There are trails and three parking lots but no other visitor facilities. Hiking, horseback riding, fishing and mountain biking are popular activities in the park. There are trails restricted to hiking only. Please also check out the Friends of Short Hills Park website. http://www.friendsofshorthillspark.ca/page/home
The Swayze Falls Trail: 6.2 km – Difficult is a shared use trail to accommodate hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. This natural terrain trail can be accessed from the Pelham Road or Roland Road entrances. Some of the most notable features along the trail include Swayze Falls, natural vegetation including Sugar Maple, Black Maple, and Black Walnut. The Swayze Falls Trail loops through both fields and forests.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#swayze-falls
The Black Walnut trail: 4.3 km – Difficult can be accessed from the Wiley Road and Pelham Road entrances. This natural terrain path is a shared use trail through many scenic valleys. Horseback riders and mountain bikers will find this trail to be a moderate ride. Some of the notable features along this trail include several old roads, mixed hardwood and coniferous vegetation, and a variety of wildflowers including Birdsfoot Trefoil, and Common Milkweed. This trail loops through the eastern section of the park. It parallels a section of the Bruce Trail, winds around Twelve Mile Creek, follows an old farm road and joins the Swayze Falls Trail at the central kiosk.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#black-walnut
The Paleozoic Path: .8 km – Easy was designed to give people with disabilities and beginner hikers an opportunity to experience the park. The path has a hard gravel surface suitable for wheel chairs and baby strollers and offers several barrier-free benches with scenic views. Mountain bikers and horseback riders are not permitted on this trail. With a low level of difficulty this path is an educational wonder. The trail contains a viewing platform for a breathtaking look at Swayze Falls. Some of the notable features along the path include Norway Spruce, Hard Maple, White Pine, Apple and a variety of other species. This trail converges with the Swayze Falls trail and can only be accessed from Roland Road.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#palaeozoic-path
The Scarlet Tanager Trail 2.3 km – Difficult can be accessed from the Pelham Road entrance. The start of the trail begins at the bottom of Gilligan Road (gravel road). This trail consists of varied terrain, adding to its difficulty. Mountain bikers and horseback riders are not permitted on this trail as it is a hiking only trail. Some of the notable features include White Pine, and Maple trees which provide habitat for Scarlet Tanagers, and other bird species. There is access to the Hemlock Valley trail from the southern end of this trail. Hikers should take into consideration that the walk from Pelham Road parking lot to the trail head is approximately 15 minutes, adding to the overall hiking time on this trail.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#scarlet-tanager
The Hemlock Valley Trail 2.8 km – Moderate, a natural terrain trail, accommodates the moderate hiker. Mountain bikers and horseback riders are not permitted on this trail. This trail can only be accessed from the Scarlet Tanager Trail. It will take about 30 minutes to reach the trail head. The most notable feature along this trail is the rare Hemlock stand found in this section of the park. Other features include an old harrow, and many rock piles which provide evidence of farming activities in the past. Wildlife seen along this trail includes White-tailed deer and wild turkey.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#hemlock-valley
The Terrace Creek Trail 4.6 km – Difficult extends along a natural terrain path which can be accessed via the Black Walnut Trail, either from the end of Gilligan Road or Old Farm Road which runs from the Wiley Road parking lot. This trail consists of varying ground and will take approximately 30 minutes from the Pelham Road parking lot to reach the start of this trail. Mountain Bikers and Horseback Riders are not permitted on this trail. Some of the notable features along this trail include Cataract Woods, Terrace Creek waterfall, and a variety of wildlife habitats.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#terrace-creek
The Very Berry Trail 2.6 km – Difficult is a shared-use trail for hikers, horseback riders and mountain bikers. This natural terrain path can be accessed from the Pelham Road entrance. The trail begins about .5 kilometers or 15 minutes from the parking lot along the northeast section of the Black Walnut Trail. The trail extends to the eastern park boundary; from this point the hiker must retrace his footsteps for a total round trip of approximately 2.6 kilometers which takes about 1 hour. While part of the trail is easy, several hills can make this a moderate to difficult hike.
Link to trail map: https://friendsofshorthillspark.ca/home-2/trails/#very-berry-trail
We would also direct you to read our DISCLAIMER and our TRAIL USERS CODE.
Region(s): Niagara RegionNearby towns and cities: St. Catharines
Trail feature tags: provincial park | Viewing Platform | Waterfall | Wheel chair accessible
SHORT HILLS PROVINCIAL PARK TRAILS characteristics
Length: 7 trails ranging from .8 km to 6.2 kmDifficulty: Difficult (Trail classifications)
Trail surface: Compacted soil/hard packed, Natural, and Stone Dust
Trail use: Hiking, Mountain biking, Equestrian, and Winter (Fat) Biking
Accessibility Notes: some trails are accessible
Fees: Park entrance fee.
Flora & Fauna:
Not yet reported.
Amenities: none
Contact:
The Friends of Short Hills Park c/o PO Box 236 Fonthill, ON, L0S 1E0 http://www.friendsofshorthillspark.ca/page/home
Find it: South side of Pelham Rd, west of St. Catherines, ON
GPS Coordinates (main trailhead):
Latitude: 43.0965054
Longitude: -79.2834046