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River

Twenty Mile Creek

Class

Plunge

Size

Medium

Visitability

Good

Accessibility

Honour Admission - $3

Activity

Moderate

Walk Time

30min

Trail

Moderate

Gorge Access

Very Difficult

Other Trails

lots

County

Niagara

Exit the QEW at Victoria Avenue (Niagara Rd 24), and drive south past Vineland. While you are driving up the big hill (Niagara Escarpment), watch for the sign for Balls Falls Conservation Area. Turn left on Sixth Avenue, and follow to the park. Park in the lot on the right side of the road. You should expect to pay a small admission fee of a few dollars per person. Check the Conservation Authority's web page for details. To reach the upper falls, walk upstream along the trail along the left bank of the river. This walk is about 10-15 minutes, and save for a few hills, is quite pleasant.

Settlement

Vineland

NTS Map

30 M/3

Easting

631414

Northing

4776384

UTM Zone

Many people that visit Balls Falls are unaware that there are really two falls here. The upper falls is not a true plunge waterfall like the lower falls, and is slightly smaller. This doesn't mean that the falls is any less beautiful however. The falls may be accessed by a 10-15 minute walk upstream from the parking lot. Be sure to use the trail on the left bank - if you face downstream, this is the left bank.

When river levels are very low or almost dry, you can walk upstream from the viewing platform along the river bed. If you've never walked along a "river highway" paved with bedrock, this is your chance! You should be able to spot dozens of little potholes in the river bed. These features are about 10-15 cm across and about the same in depth. They are formed during periods of high river discharge, probably by the erosive power of sand entrained in eddy-like flows within the water.