Webster's Falls — Attraction in Hamilton

DO NOT VISIT Webster Falls on weekends, especially if you have pets. They close all main parking lots closer to the fall on the weekends. One of the worst experiences on 2017 Thanksgiving long a weekend for my entire family and many other families due to the mismanagement by the City of Hamilton park officials. They had no clue where to direct traffic for families with dogs. After running around between three distant parking lots twice, they told us to go to a place called Crooks Hollow parking lot, pay and display, then walk 2 kms back to the falls with our dog. No Shuttle Services provided for families with pets especially when pets are allowed in the Webster Fall area. Shuttle buses were like 30-40 minutes apart as they have only had one or two buses running for the long weekend. Whosoever had planned this alternate parking arrangement should be ashamed of themselves for discouraging visiting families NOT to celebrate long weekend and not support Canada 150 vision. I personally felt like the City of Hamilton park officials saying "we don't want people to visit our parks, don't get physically active and sit at home and eat Turkey." Such a waste of time for my whole family ( and 2 families of my friends) driving all the way from Oakville and Markham to this stupid small town to deal with City of Hamilton's narrow vision on how not to handle simple alternate parking arrangement. What a joke compared to our neighbours down south where park rangers are so helpful to resolve your issues, have better park management and they appear professional, not loosydoosy attitude with absolutely no care to visiting out of town people. They should have created a Pet Friendly parking lot near the Fall so families with pets can park and walk to the fall especially when no pets allowed in their shuttle buses from distant alternate parking lots 3 to 5kms away from the Fall. Wake up City of Hamilton and support Canada's 150th birthday promoting and encouraging families to get out and enjoy the Nature motto. If you have Pets DO NOT VISIT Webster Falls on weekends or be prepared to park 3 to 5kms away in a paid parking lot then walk your dogs all the way back, no wonder the park was not busy, see photo driving down to their...

Wow.

This beautiful place now serves as the most glaring example I’ve ever seen of how to take something wonderful and completely, absolutely, and totally ruin it. I’ve been here over a dozen times spanning decades, and I am speechless as to how badly the Hamilton Conservation Authority has butchered it. Where do I start?

The entire road leading to the main parking lot is closed off, and the parking lot itself is completely fenced off. You have to follow some pieced together plastic signs on the side of the road to a different parking lot, then walk across the river, down the side of the road, and then into the conservation area - but not before displaying your ‘security wristband’ to the security guard sitting at the side entrance to the park

The entire area at the top of the falls has a 6 foot tall fence around it. Don’t bother trying to jump the fence and walk down the old stairs to the bottom (there is an advisory requesting you not jump the fence, but no mention of trespassing if you do). They’ve completely remove the old stairs / support rails / hand bars and the rest of the infrastructure going down.

This is perhaps the greatest shame of this place - the trail through the Spencer Gorge overlooking the Dundas Valley has been completely fenced off with a 10 foot tall wood fence (see picture). Part of the path went through the property of the owner of the home at the end of the street (and had a sign before about it requesting you stay on the path) - it looks like this guy cashed out with his structured / manicured trail paid for by the city and fenced off the entire area thus eliminating the trail. What a shame.

$30 for two people to go. I remember when it was a free parking lot. Then $5 through the honour system. Then $5 through a kiosk. Then $10 with a gate attendant- $30 for two people to visit is a disgrace.

Until this place changes or someone else takes over the area AVOID GOING HERE AT ALL COSTS - do not, I repeat do not waste your money. The local residents obviously have influence enough to have their streets / area / local parks closed off to...

This should be a 5 star rating because the waterfall is absolutely stunning, the reason I’m giving it 3 stars is because of the Hamilton Conservation Authrotiy and how they have made it close to Impossible to have a great time and see all that Webster’s Falls has to offer. They block off all parking and try to sell you a wrist band to which you get shuttled around on a school bus to see both Webster’s Falls and Tews Falls. Well Do yourself a favour put your money back in your wallet and follow me, unless you want to pay a $10 parking fee and $5 per person wristband fee. Even when you get into the shuttle entrance to the park there is no signage directing you to the falls. So what you need to do is find the optimist park parking lot along #8 and simply park alongside the road. Enter the shuttle only parking lot by foot and take the trail furthest to your right. Keep walking and you’ll surely find it. When you finally navigate your way over to the falls there are two awakward vantage points to see Webster’s Falls. To which are lined with black metal fences, once you have wasted your time with these poor vantage points you can get ready to have real fun by hoping the fence put up by those damn do gooders! follow the very clear well used trail to the bottom of the amazing Webster’s Falls! *Note this trail is rugged and kind of dangerous so use at your own risk (if only the authority would invest their money in a safer way down there instead of the damn fences) Here you get the best views and hey take you shirt off and go under the falls for the most refreshing exhilarating experience!...