Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve

The Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve is located just south of the 401 in the Region of Hamilton and the township of Puslinch. The preserve is the headwaters for the Fletcher Creek and Spencer Creek watershed and is an Environmentally Sensitive Wetland (ESW), a Provincially Significant Wetland (PSW) and an Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI).

The area was extensively quarried in the late 19th century and was eventually abandoned in the 1930's. The land was acquired by the Region of Hamilton in the 1990's and they began a rehabilitation program, in partnership with McMaster University, to reclaim the land and to create valuable ecosystems.

GPS tracklog

Entrance Sign

The red trail is a gravel path with mild elevation changes. It starts at the parking area off Concession Road 7 and weaves it's way through the preserve before ending 2.55km later at Gore Road. There are 3 side trails off the main trail that make excellent loops. The 2 blue trails are mown grass trails with some uneven footing. The western blue trail measures 670m and the eastern blue trail is 710m in length. The orange trail is predominantly gravel but has a boardwalk section as well as some bedrock walking. This trail skirts the quarry before dropping down to the quarry floor, crosses the pond at the bottom by a boardwalk before climbing back out of the quarry. This section is 470m in length.

Clear Pond at Quarry Bottom

Budding Maples Over Main Trail

The trail winds it's way through diverse ecosystems. Initially passing though open meadows and upland deciduous forests, before entering a cedar forest about 880m into the red trail. This trail descends mildly to pass a bridge over Fletcher Creek in a cedar swamp forest. Ascending again the path leaves the cedar forest for open meadow and upland forest once more. The area of the quarries has been reclaimed as a calcareous fen. Ground water that leaches into quarries tends to have high concentrations of calcium. The McMaster scientists used this build a provincially rare calcareous fen. Flora here thrives in the calcium rich environment.

Calcareous Fen

Black Capped Chickadee

The Fletcher Creek Ecological Preserve is an excellent hike for anybody looking for something different, something unique that is not too taxing. The trails are well maintained and the red and orange trails are stroller friendly.

The path distances are as follows (see GPS tracklog above):

Start to A	100m
A to B (red trail)	725m
A to B (blue trail)	670m
B to C	550m
C to D	540m
C to F (blue trail)	710m
D to E (red trail)	100m
D to E (orange trail)	470m
E to F	360m
F to End	170m

* Please note. The trails are not marked or coloured. I use colour in my GPS log to identify individual trails.



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