

Rockway Falls

THE SITE: The Rockway Conservation Area is located along the 15 Mile Creek near the City of St. Catharines. This 126 ha site protects a portion of the Niagara Escarpment, the Rockway Falls, and the diverse flora and fauna of the Carolinian Forest.

Rockway Falls encompasses an erosional notch at the edge of the Niagara Escarpment, probably created by solution of major structural elements in the (Silurian) bedrock that were enhanced by glacial erosion through several glacial periods. The falls are 18.3 m high, with a plunge basin over 3 m deep at the bottom of the falls, eroded into the Irondequoit Formation. Downstream about 70 m, a smaller falls has a height of about 5 m and a plunge basin about 0.6 m deep at the base. The water course then continues to surge over a series of rapids.

Some interesting flora can be witnessed at this location, for example, Jack-in-the-Pulpit, Witch Hazel, and Sycamore to name a few. The existence of a salt spring brings some historical significance to the area as it is thought to have been used as far back as 1792. Furthermore, it possesses the best quality and quantity of salt in the province.

THE HIKE: The Bruce Trail traverses the southern section of this area and is considered an ideal spot for hiking. Head to the back of the parking lot  to see Rockway Upper Falls right before you. This is huge deep gorge and the path is right along the very edge of the gorge . Exercise caution. Walk along this edge to view the Middle Rockway Falls about 70 m downstream. Continue along this rocky edge for a short distance until you can go no further along the edge and there is a large rock jutting out into the gorge providing a good but precarious view. At this point head away from the edge and you will soon find the white blaze markings of the main Bruce Trail. Follow the Bruce Trail down the rocky descent and descend further into the woods. The Rockway Falls Side Trail soon veers off to the left and traverses along the escarpment edge for a distance. This trail is not well marked but if you keep a careful watch for the typical blue blazes marking a side trail, you should be successful. In time you will hear the roar of Lower Rockway Falls and come upon this wonderful spot. This is one of the prettiest locations anywhere and the Falls while not very high casts a huge mist up into the air as the roiling water churns its way past the man made breakwater and  tumbles with great speed into the rapids below. A great place to spend some time viewing the scene on the convenient rocks which have unfortunately seen their share of grafiti. You can descend to the creek bed below the falls for excellent views of the falls and the rapids below. The path continues along the escarpment edge for a while before decending the slope and petering out. A bit before the falls the blue markings indicate the trail swings to the left and crosses the creek to rejoin the main trail at 9th St. However, no creek crossing is possible during peak flow periods. In any case you don’t want to cross the creek just to end up on 9th St. Return along the path you followed to return to the parking lot.

Enjoy the hike and the day.

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