Chedoke Falls is a Ribbon Waterfall located on the east branch of the Chedoke Creek. It is 18 metres (60 feet) in height and 9 metres (30 feet) in crest width. Chedoke Falls experiences year-round flow.
History
Chedoke Falls is named after Chedoke Creek which runs through the area. The interesting fact about “Chedoke” is that it is not a Native Indian word as believed and noted in many websites and books. In fact it is a corruption of two English words “seven oaks”. The Native Indian caught the sound and changed “seven oaks” into “Chedoke”.
The area at the base of the escarpment was first used as a golf course in 1896 when the private Hamilton Golf and Country Club rented a part of the old Paradise Dairy Farm for a 9 hole course and then 18 holes. In 1916 the Hamilton Golf and Country Club moved to Ancaster. Today two 18 hole golf courses exists on this site forming the Chedoke Civic Golf Course owned by the City of Hamilton.
In the book “Waterfalls The Niagara Escarpment” by Jerry Lawton and Mikal Lawton, there is no photo of Chedoke Falls, as they could not make it to the base. This is the excerpt from their book: “Even when you’ve seen the gorge from above, seen how deep and narrow it is, it’s a shock to encounter it from below. It’s one of the wildest, most out-of-this-world places on the Escarpment – and here it is, hidden away in a spot close to the geographical center of one of Canada’s largest cities!”
How to get there
***** AS OF JULY 2018 ACCESS TO THE BOTTOM IS CONSIDERED TRESPASSING …. a member of our group received a ticket although there is no signage on the trail. *****
Chedoke Falls Photo Gallery
