Louth Falls

Louth Falls (Rating=B) is a plunge cascade waterfall where the flow from Sixteen Mile Creek drops 9 m into the gorge below. The crest of the falls has a width of about 6.5 m.

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THE LOUTH FALLS AREA:

The crest of Louth FallsThe Louth Conservation Area is located along sixteen Mile Creek in the Town of Lincoln. The entire conservation area is forested with the exception of a small parking lot at the curve in Staff Avenue.

This is usually a very quiet location with few visitors. The 62 hectares of land that define this Conservation Area preserves sections of the Niagara Escarpment and provides access to the Bruce Trail and the Louth Side Trail.

Louth Falls is located where 16 Mile Creek tumbles over the limestone of the Niagara Escarpment. This small falls is located in a deciduous forest where the landscape develops when exposed limestone is eroded chemically by weak acids in precipitation. The shallow trenches you can see probably began as joints in the bedrock, which over time were enlarged by chemical erosion.

There are actually two waterfalls in this CA with the larger lower Louth Falls the much more dramatic of the two. An upper Louth Falls located upstream closer to the road cascades down just under 4 m while the larger lower falls drops about 9 m. Due to a rock slide or road construction or both, the upper falls is now partly buried under huge boulders. No facilities are available at the site and parking is free.

LOUTH FALLS AREA WALKING TRAILS:

Bruce Trail, Louth Side Trail, Access trail from parking lot. For a map of area trails, click on the Trail Map icon above.

Louth Falls in dry summerFrom the back of the parking lot off Staff Avenue, follow the path into the woods. Watch for the blue sign for the Louth Side Trail. Follow the blue blazed side trail through the deciduous forest. The trail swings right crossing a creek before coming close to the boundary of the Louth Conservation Area. Here the trail swings left again at the sign pointing to 7th parking and crosses a small creek. Watch for the white Bruce Trail blazes and turn left following these to Louth Falls.

After viewing the falls, the river bed above the crest is interesting to explore and very easy to access. Head back to the main white blazed trail and follow to a T-intersection. Some walking fern can be found on rocks in this area. Turn to your right and head up the hill. Follow this main white blazed trail along the escarpment edge back to Staff Avenue where you can examine the gorge to the left of the parking lot. Also cross Staff Ave to view the deep ground fissures there and the puzzling flow of water. This area is not a good place to visit in mosquito season.

FOR THE ADVENTUROUS ONLY:

HIKES VISITING THIS FALLS:

L46F Rockway Falls to Louth Falls and L47F Louth Falls to Balls Falls and L48F Rockway Falls to Balls Falls

LOUTH FALLS VIDEO: