Ball’s Falls Conservation Area

Family fun at this beautifully preserved industrial community from the 1800s

Ball’s Falls Conservation Area

With its rich natural landscape, many trails and lovely waterfalls, the Ball’s Falls Conservation Area in Lincoln, Ontario is popular with locals and tourists alike. Home to the Ball’s waterfalls, the conservation area spread over 200 acres is also rich in flora and fauna. The area has structures dating back to the 19th century when it was a small village where the Ball Family lived and worked.

CULTURAL & GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

At the entry point you can visit the Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation. Here, you will learn about the area’s cultural and geological history. The Ball brothers who originated from Germany used to have milling operations in the area. The Twenty Mile Creek flows through the conservation area and the waterfalls named the Ball’s Falls is the part where it plunges over the Niagara Escarpment.

HIKING

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Jamie (@james__head) on Jun 24, 2017 at 9:24am PDT

You can view the upper falls from above or hike to the bottom of the falls. The trail is a bit rocky and has a few obstacles along the way but the view from the bottom is worth the trouble. Alongside the main waterfall, tiny trails of water flow down from cracks in the escarpment giving a mini waterfall effect. A popular trail in this area is the Cataract Trail which enables you to see several important sights in the area. Not too far away from the upper falls are the lower falls that offers a pretty view. If you wish to hike along the Bruce Trail, find it located along the north of the lower falls.

HISTORICAL STRUCTURES

You can still see some of the structures including:

blacksmith shop
lime kiln
flour mill
restored church
original family home of the Balls.

MILLS

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Drone Niagara (@droneniagara) on Oct 24, 2018 at 6:35am PDT

The area was once active due to the saw mills, wool mills and other mills operated by the Balls which drew people to set up home there. The hamlet consisted of quite a few inhabitants. Development in the areas below the escarpment due to the arrival of the railways led to people moving away from the Ball’s Falls area.

VISIT

The falls are in full splendour during spring so it is one of the best times to visit the area. But other seasons too offer a different perspective and interesting attractions. As you explore the Ball’s Falls Conservation area, you will also come across several species of plants, trees, as well as birds. All these factors put together –ecological, geological and historical – make the Ball’s Conservation Area a fabulous place to visit.

Region: Twenty Valley

Add to your trip

Latest Reviews

Ranked #15 of 74 things to do in Lincoln

Susan W

Vancouver, Canada

Too bad they have to charge for this. It’s a well maintained trail system with some historical buildings that provide a history of the site, a former mill and working farm. Visiting in August means...

Read full review on TripAdvisor.com

Ravenhawk39

St. Catharines, Canada

A little disappointed with Ball’s Falls this afternoon. Guess I was expecting a bigger waterfall with all the rain we’ve had. My husband used to go there in his teenage years and they would jump off...

Read full review on TripAdvisor.com

MaraFromToronto

Toronto, Canada

Lovely place for a hike, but be warned, there are steep and rocky parts in this trail. It's not backbreakingly hard, but not for everyone, that's all!

Read full review on TripAdvisor.com

Read All Reviews

Write a Review

Add to your trip

CULTURAL & GEOLOGICAL HISTORY

HIKING

HISTORICAL STRUCTURES

MILLS

VISIT

TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

Ranked #15 of 74 things to do in Lincoln