Check out this amazing hike: Watertown Trail to Smokey Hollow

Waterdown Trail to Smokey Hollow is an Amazing Hike

Distance: 11.9Km

Est time: 3.5 hrs

This week I wanted to highlight this popular and more challenging trail. I love how begins with a beautiful waterfall. It has bridges, forest, meadows and doubles back on the same route.

If you decide to go, I hear that it’s very crowded on weekends or evenings and if you go at that time, it’s possible you’ll have to wait and go around people on the trail. So, I recommend you go at off-peak times.

Fun to know

Apparently Smokey Hollow was a “bustling industrial centre“. It got its name from the many chimneys that put out steam and smoke. Before the 1900’s folks of Smokey Hollow used water power. There were several mills before they were replaced by more efficient energy sources (steam and electricity). In 1912 a railway was constructed through the valley.

“Today there is a placard at the waterfall lookout that displays a picture of railway construction in 1912 and the industry that was around it.” (Ontario Trails)

The Important Info

Two things you need to know:

Parking: There is a small parking lot just off Mill St. It’s not far from Hwy 5.

Washrooms: There are no washrooms onsite.

This trail is not for bikes

So if you are looking for a long, beautiful hike. Why not pack a couple of sandwiches, and some water, and head on out to Waterdown Trail to Smokey Hollow?

As an aside: For those who don’t already have the AllTrails app, I highly recommend it. (I’m not getting paid to say this, my advice is just to help you my dear reader!)

In the past, my Alltrails app alerted me when I was accidentally going off the trail. So without the app, my hike might have been much longer than it needed to be!