Waterfall Tuesdays: Devil’s Punch Bowl Waterfalls

For the first ever Waterfall Tuesdays post I will be featuring East Hamilton’s Devil’s Punchbowl Waterfalls.

Yesterday, I visited Devil’s Punchbowl Conservation area for the first time. If you’ve ever passed through Stoney Creek, you might have seen a cross on the mountain brow. William Sinclair erected the cross in 1966. Sinclair wanted to see the cross lit-up for every Christmas and Easter, but the people of Stoney Creek enjoyed it so much that they donated money to keep it lit 365 days a year. The cross sits at the top of the Devil’s Punch Bowl Falls.  I’ve always wanted to know what was the story behind that cross as I used to pass through Stoney Creek frequently and it always seemed to catch my eye.

Back to the Falls! The Devil’s PunchbowlFalls sits right on the escarpment in Stoney Creek and it is estimated to be over 450million years old. The most interesting part is being able to visually see the different layers and colours of the escarpment right in the bowl. The Devil’s Punch Bowl is actually made up of two falls, the tall (upper) falls and the lower falls, which is a smaller drop. From the cross on the escarpment, there is a path that take you right down to of them. For those interested in going, it is not ideal for strollers or bikes. At first glance it may seem a little steep but that is not the case. The conservation authority has done a good job of creating wooden steps and adding railings to hold on to.

Although I saw the falls on a hot delightful day, I’d suggest going after a rain fall or early spring when the snow is still melting because the falls were quite dried up.
The trek from the cross down to the falls was enjoyable though and it may be harder to do after a rainfall. Anyways, regardless when you visit, I think it is a hidden gem of Hamilton. These are some of the places I think young adults would love to venture out to had they knew it existed.

After your hike, be sure to stop at the Punch Bowl Market and Bakery Barn right on Ridge Road. Be sure to try some of their awesome cheesecake squares. They may look ordinary but they taste fantastic!

Have fun and be sure to share your adventures at Devil's PunchBowl Waterfalls!

Signing Off,

A.Mihaela