The best walks and hikes in Short Hills Provincial Park

This trail follows a modern-day approximation of the 32-kilometre journey Laura Secord made during the War of 1812 to warn British forces of an impending American attack, from her homestead in Queenston to DeCew House in Thorold. The route passes through vineyards, woodland, open countryside and parts of the Niagara Escarpment, with some sections using roads and sidewalks as well as dedicated trails. From DeCew House, this section continues through the wooded escarpment landscape toward Lower DeCew Falls, passing along the trails around Twelve Mile Creek and connecting with the Bruce Trail near Morningstar Mill.

Lower DeCew Falls is a remote, roughly 8-metre cascade waterfall tucked into the gorge below Upper DeCew Falls. It’s harder to reach than its upper counterpart, following an unclear, often muddy path upstream along Beaverdams Creek that can be unsafe after heavy rain, but from here you get a nice view right along the trail. The falls get their name from John DeCew, a United Empire Loyalist who acquired the land in 1792 and built water-powered mills here that became an important milling centre in Upper Canada.

Swayze Falls is a seasonal cascade that drops down into a deep, forested gorge. The falls are at their most impressive after spring snowmelt or periods of heavy rain, and this is one of the many beautiful places to visit in the park as you explore the scenic trail network.

Short Hills Provincial Park protects more than 700 hectares of forest, meadows, streams, and deep ravines along the Niagara Escarpment. There are over 20 kilometres of hiking trails, offering plenty of options to explore one of southern Ontario’s largest remaining natural areas. Along with a wide variety of birds, you might even spot white-tailed deer and wild turkeys while you’re here.

Nestled within Short Hills Provincial Park, Terrace Falls is a beautiful cascade that drops over layered dolostone and shale into a forested ravine below. Surrounded by mature Carolinian forest, it’s a peaceful spot to pause and enjoy the natural beauty of the escarpment.

The stone ruins of DeCew House are what’s left of the former home of John DeCew, an early settler, mill owner, and captain in the 2nd Lincoln Militia. During the War of 1812, the house served as the headquarters of Lieutenant James FitzGibbon, where Laura Secord famously delivered her warning of a planned American attack before the Battle of Beaver Dams. Today, the preserved limestone ruins stand as one of Niagara’s most significant War of 1812 landmarks.

The Bridge at Laura's Crossing, also known as the Laura Secord Heritage Trail Suspension Bridge, spans 20 metres across Twelve Mile Creek, and is part of the Laura Secord Legacy Trail. This bridge marks the supposed location where Laura Secord is believed to have waded across the creek in 1813 during her trek to warn British troops of an American invasion. The bridge's design was modeled after eco-friendly New Zealand bridges, where the "Zero Instream Footprint" does not disrupt river habitats below.

No one is absolutely certain of the exact spot where Laura Secord struggled across Twelve Mile Creek on her fateful trek to warn the British of an impending American invasion, but most bets are on a meandering stretch of the historic watercourse that's now within the borders of Short Hills Provincial Park. Here, in a likely spot identified by Brock University historian Alun Hughes and others [i], the Friends of Laura Secord (FLS) commissioned the installation of a unique, low-impact suspension footbridge to allow hikers to follow in Laura Secord's famous footsteps. And thanks to the generousity of a mysterious private benefactor and the contributions of a local community-minded construction firm, the bridge is now a reality. The new footbridge is part of the Laura Secord Heritage Trail, a permanent 32-km long hiking trail from Queenston to DeCew House which is being established this year to mark the bicentennial of Laura Secord's famous trek.