Hiking at the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve

I’m always asked what my favourite spots to hike in the Niagara Region are, and today I am going to be talking about one of them!

This spot isn’t as crowded as you’d think it’d be; many stop at the parking lot and leave after the view of the Niagara Gorge, but they’re missing out on so many amazing sights!

Parking at the Niagara Glen Nature Center is my preferred entry to the trails, though there are other spots you can park. This entry point gets you right into the heart of the trails! I recommend spending 2-4hrs here if you’re looking to hike most of it. There are 8 trails and 1 bouldering trail (that you need a permit for) so you can pick what you would like to see in advance based off this blog post!

All of the trails combined are about 4km in distance, however, there are lots of stairs and rocks to tackle so be prepared. In fact, from this parking location, you need to go down a large metal staircase to begin your trek.

When you begin your hike, regardless of which trails you choose, you start along the Cliffside trail. I like to hike towards the whirlpool section first. At the bottom of the stairs, you’re met with huge cliff faces that are breathtaking. Enjoy this moment, you’re walking inside of a canyon! So amazing!

You’ll shortly be met with some forks in the trail where you get to choose which trail to continue on. If you’re not sure what to do, follow the perimeter of the trails. Make sure you have a map or a photo of the map with you!

Fun Fact: The Niagara Gorge is an 11 km (6.8 mi) long canyon carved by the Niagara River. It begins at the base of Niagara Falls and finishes off at the Niagara Escarpment in Queenston, Ontario.  

On my most recent trip here, we followed the Cliffside trail to the Eddy Trail and stopped to admire being at the bottom of the Niagara Gorge. Here is a the route we took:

As you can see, we started with the perimeter and afterward, we walked through the individual trails in the center – there were a lot of overlapping sections.

When met with the Niagara River, we walked along with it for quite some time and got to admire its turquoise beauty.

Want to know why the water is so rich in colour? Salt! The erosive strength from the falls and the rapids create finely ground rock and salts which make the water such a memorable colour.

The water and rocks aren’t the only things to admire here though, you’re walking through one of Canada’s last pristine areas of Carolinian Forest.

This forest is close to the Great Lakes (since the Niagara River flows from Lake Ontario to Lake Erie) which create a warm and humid climate. That’s why this area has trees and plants that are normally found in warmer environments!

On our trek around the trails, we stopped a few times to admire the beauty but from start to finish we were in awe of everything we saw. I have been here many times and in different seasons, and still, I am always blown away.

If you’re visiting Niagara, I strongly recommend you visit this gem – it’s a great place to get a good understanding of Niagara Falls, and to make some lasting memories.

Quick Tips for this trek:

• Park at the Nature Centre for best access to trails ($2.50CAD/hr – credit cards and mobile pay only)
• If unsure, trek around the perimeter of the trails
• Absolutely no swimming allowed – these rapids are nothing to mess around with! Leave your bathing suit at home
• There are lots of stairs – be aware!
• Bring water – stay hydrated
• Wear sturdy footwear

Until the next adventure,

Kate 🥾🌲

If you end up going here, tag me in your photos! @yourmatiekatie #katieoutdoors

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