Decew Falls (Upper)
N 43° 06.625 W 079° 15.878
17T E 641194 N 4774538
A popular waterfall near St. Catherines
Waymark Code: WM6AKD
Location: Ontario, Canada
Date Posted: 05/03/2009
Views: 16
The upper falls at Decew is one of the area's most popular attractions. The waterfall itself is formed where Twelve Mile Creek plunges over the Niagara escarpment.
At the top of the falls is the Morningstar Mill, originally built in 1872 and later destroyed by fire. The Mill has been restored by volunteers and can be visited on most weekends and holidays. From inside the Mill you can get up close and personal with the falls - and you are in for a real treat if the mill is open.
The flow of the falls is maintained by the massive reservoir upstream for the nearby power generating facility. Be careful around August, however as I learned the first time I visited this waterfall - the flow is completely shut off during the Regatta that occurs downstream in August.
The posted co-ordinates take you to the Mill, and you can safely view the waterfall from here. If you *really* want to get down to the bottom, it is possible - but be prepared to bring a rope. Follow the Bruce Trail downstream until you spot a path leading off to the left, where you will find a few ropes tied off. This path leads to the bottom of the gorge, and many people do take the path down but this is NOT an easy walk and you could very well hurt yourself. Use your own judgement before descending!
Type: Plunge
Watercourse: Twelve Mile Creek
Waterfall Height: 72
Seasonality: Perennial
Seasons of Best Flow: From: 01/01/2009 To: 12/31/2009
Viewpoint: Top
Path Up and Down: Partial
Walk Behind: Fully
Parking Coordinates: Not Listed
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