Ball’s Falls
Ball’s Falls
Lincoln, Ontario
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Ball’s Falls
Winter Weather Notice
Conservation areas remain open daily from sunrise to sunset for passive winter recreation such as hiking and birdwatching. However, note that natural trails are not maintained for winter recreation such as cross-country skiing, and parking lots and sidewalks will be maintained on a ‘as-required’ basis.
Visitors are reminded to take precaution and prepare appropriately for the weather and trail conditions, especially when inclement weather and conditions may arise. In the event of inclement weather, NPCA conservation areas remain open, but activities and services may be limited and facilities may be closed. Please expect maintenance delays in the event of heavy snowfall.
Check NPCA conservation area pages on Facebook for closure postings, as these are updated regularly.
Conservation Area Strategy
The NPCA developed a Conservation Area Strategy (CA Strategy) focused on sustainable management, long-term planning, and alignment with NPCA's strategic goals, ensuring compliance with the Conservation Authorities Act. The CA Strategy provides high-level guidance for managing NPCA conservation areas, focusing on biodiversity, climate change, invasive species, and greenspace accessibility, with specific site priorities to be outlined in future management and action plans starting in 2025. LEARN MORE.
Land Inventory
NPCA’s Land Inventory identifies every parcel of land that NPCA owns and includes some basic information for each parcel, such as location, acquisition date, method, and land use category, among others. The Land Inventory will be reviewed and updated from time to time and is an internal document that is not available online.
PARK UPDATES
- EV Charging Stations remain out of service until further notice.
ABOUT BALL'S FALLS
Set within the breathtaking Twenty Valley, Ball’s Falls Conservation Area offers spectacular scenery and natural beauty. Your visit will begin at the Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation.
Designed and built to have a limited impact on natural resources, this award winning LEED Gold certified facility features permanent and temporary galleries. Visitors will take pleasure in the interactive exhibits and displays focusing on nature, conservation, and culture in the context of the area’s history, the Niagara Escarpment, and the watershed. The centre is opened Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers a variety of programs and special events throughout the year.
As you continue your adventure, you will discover that Ball’s Falls has been lovingly maintained to its early mid 19th century industrial hamlet atmosphere featuring the original Ball family home, an operating flour mill, a lime kiln, a church, black smith shop, carriage shed, and more.
In July 2024 the Town of Lincoln officially recognized Ball's Falls as a heritage property. The designation recognizes the architectural, historical, and contextual importance of Ball's Falls, which has been a key landmark in Lincoln and the broader Niagara region for generations.
From its earliest days of supplying flour to the British troops during the War of 1812, to an Industrial settlement, to its present-day use of a tourism hub for the community, Ball’s Falls is an important and fundamental part of how Lincoln was shaped.
Visitors can read more about the history of Ball's Falls on the heritage plaque outside the Ball family home.
Photographers and nature lovers alike will love the incredibly breathtaking view of the majestic Twenty Mile Creek as it plummets over both the upper and lower falls. The falls tumble delightfully over high cliffs and can be viewed at close proximity from above or below.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Since the Twenty Mile Creek is rain-fed, the character of the falls can change dramatically with the seasons, from a raging torrent in the spring to a thin veil in late summer and fall. Wind up your visit with a hike or stroll along the Cataract Trail aside the banks of Twenty Mile Creek with easy access to the Bruce Trail.
A perfect storybook setting with convenient highway access, Ball’s Falls and its majestic scenery is the perfect setting for any special event or a storybook wedding day. Nestled on the scenic Niagara Escarpment, facilities include the lovingly restored Ball’s Falls Historical Church featuring a rustic and elegant interior which can accommodate up to 110 guests. The historic barn and Centre for Conservation are available for rent to complete your special day.
Be sure to mark your calendar and plan to join us for the celebrated annual Thanksgiving Festival. Featuring numerous artisans from around Ontario and beyond, this Niagara tradition is an event that you won’t want to miss. For historical information on our Conservation Area, please download the Ball's Falls Historical Booklet.
Rules and regulations must be followed at all times. Admission fees apply.
- The Centre for Conservation and accessible washrooms are open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.
- Phone number: 905.788.3135 x 330
- Please note: Swimming is prohibited. Visitors must remain in designated trails and dayuse areas. Alcohol is prohibited
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It is recommended that guests refrain from using charcoal when bbqing and instead, opt for the use of propane. Please note there are no receptacles to dispose of hot coals on-site and this poses a fire hazard.
PROGRAMS & SERVICES
INFORMATION EN FRANCAIS
Situé dans la magnifique vallée Twenty Valley, Ball’s Falls offre des paysages spectaculaires et des beautés naturelles. Les visiteurs peuvent assister aux présentations et expositions interactives sur la nature, la conservation, et la culture. Le Centre de Conservation est ouvert du lundi au vendredi de 9 h à 16 h, et offre une variété de programmes et d’évènements durant toute l’année.
Le site compte plusieurs bâtiments historiques et a été entretenu avec soin afin de lui donner l’allure industrielle du début, milieu du 19e siècle. Les photographes et les amoureux de la nature aimeront la vue incroyable du majestueux ruisseau Twenty Mile qui plonge au-dessus des extrémités inférieures et supérieures des chutes.
BUY YOUR NATUREPLUS PASS (ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP)
The NaturePlus Pass provides unlimited access to Conservation Areas across the Niagara Peninsula watershed.
It offers fantastic value to outdoor and nature enthusiasts who step into nature regularly at NPCA conservation areas with entry for one vehicle and its occupants to parks where fees apply. Those who visit on a regular basis and purchase this pass have found that after a few visits, the pass will have paid for itself.
When you purchase a pass, you help ensure the conservation areas receive the necessary resources for proper management, guaranteeing that these natural gems are enjoyed responsibly and protected for the benefit of current and future generations.
PHOTO PERMITS
It is the policy of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to ensure that event and special occasion photography on Conservation Area property is managed responsibly and to ensure that this activity does not conflict with scheduled events on site. Further, the NPCA requires that photography is conducted in a manner that does not interfere with conservation efforts and the enjoyment of our Conservation Areas by our visitors.
The NPCA offers scenic views and a beautiful historical village for photography opportunities. For those wishing to have photos taken on our property, a Photography Permit is required. This applies to all wedding, engagement, and family photo shoots. Those couples that have booked their wedding ceremony or reception facilities with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority will be exempt from this permit.
To obtain a permit, contact our Conservation Area Services Representative at weddings@npca.ca or 905-788-3135 ext 321.
TOUR GUIDE BUSINESSES
As per the Conservation Authorities Act R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 123, s. 4, the NPCA regulates the operation of businesses within conservation areas.
An NPCA Tour Guide Business Permit is required for operators planning to conduct tours within NPCA Conservation Areas. Operators must apply in advance for a permit and must hold an NPCA NaturePlus Membership Pass.
If you are a tour guide business operator please contact NPCA Manager, Conservation Area Services at apowell@npca.ca or ext. 326 to receive a NPCA Tour Guide Business Permit Application.
NPCA Tour Guide Permits are $60 (inc. HST) and are valid through December 31 of the calendar year in which they are approved.
HOSPICE NIAGARA- WIND PHONE
Located at Ball's Falls Conservation Area: From the parking lot at the Centre for Conservation, take the Switch Back Trail to the Cataract Trail along Twenty Mile Creek and head south for approx. 5 minutes towards the Upper Falls.
A Wind Phone is for anyone who has lost someone special in their life.
While the actual phone is not connected to anything, it offers an opportunity for people who are grieving to talk with their special person — to say what they need to say, and release it to the wind.
Grief is a natural response to loss. It is unique to everyone. We hope you find comfort in expressing feelings, sharing memories and saying the goodbyes you never had the opportunity to say.
The Wind Phone is located at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area and is provided in partnership with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
As you talk with your loved one, let the wind carry your words over the trees and into the beyond.
A NIAGARA GEOSITE
About Niagara Geopark:
The Niagara Peninsula is home to a multitude of natural wonders to be explored and discovered. Geographically situated between two Great Lakes, the Niagara Peninsula Aspiring Global Geopark is the result of 500 million years of natural processes. The evidence of these natural phenomenon can be seen and explored throughout the peninsula at many of Niagara's Geosites. Dominated by the stunning Niagara Escarpment, itself already a designated UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, prepare to be amazed by Niagara's powerful waterfalls, deep gorges and layers of geological Earth history beneath your feet and all around you.
Ball's Falls Geosite
With 20 Geosites across the Niagara Region, locals and visitors alike can enjoy educational geoheritage experiences including trails, activities, and tours, while indulging in many of Niagara's unique offerings.
While visiting, guests can enjoy the GeoHike of Ball’s Falls, developed by the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO). This innovative trail features QR codes along the path, leading visitors to GeoHike interpretations that enrich their understanding of the area's geological significance. Visitors can also purchase their very own Niagara Geopark t-shirt from the gift shop!
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Ball’s Falls Conservation Area has been lovingly maintained to its early-to-mid 19th century industrial hamlet atmosphere featuring the original Ball family home, an operating flour mill, a lime kiln, a church, black smith shop, carriage shed, and more.
Ball’s Falls began in 1809 when the Ball brothers built a wooden gristmill on Twenty Mile Creek in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. Known as Glen Elgin, it had by the 1840s grown into one of the area’s busiest industrial towns. The flourishing village boasted a barrel maker, a blacksmith and two lime kilns, as well as a store and several houses. Of the old buildings, only the gristmill, a lime kiln and the Ball homestead have survived. Other historic buildings from the surrounding region, including a pioneer log cabin and a picturesque wooden church, have been relocated to Ball’s Falls park.
A trail from the parking lot follows the former village road along the west side of the river to the ruins of the woollen mill. Here, the upper falls plunges over the rugged limestone lip of the Niagara Escarpment. On the hill behind the ruin, another path leads to the site of the boarding house, where only a rusting water pump survives to mark the location.
In July 2024 the Town of Lincoln officially recognized Ball's Falls as a heritage property. The designation recognizes the architectural, historical, and contextual importance of Ball's Falls, which has been a key landmark in Lincoln and the broader Niagara region for generations.
From its earliest days of supplying flour to the British troops during the War of 1812, to an Industrial settlement, to its present-day use of a tourism hub for the community, Ball’s Falls is an important and fundamental part of how Lincoln was shaped.
Visitors can read more about the history of Ball's Falls on the heritage plaque outside the Ball family home.
Join us and travel back in time during Thanksgiving weekend at our Historical Village, which features:
- Black Smith Shop Tours and Demonstration
- Grist Mill Tours
- Niagara Handweavers and Spinners Demonstrations
- Ball Family Home & Cabin Tours
- Ball’s Falls Historical Church Tours
Find Out More Here
INFORMATION EN FRANCAIS
Situé dans la magnifique vallée Twenty Valley, Ball’s Falls offre des paysages spectaculaires et des beautés naturelles. Les visiteurs peuvent assister aux présentations et expositions interactives sur la nature, la conservation, et la culture. Le Centre de Conservation est ouvert du lundi au vendredi de 9 h à 16 h, et offre une variété de programmes et d’évènements durant toute l’année.
Le site compte plusieurs bâtiments historiques et a été entretenu avec soin afin de lui donner l’allure industrielle du début, milieu du 19e siècle. Les photographes et les amoureux de la nature aimeront la vue incroyable du majestueux ruisseau Twenty Mile qui plonge au-dessus des extrémités inférieures et supérieures des chutes.
BUY YOUR NATUREPLUS PASS (ANNUAL MEMBERSHIP)
The NaturePlus Pass provides unlimited access to Conservation Areas across the Niagara Peninsula watershed.
It offers fantastic value to outdoor and nature enthusiasts who step into nature regularly at NPCA conservation areas with entry for one vehicle and its occupants to parks where fees apply. Those who visit on a regular basis and purchase this pass have found that after a few visits, the pass will have paid for itself.
When you purchase a pass, you help ensure the conservation areas receive the necessary resources for proper management, guaranteeing that these natural gems are enjoyed responsibly and protected for the benefit of current and future generations.
PHOTO PERMITS
It is the policy of the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority to ensure that event and special occasion photography on Conservation Area property is managed responsibly and to ensure that this activity does not conflict with scheduled events on site. Further, the NPCA requires that photography is conducted in a manner that does not interfere with conservation efforts and the enjoyment of our Conservation Areas by our visitors.
The NPCA offers scenic views and a beautiful historical village for photography opportunities. For those wishing to have photos taken on our property, a Photography Permit is required. This applies to all wedding, engagement, and family photo shoots. Those couples that have booked their wedding ceremony or reception facilities with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority will be exempt from this permit.
To obtain a permit, contact our Conservation Area Services Representative at weddings@npca.ca or 905-788-3135 ext 321.
TOUR GUIDE BUSINESSES
As per the Conservation Authorities Act R.R.O. 1990, Reg. 123, s. 4, the NPCA regulates the operation of businesses within conservation areas.
An NPCA Tour Guide Business Permit is required for operators planning to conduct tours within NPCA Conservation Areas. Operators must apply in advance for a permit and must hold an NPCA NaturePlus Membership Pass.
If you are a tour guide business operator please contact NPCA Manager, Conservation Area Services at apowell@npca.ca or ext. 326 to receive a NPCA Tour Guide Business Permit Application.
NPCA Tour Guide Permits are $60 (inc. HST) and are valid through December 31 of the calendar year in which they are approved.
HOSPICE NIAGARA- WIND PHONE
Located at Ball's Falls Conservation Area: From the parking lot at the Centre for Conservation, take the Switch Back Trail to the Cataract Trail along Twenty Mile Creek and head south for approx. 5 minutes towards the Upper Falls.
A Wind Phone is for anyone who has lost someone special in their life.
While the actual phone is not connected to anything, it offers an opportunity for people who are grieving to talk with their special person — to say what they need to say, and release it to the wind.
Grief is a natural response to loss. It is unique to everyone. We hope you find comfort in expressing feelings, sharing memories and saying the goodbyes you never had the opportunity to say.
The Wind Phone is located at Ball’s Falls Conservation Area and is provided in partnership with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority.
As you talk with your loved one, let the wind carry your words over the trees and into the beyond.
A NIAGARA GEOSITE
About Niagara Geopark:
The Niagara Peninsula is home to a multitude of natural wonders to be explored and discovered. Geographically situated between two Great Lakes, the Niagara Peninsula Aspiring Global Geopark is the result of 500 million years of natural processes. The evidence of these natural phenomenon can be seen and explored throughout the peninsula at many of Niagara's Geosites. Dominated by the stunning Niagara Escarpment, itself already a designated UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, prepare to be amazed by Niagara's powerful waterfalls, deep gorges and layers of geological Earth history beneath your feet and all around you.
Ball's Falls Geosite
With 20 Geosites across the Niagara Region, locals and visitors alike can enjoy educational geoheritage experiences including trails, activities, and tours, while indulging in many of Niagara's unique offerings.
While visiting, guests can enjoy the GeoHike of Ball’s Falls, developed by the Association of Professional Geoscientists of Ontario (APGO). This innovative trail features QR codes along the path, leading visitors to GeoHike interpretations that enrich their understanding of the area's geological significance. Visitors can also purchase their very own Niagara Geopark t-shirt from the gift shop!
CULTURAL HERITAGE
Ball’s Falls Conservation Area has been lovingly maintained to its early-to-mid 19th century industrial hamlet atmosphere featuring the original Ball family home, an operating flour mill, a lime kiln, a church, black smith shop, carriage shed, and more.
Ball’s Falls began in 1809 when the Ball brothers built a wooden gristmill on Twenty Mile Creek in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula. Known as Glen Elgin, it had by the 1840s grown into one of the area’s busiest industrial towns. The flourishing village boasted a barrel maker, a blacksmith and two lime kilns, as well as a store and several houses. Of the old buildings, only the gristmill, a lime kiln and the Ball homestead have survived. Other historic buildings from the surrounding region, including a pioneer log cabin and a picturesque wooden church, have been relocated to Ball’s Falls park.
A trail from the parking lot follows the former village road along the west side of the river to the ruins of the woollen mill. Here, the upper falls plunges over the rugged limestone lip of the Niagara Escarpment. On the hill behind the ruin, another path leads to the site of the boarding house, where only a rusting water pump survives to mark the location.
In July 2024 the Town of Lincoln officially recognized Ball's Falls as a heritage property. The designation recognizes the architectural, historical, and contextual importance of Ball's Falls, which has been a key landmark in Lincoln and the broader Niagara region for generations.
From its earliest days of supplying flour to the British troops during the War of 1812, to an Industrial settlement, to its present-day use of a tourism hub for the community, Ball’s Falls is an important and fundamental part of how Lincoln was shaped.
Visitors can read more about the history of Ball's Falls on the heritage plaque outside the Ball family home.
Join us and travel back in time during Thanksgiving weekend at our Historical Village, which features:
- Black Smith Shop Tours and Demonstration
- Grist Mill Tours
- Niagara Handweavers and Spinners Demonstrations
- Ball Family Home & Cabin Tours
- Ball’s Falls Historical Church Tours
Find Out More Here
Upcoming Events