“There’s a waterfall where??”That was my immediate reaction when my brother called me and asked how I felt about an early morning fall hike into Sydenham Falls. Even though I had lived in this area for over 20 years I was totally unaware that this waterfall existed.
That was a year ago, and now I make a point of hiking the Sydenham Falls trail at least once each season. The great thing about this trail is that it actually contains 3 waterfalls and if you visit when the runoff is heavier you will get a chance to view a fourth.
Often times in the past, I had seen the trail heading into the woods at the bottom of the Sydenham Hill in Dundas, Ontario, not ever realizing the beauty and amazing rock formations that would appear just steps beyond.
The first waterfall that you come to is called Lower Sydenham Falls. It is approximately 13 feet high and is located below the railway bridge that crosses Sydenham Creek. There is a narrow wooden bridge that provides a good spot to view from and if you are feeling adventurous, a narrow and steep trail will take you to the water level.
As you continue up the trail about 100 metres, heading steadily uphill into the escarpment, you will find a side trail on your right with a very steep downhill grade. This somewhat treacherous descent will take you to the bottom of Middle Sydenham Falls. The climb is worth it as this 20 feet high washboard curtain falls is spectacular! 
Heading back up the main trail, you arrive at Upper Sydenham Falls, which at approximately 45 feet tall is the largest of the three. It is a beautiful ribbon type falls and is a great spot to take photos.
That was a year ago, and now I make a point of hiking the Sydenham Falls trail at least once each season. The great thing about this trail is that it actually contains 3 waterfalls and if you visit when the runoff is heavier you will get a chance to view a fourth.
Often times in the past, I had seen the trail heading into the woods at the bottom of the Sydenham Hill in Dundas, Ontario, not ever realizing the beauty and amazing rock formations that would appear just steps beyond.
The first waterfall that you come to is called Lower Sydenham Falls. It is approximately 13 feet high and is located below the railway bridge that crosses Sydenham Creek. There is a narrow wooden bridge that provides a good spot to view from and if you are feeling adventurous, a narrow and steep trail will take you to the water level.
As you continue up the trail about 100 metres, heading steadily uphill into the escarpment, you will find a side trail on your right with a very steep downhill grade. This somewhat treacherous descent will take you to the bottom of Middle Sydenham Falls. The climb is worth it as this 20 feet high washboard curtain falls is spectacular! Heading back up the main trail, you arrive at Upper Sydenham Falls, which at approximately 45 feet tall is the largest of the three. It is a beautiful ribbon type falls and is a great spot to take photos. 
In between Middle and Upper Sydenham Falls, you will see the fourth waterfall which is also beautiful but tends to dry up in the summer. This waterfall is called Lafarge Falls. This tall ribbon falls has water cascading down a rock face full of colour. On this day, December 31, 2011, we had just experienced a day of light rain which ensured that the falls was flowing well. 
The easiest way to access this trail is through Cascades Park which is on Livingstone Drive in Dundas. I highly recommend this trail if you are looking to see a lot of waterfalls in a short span of time. Also, this trail features a lot of uphill walking as you make your way up the escarpment so you get an additional cardio workout as a bonus!For your information, we now have a new page on Facebook. Please visit and “LIKE” us!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-Beyond/120774278042380
We will use that page to post photos as well as to provide current information on trail conditions and events. Come join the conversation!!
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Dundas-Valley-and-Beyond/120774278042380
We will use that page to post photos as well as to provide current information on trail conditions and events. Come join the conversation!!
Thanks for the sensible critique. Me & my neighbor were just preparing to do some research about this. We got a grab a book from our local library but I think I learned more clear from this post. I am very glad to see such fantastic info being shared freely out there.
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I appreciate the feedback and thank you for your kind words. I plan on visiting and writing about many more great trails and destinations in the area over the next few months. Thanks for reading my blog, please visit again!
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