Photo Gallery

The creek running through Rockway Conservation Area as seen from a side trail. Visitors are able to get close enough to touch the water here.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view into the manmade rock fort. You can see it was built to enclose a tree. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A yellow and brown moth resting on a leaf at Rockway Conservation Area. When the leaves change colour the moth will be able to camouflage. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Lush trail through Rockway Conservation Area. The trail here is very wide and well kept for visitors convenience. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Trail leading to and from parking at the Community Centre entrance to Rockway Conservation Area. You can see a vehicle parked in the distance. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Sign near entrance to Rockway Conservation Area.  It tells visitors how the area is funded. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

The bottom of the gorge from above with a view of the small waterfall. The gorge is deeper than the height of the tallest trees. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

This is a side trail at Rockway Conservation Area. It is not as well kept but leads to a beautiful view of a small creek. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

View of the outside of the man-made rock fort. This is found along the main trail in the middle of the forested area. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view of the creek meandering through the forest. As you walk the main trail you can see it running close by. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Creek running through Rockway Conservation Area. The creek runs through the many rock formations, some of which were placed here by settlers decades earlier.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A natural rock formation in the shape of stairs. After a heavy rainfall, water will run down these steps. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view looking down the gorge at Rockway Conservation Area. There is water running through the gorge and can be seen in the center of this photo. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A break in the trees overlooking the view to Lake Ontario. In the far distance Toronto is visible across the lake.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A Leopard Frog rests in a shallow pond at the Rockway Conservation Area. (Photo: unknown)

The creek running through Rockway Conservation Area as seen from a side trail. Visitors are able to get close enough to touch the water here.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view into the manmade rock fort. You can see it was built to enclose a tree. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A yellow and brown moth resting on a leaf at Rockway Conservation Area. When the leaves change colour the moth will be able to camouflage. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Lush trail through Rockway Conservation Area. The trail here is very wide and well kept for visitors convenience. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Trail leading to and from parking at the Community Centre entrance to Rockway Conservation Area. You can see a vehicle parked in the distance. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Sign near entrance to Rockway Conservation Area.  It tells visitors how the area is funded. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

The bottom of the gorge from above with a view of the small waterfall. The gorge is deeper than the height of the tallest trees. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

This is a side trail at Rockway Conservation Area. It is not as well kept but leads to a beautiful view of a small creek. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

View of the outside of the man-made rock fort. This is found along the main trail in the middle of the forested area. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view of the creek meandering through the forest. As you walk the main trail you can see it running close by. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

Creek running through Rockway Conservation Area. The creek runs through the many rock formations, some of which were placed here by settlers decades earlier.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A natural rock formation in the shape of stairs. After a heavy rainfall, water will run down these steps. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A view looking down the gorge at Rockway Conservation Area. There is water running through the gorge and can be seen in the center of this photo. (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A break in the trees overlooking the view to Lake Ontario. In the far distance Toronto is visible across the lake.  (Photo: Samantha Stea)

A Leopard Frog rests in a shallow pond at the Rockway Conservation Area. (Photo: unknown)

RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES

- Hiking

- Wildlife Viewing

- Bruce Trail

- Snow Shoeing

Click to play or download the Rockway Conservation Area TripClip (mp3 format).
This destination is also part of the TripClip tour entitled Niagara's Diverse Conservation Areas.

Hours of Operation

Year Round

8am-8pm daily

DIRECTIONS

From Toronto: 

1. Head south on Bay Street towards Albert Street  

2. Turn right to stay on Bay Street  

3. Turn right onto Lake Shore Boulevard West  

4. Slight Right towards the Gardiner Expressway West  

5. Take the Gardiner Expressway West ramp  

6. Merge onto the Gardiner Expressway West  

7. Continue onto the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW)  

8. Merge onto the Queen Elizabeth Way  

9. Keep left to continue on the Queen Elizabeth Way, following signs for Niagara/East Hamilton/Fort Erie  

10. Take exit 55 towards Regional Road 26/ Jordan Road  

11. Turn left (west) onto Bayview Boulevard

12. Take the first right (south) onto Jordan Road/Regional Road 26

13. Turn left (west) onto King Street

14. Turn right (south) onto Ninth Street

  Destination will be on the left.

From Niagara: 

1. Head north on Stanley Avenue toward spring Street

2. Turn left onto ON-420 West

3. Keep left at fork, following signs for Queen Elizabeth Way/Hamilton/Toronto and merge onto Queen Elizabeth Way

4. Take exit 51 for Seventh Street/Regional Road 34

5. Turn left (south) onto Seventh Street Louth

6. Turn right (west) onto Fourth Avenue/Regional Road 77

7. Take the first left (south) onto Ninth Street

 Destination will be on the left.

Historical

The salt spring in Rockway Conservation Area has been used since 1792. The salt from this spring is known to be of the best quantity and quality in Ontario. 
 

ECOLOGICAL

Rockway Conservation Area contains two waterfalls. The first and largest waterfall has a 19.5 meter drop and the second smaller waterfall has a 12.2 meter drop. As the water flows downstream, rapids begin to form.  During times of low water levels it is possible to get close to the rock formations that lie beneath the falls. 

The area also contains many unique dolostone and shale rock formations, both natural and manmade. These formations are possible because of Rockways location along an erosional notch of Silurian bedrock on the edge of the Niagara Escarpment. 

Rockway Conservation Area is home to many mature trees such as the Basswoods, Sugar Maples, Black Walnuts, Sycamores, and is considered Carolinian Forest. Rockway also supports a variety of wildlife. The Fifteen Mile Creek makes it an ideal habitat for birds, amphibians and mammals.

Further Information

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority (NPCA). (2013). Our conservation areas: Your natural playground. Retrieved from http://www.npca.ca/conservation-areas/

Toronto Hiking. (2012). Rockway falls. Retrieved from
http://www.torontohiking.com/tohi/rockway-falls.html

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=rQBT0vqi2nQ