Join us for a hike at beautiful Hilton Falls - one of the best hikes within about an hour of the city.
This gorgeous trail's highlight is the waterfall that should be particularly impressive with the spring melt. Beyond the falls, the conservation area is home to gorgeous varied landscapes, including forests, streams, beaver ponds, and a reservoir.
We'll be walking along the Bruce Trail at points on this easy 10km hike.
Hike length: 10km
Estimated time to complete hike: 4.5 hours
This is an easy looped hike with little in the way of elevation. We'll be walking on maintained paths through the woods.
09:50 - Those getting a ride meet up at the Petrocanada next to Keele Subway Station
10:00 - Shuttle leaves. Please note, we leave dead on time and cannot wait for latecomers!
10:45 - Arrive at Hilton Falls Conservation Area, meet up with self drivers and begin hike.
10:45-15:00 - Hike, eating lunch en route
16:00 - Anticipated return to Keele Station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Shoes
Hiking boots are strongly recommended for this trip. Regular sneakers are not suitable
Packing list
Bring a packed lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water for the hike.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear (ankle high hiking boots) and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles.
Cliffs - Keep away from any steep drops.
Getting lost - Stay with the group at all times, follow the instructions of the guides and download both the map referenced above as well as What3Words. You can't rely on having reception while out in the woods.
Hilton Falls is close to Crawford Lake which has an unusually well documented Indigenous history. The area was once home to a thriving Iroquoian village in the 15th century, before European contact.
In the early 1970s, researchers from the University of Toronto made a remarkable discovery while studying sediment cores from Crawford Lake. They detected high levels of corn pollen in layers dating back to the 13th-15th centuries, suggesting that the area was inhabited by an agricultural society during that time. This finding led to archaeological excavations which uncovered the remains of a pre-colonial Wendat (Huron) or Attawandaron (Neutral) village near the lake.
The village likely housed around 300 people from the ancestors of the Wendat or Attawandaron Nations. They cultivated crops like corn, beans, and squash, which allowed them to establish a more permanent settlement. Longhouses were built to shelter extended families, with each clan living communally.
For unknown reasons, the village was abandoned sometime in the early 16th century. The area then became a hunting ground for other Indigenous groups like the Mississaugas. When European settlers arrived in the late 18th century, the Mississaugas negotiated land agreements with the British, opening up the region for settlement.
Join us for a hike at beautiful Hilton Falls - one of the best hikes within about an hour of the city.
This gorgeous trail's highlight is the waterfall that should be particularly impressive with the spring melt. Beyond the falls, the conservation area is home to gorgeous varied landscapes, including forests, streams, beaver ponds, and a reservoir.
We'll be walking along the Bruce Trail at points on this easy 10km hike.
Hike length: 10km
Estimated time to complete hike: 4.5 hours
This is an easy looped hike with little in the way of elevation. We'll be walking on maintained paths through the woods.
09:50 - Those getting a ride meet up at the Petrocanada next to Keele Subway Station
10:00 - Shuttle leaves. Please note, we leave dead on time and cannot wait for latecomers!
10:45 - Arrive at Hilton Falls Conservation Area, meet up with self drivers and begin hike.
10:45-15:00 - Hike, eating lunch en route
16:00 - Anticipated return to Keele Station
This custom map is georeferenced, meaning it will show you where you are on the map in the right software and lays out the rough path that we’ll be following. It’s opened with the Avenza app which must be downloaded and installed in advance of the adventure.
You should also download the What3words app - this makes it easy to share and find locations in the unlikely event that you get lost.
Shoes
Hiking boots are strongly recommended for this trip. Regular sneakers are not suitable
Packing list
Bring a packed lunch, snacks and at least 1 litre of water for the hike.
Hiking injuries - Wear appropriate footwear (ankle high hiking boots) and hike within your abilities. If you need extra support, bring hiking poles.
Cliffs - Keep away from any steep drops.
Getting lost - Stay with the group at all times, follow the instructions of the guides and download both the map referenced above as well as What3Words. You can't rely on having reception while out in the woods.
Hilton Falls is close to Crawford Lake which has an unusually well documented Indigenous history. The area was once home to a thriving Iroquoian village in the 15th century, before European contact.
In the early 1970s, researchers from the University of Toronto made a remarkable discovery while studying sediment cores from Crawford Lake. They detected high levels of corn pollen in layers dating back to the 13th-15th centuries, suggesting that the area was inhabited by an agricultural society during that time. This finding led to archaeological excavations which uncovered the remains of a pre-colonial Wendat (Huron) or Attawandaron (Neutral) village near the lake.
The village likely housed around 300 people from the ancestors of the Wendat or Attawandaron Nations. They cultivated crops like corn, beans, and squash, which allowed them to establish a more permanent settlement. Longhouses were built to shelter extended families, with each clan living communally.
For unknown reasons, the village was abandoned sometime in the early 16th century. The area then became a hunting ground for other Indigenous groups like the Mississaugas. When European settlers arrived in the late 18th century, the Mississaugas negotiated land agreements with the British, opening up the region for settlement.
