Webster's Falls
Webster's Falls (Rating=A) is a plunge waterfall 22 m high and 24 m wide located in the Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area. This Hamilton area waterfall has Spencer Creek as it's source and is the largest waterfalls in the area. It is also likely the most visited waterfalls in the Hamilton region and has the largest park grounds area.
LOCATION
The falls is located in the Webster's Falls CA in Greensville (Hamilton.) The best place to park is in the lot off Harvest Road as it is between Webster's Falls and Tews Falls as you will probably want to visit both. Park in the pay parking lot off Harvest Road. Do not park on the side of the road on Harvest Rd or you will be ticketed and towed. If you wish to be closer to Webster's Falls, use the lot on Websters Falls Road off Brock Road (Hwy 8).
Falls Type: classical plunge Falls facing: E
Falls Latitude: N43.27625 Longitude: W79.98092
Height: 22 m Width: 24 m
Click on the Road Map button below for a Google map and directions. The Falls Locator button shows a map of other waterfalls in the area.
From the Harvest Road lot it is a 1 km walk to the falls. For wheelchair access, park in the other pay lot on Websters Falls Rd. Here it is only 100 m to Webster's Falls. Click on the Trail Map icon below for area walking trails.
UPDATE 2016:
The trail leading from the parking lot off Harvest Road to Webster's Falls has been closed as is the grey coloured trail on the trail map. Instead, park off Webster's Falls Rd or Fallsview Road. As well the Webster's Falls Side Trail has been renamed Tews Falls Side Trail.
UPDATE 2017:
A shuttle service will now run between a large parking area just outside Dundas and Spencer Gorge/Webster Falls Conservation Area, for visitors to access this popular conservation area on weekends and holidays from Saturday, May 13 to Sunday, October 29, 2017.
All Hamilton Conservation Authority parking lots at Webster, Tew and Greensville Optimist Park will be closed on weekends and holidays during this time period, the only parking lot available will be at the Highway 5 location. The only exception will be visitors with accessible parking permits, who will be allowed to park at Webster Falls parking lot. For maps and more info, see: Shuttle Service Launches.
UPDATE 2018:
From May 12, 2018 to October 28, 2018 (weather permitting), parking on weekends and holiday Mondays will be located at 1000 Highway 5 West at Christie Lake Conservation Area. A shuttle service will drop visitors off at Tew Falls and Greensville Optimist Park to access Webster Falls. No parking will be permitted in HCA lots during these peak periods. For more information, please visit www.conservationhamilton.ca/shuttle
Overall Rating: Webster's Falls = A
Waterflow: A -year round flow of Spencer Creek, reduced in summer
Falls Size: A - > 15 m, a large waterfall
Aesthetics: A -impressive falls, scenic park location, impressive gorge
Tews Falls, Mill Falls, Canterbury Falls, Hermitage Falls
THE WEBSTER'S FALLS AREA:
The Spencer Gorge/Webster's Falls Conservation Area exhibits the physical features which have made the Niagara Escarpment one of Ontario's most spectacular geological formations.
This significant natural area contains two beautiful waterfalls: Webster’s and Tews Falls. Webster’s is a magnificent tiered waterfall and Tews, which towers at 41 metres, is only a few metres shorter than Niagara Falls. Both offer spectacular vistas of the gorge.
A nature trail allows access to the Dundas Peak, which provides stunning views of the Dundas and Hamilton area.
The Spencer Gorge area with its impressive waterfalls was highly prized and ownership changed hands many times before it came into the hands of the Webster family in 1820. It had been called in previous times: Flamborough Falls, Spencer’s Falls, Fisher’s Falls, Hart Falls, and Dr. Hamilton's Falls. Webster purchased hundreds of acres of additional land around and below the falls which now makes up the conservation area. The Webster family home can still be seen a short distance from the waterfalls. Their gravestones can be viewed in a small plot near the Webster's Falls ST on the way to the falls.
At Tews Falls, layers of bedrock common to the Niagara Escarpment are exposed at the falls. Look for red lenses of Queenstone shale, fine grey sandstone and harder more resistant ledges of blue-grey limestone.
WEBSTER'S FALLS AREA WALKING TRAILS:
Bruce Trail, old Bruce Trail, Webster's Falls ST, Glen Ferguson ST. For a map of area trails, click on the Trail Map icon above.
Webster's Falls in WinterFrom the parking area head to your right to pick up the Webster's Falls ST and follow the white blazes along the escarpment edge to the Spencer Gorge. The park like conservation area features lunch spots, picnic tables and washrooms. Be careful in approaching the crest of Webster’s Falls as there is a considerable drop here. If you cross over the reconstructed stone bridge over Spencer’s Creek there are excellent viewing areas of the falls. For a closer view there is a long set of metal stairs that descends down the side of the escarpment taking you to the bottom of the falls. You can get great views of the falls from the bottom and the trail is well established. Some enjoy relaxing on the huge rocks near the base of the falls.
The old Bruce Trail continues along the bottom of the escarpment if you wish to walk further along. However the southern connection to Dundas Peak along the old Bruce Trail has been closed due to a train-hiker accident. For more on getting to the base of other nearby falls, see Tews Falls. After viewing the falls, climb back up the steps (phew!) and head back to the parking lot. From the parking lot, you may wish to head towards Harvest Road and to the right to follow the trail past the lot and towards Tews Falls. A viewing platform provides a good spot to view the falls as Logie’s Creek tumbles over the escarpment into the gorge below. There is an upper and a lower viewing platform placed well out over the gorge to enable a good view. For more on this falls see Tews Falls.
FOR THE ADVENTUROUS ONLY:
Climbing down the metal staircase, you can climb over the huge dolomite rocks and make it right to the base of the falling water for a closeup view. WEBSTER'S FALLS VIDEO:
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