Short Hills Provincial Park

Short Hills Provincial Park is a 735-hectare natural area with valleys, steep hills, dense forests, meadows, and rivers located in the Niagara region. Six marked trails wind through the landscape of the Niagara Escarpment, allowing visitors to explore forests, grasslands, and water features on foot or by bike.

The area contains evidence of 12,000 years of human presence, starting with Paleo-Indian groups followed by Iroquois communities. European settlers arrived in the early 1800s and established farms and homesteads that shaped the landscape into what visitors see today.

The Brown-Jouppien house from 1810 within the park shows how early settlers lived in this region and what daily routines shaped their lives. Visitors walking through the grounds can sense the connection between the people who came here and the landscape they transformed.

Three parking areas at Wiley Road, Roland Road, and Pelham Road entrances provide access to color-coded trails throughout the park. Each trail is designed for hikers, bikers, or riders, with clear markings to help visitors stay oriented as they explore.

The park protects 30 species at risk, including Carolinian Forest trees like sassafras and flowering dogwood that reach their northern range limit here. These trees more commonly grow farther south, making their presence in this region scientifically significant and visually distinctive.

Location: Regional Municipality of Niagara

Inception: 1985

Part of: Niagara Escarpment Biosphere Reserve

Website: https://ontarioparks.com/park/shorthills

GPS coordinates: 43.11200,-79.26560

Latest update: December 12, 2025 07:53