Saturday, March 06, 2021

Eugenia Falls in winter

After visiting Dundas Peak recently we wanted to take another day trip to another waterfall - one that we have not visited yet, so we decided to head north to Eugenia Falls. The waterfall is in a conservation area that is closed for the season, however the Bruce trail passes through the area so if you can find legal parking nearby you can walk into the park and check out the falls.

The Bruce side trail runs along the edge of the escarpment, next to a stone fence
The view from the trail adjacent to the waterfall

Located near Flesherton, east of Highway 10 in the village of Eugenia and just under two hours north of Toronto city hall. Beaver River flows from Eugenia Lake and crashes down the Niagara Escarpment just west of Beaver Valley Road. The flow is severely reduced in winter and you can really see that the water level in the lake is also very low. Even in summer the flows are controlled to allow the nearby hydro generating facility to produce electricity using the 30m drop from the top of the escarpment through two large pipes.


Hogg's powerhouse ruins

The park's address is 150 Pellisier Street, Eugenia in the Grey Highlands. In the conservation area is the shell of an old abandoned Hogg's Powerhouse building and across the creek is the remains of an a tunnel entrance that was to divert the creek into a tunnel to produce electricity. When that plan changed they filled in the tunnel but left the entrance structure.

Map of Eugenia Falls Conservation Area. Parking is $6 in the park (when open)
The Eugenia Lake dam that controls flows into the Beaver River and over Eugenia Falls

Eugenia Lake was dammed up in 1915 for production of hydro electric power. The average depth is apparently less than 5 feet and the water level is reduced in winter to allow for capture of the spring runoff. Driving across Concession Road 8 which passes through the southern section of the lake you can see a lot of tree stumps and the course of the original Beaver River. There is a set of steel stairs that take you to the top of the dam and the dam control structure has a walkway bypass so you can explore on both sides of the creek. High water levels in the lake are from Victoria Day weekend in May to mid-September.

Related Posts by Categories



Widget by Hoctro | Jack Book

No comments:

Doors Open

Scarborough Bluffs

Pride

Redball

Beaches

Graffiti

Lake Ontario

Nathan Phillips Square

Transportation