Devil's Punchbowl

A tall ribbon of water drops into a deep, rust-coloured gorge on the face of the Niagara Escarpment, and from the lookout above it you can see across Stoney Creek to the glitter of Lake Ontario. Devil’s Punchbowl is one of Hamilton's best-known natural sights, a small but dramatic spot with a reputation that is bigger than its size. The creek that feeds it, a modest stream of the escarpment, plunges over two waterfalls, the Upper Falls, which drop about 33 metres, and the Lower Falls, a cascade of about 5.5 metres farther downstream. The name comes from the shape of the amphitheatre-like gorge, a rounded basin cut into the rock.

The gorge is a good place to read the rock. The escarpment here is made of layers of shale, sandstone and dolomite laid down in warm, shallow seas some 450 million years ago, and the reddish and greenish bands on the walls show different ages and compositions. The softer shales erode more quickly than the harder cap rock, which is why the falls tumble over a hard ledge above a hollowed-out base, and over millennia the creek has carved the punchbowl. The same process shaped Niagara Falls farther along the escarpment.

A viewing platform at the brink looks out over the basin and the lower land beyond. On a clear day the panorama stretches over Stoney Creek, Hamilton Harbour and the lake, and the Toronto skyline can be picked out far away on the horizon. A tall steel cross, erected in 1966, stands on the brow of the escarpment and is lit at night, and it is visible across the area. The Bruce Trail runs near the site, and a connecting route links to the Dofasco 2000 Trail, which gives walkers and cyclists a longer outing along the escarpment.

The flow of water depends on the season and recent rain. In spring, with snowmelt and rain, the falls are at their fullest, and in a dry summer they can shrink to a trickle, so check conditions before travelling. In winter, the falls freeze into icicles and ice curtains that draw photographers.

There is paid parking off Ridge Road, a short walk of about 200 metres from the lookout, and it fills on fine weekends, so arrive early. Wear sturdy shoes, keep to marked paths and stay behind railings, since the cliff edges are steep. Visitors with children and those with limited mobility will find the platform easy to reach.