Left: Gorgeous October evening sky at sunset above Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby. Top Right: Welcome to Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, parking area and park entrance on Quarry Road, Grimsby. Bottom Right: Beamer Memorial Conservation Area lookout, offering beautiful escarpment and skyline views.

Photos: [Carly Lebel].

GENERAL INFORMATION

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, located on the Niagara Escarpment in Grimsby, Ontario is renowned not only as the best vantage point in the Niagara Peninsula to observe the annual hawk migration, but also for offering one of the most breath-taking and picturesque views of the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario at sunset.  Take a hike along the scenic lookout trail, and soak up the beautiful views at sunset from 3 of the viewing platforms.

Although the entire trail is quite long (10km), there are amazing views from the first lookout point which is only about a 10 minute walk from the parking area and is wheelchair accessible. As the sun begins to descend, these platforms allow you to gaze over the entire town of Grimsby and Lake Ontario as the sun shines down reflecting off of the buildings and the lake. This destination is a perfect area for watching the sunset as you are able to see the whole sun as it disappears below the horizon, with nothing blocking your view as you sit on top of the Niagara escarpment. Summer and early fall evenings are the best time of the year to view sunsets at this location as at these times the sunsets are more spectacular and picturesque because of the seasons and angle of the sun. The gorgeous colours of the sky at sunset over Lake Ontario at times can be mesmerizing.

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area is an ideal location for a family hike, romantic walk, or a place to get out and walk your dog, to enjoy the forest scenery and atmosphere and gaze over Grimsby and Lake Ontario as the sun sets. This location offers park benches where you can relax and enjoy a romantic picnic dinner, or a coffee while soaking in the views, and a staircase up to a lookout tower, where kids enjoy climbing up and down. Photographers have amazing photo taking opportunities available at this location surrounded by nature - forest, trees, wildlife including birds of prey, cliffs, and interesting flora and fauna. As the beautiful bright coloured sun sets over the escarpment cliffs and the lake, you will not only enjoy the view but leave with beautiful photos.

Photo Gallery

Beautiful autumn coloured sky, taken on an evening hike up the Beamer Trail, in Grimsby in September. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area trail entrance via the stone parking lot, off of Quarry Road on the Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Observation tower at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. Great activity for children to climb, while offering perfect phototaking opportunities. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area visitor information, site map with trail routes and spring hawk migration information. Sign located right before the main trail entrance. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area Lookout Trail - approx. 25 min. trail walk, however only about a 10 min. walk to the first breathtaking lookout point. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area trail on the Grimsby Escarpment. View from the trail approaching the first lookout point. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

A perfect and picturesque area to relax and enjoy a coffee or tea on the bench and watch the sunset. The first lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

View of the city from the first lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Photo of the second lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. Climb up a couple stairs to see great views of the entire town of Grimsby and Lake Ontario. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

An overcast evening at sunset, yet still a beautiful view of the skyline off of the 2nd lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Pretty fall sky over Lake Ontario, a view from the lookout point on the Beamer Trail. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Late September hike up Beamer Trail in Grimsby to the lookout point to see the pretty sky colours at sunset. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

A beautiful fall evening view peaking through trees on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Sunset at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. A beautiful area for romantic picnics, or a family day hike. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beautiful September sunset above Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Gorgeous September sky at sunset above Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beautiful autumn coloured sky, taken on an evening hike up the Beamer Trail, in Grimsby in September. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area trail entrance via the stone parking lot, off of Quarry Road on the Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Observation tower at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. Great activity for children to climb, while offering perfect phototaking opportunities. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area visitor information, site map with trail routes and spring hawk migration information. Sign located right before the main trail entrance. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area Lookout Trail - approx. 25 min. trail walk, however only about a 10 min. walk to the first breathtaking lookout point. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area trail on the Grimsby Escarpment. View from the trail approaching the first lookout point. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

A perfect and picturesque area to relax and enjoy a coffee or tea on the bench and watch the sunset. The first lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

View of the city from the first lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Photo of the second lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. Climb up a couple stairs to see great views of the entire town of Grimsby and Lake Ontario. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

An overcast evening at sunset, yet still a beautiful view of the skyline off of the 2nd lookout point on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Pretty fall sky over Lake Ontario, a view from the lookout point on the Beamer Trail. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Late September hike up Beamer Trail in Grimsby to the lookout point to see the pretty sky colours at sunset. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

A beautiful fall evening view peaking through trees on the Beamer Trail, Grimsby escarpment. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Sunset at Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. A beautiful area for romantic picnics, or a family day hike. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Beautiful September sunset above Beamer Memorial Conservation Area, Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Gorgeous September sky at sunset above Beamer Memorial Conservation Area in Grimsby. [Photo: Carly Lebel]

Click to play or download the Beamer Memorial Conservation Area Sunsets TripClip (mp3 format).

This destination is also part of the TripClip tour entitled Sunset Tour of Niagara.
 

Hours of Operation

Open Year-Round

8am to dusk

DIRECTIONS

From East or West via the Queen Elizabeth Way (QEW):

Take exit 71, Christie Street, Grimsby (south) towards the escarpment

Christie Street becomes Mountain Street at the downtown traffic lights

Follow Mountain Street (Regional Road 12) south, up to the top of the Escarpment

Turn right (west) onto Ridge Road

Turn right (north) onto Quarry Road

Park entrance is on Quarry Road on your right

Historical

The Escarpment and area rock were formed from sediment deposits on an ocean floor that covered this area over 400 million years ago. These deposits were compressed over millions of years and formed layers of sedimentary rock. The prominent cliffs of the Escarpment resulted from river and slope erosion that began over 2.5 million years ago, before the onset of the ice age. The lanscape was further modified when thick glacial ice sheets advanced and retreated over the area, carving a deep channel into the softer sedimentary rock. Since the last glacial retreat, approximately 13,000 years ago, large volumes of spring melt water continued to erode this channel resulting in the deep gorge of the Forty-Mile Creek.

More recently, Beamer Memorial was the site of a sawmill powered by water from the creek, and a restaurant and the home of John and Anna Beamer, early Grimsby settlers.

ECOLOGICAL

Beamer Memorial Conservation Area is renowned as the best vantage point in the Niagara Peninsula to observe the annual spring hawk migration. It is part of the internationally designated Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve, and offers breathtaking views of the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario. The trail features interesting flora and fauna and is a significant area for water discharge of the 40 Mile Creek. It is an excellent site for observing birds of prey such as hawks, falcons, bald eagles and turkey vultures in the spring, and offers great views of the 40 Mile Creek Valley. As a natural escarpment property this area has a variety of old growth and interior forest offering a linear wildlife and plant corridor, with Sugar Maple and Red Oak predominately throughout the site as well as some Hemlock and White Cedar.

Further Information

http://niagaragreenbelt.com/listings/76-parks-gardens-a-conservation-areas/30-beamer-memorial-conservation-area.html
 

Beamer Falls Bed and Breakfast at Falconridge Farm: 

http://www.beamerfalls.ca/
 

Important Bird Areas of Canada: 

http://www.bsc-eoc.org/iba/site.jsp?siteID=ON023

Ontario Trails Council:

http://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/trails-a-z/beamer-memorial-conservation-area-trail

Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority: