Crawford Lake Conservation Area

Crawford Lake Conservation Area is a protected landscape with mixed forests, geological features, and hiking trails across the Niagara Escarpment terrain. The site includes a meromictic lake, reconstructed Iroquoian village structures, and linked pathways that connect throughout the property.

Archaeological digs in 1971 uncovered corn pollen and artifacts from an Iroquoian settlement with roughly eleven longhouses on the lakeshore. This discovery revealed an established community that practiced agriculture and lived here over many generations.

Three reconstructed longhouses show how Iroquoian families lived here, with traditional fireplaces and sleeping areas to explore. Visitors can see how people built their homes and organized daily life centuries ago.

The area offers over 19 kilometers of marked trails for hiking in summer and snowshoeing in winter, with connections to the Bruce Trail. Paths vary in difficulty, so visitors of different abilities can find routes that suit them.

The lake has distinct water layers that never mix, preserving sediments that record hundreds of years of environmental changes in order. This layering acts like a historical record, allowing scientists to read the natural history of the place as if turning pages.

Location: Milton

Website: http://conservationhalton.ca/park-details?park=crawford-lake

GPS coordinates: 43.46694,-79.95333

Latest update: December 8, 2025 19:52