On the Trails: December 2024

Arctic water birds, frost, and ice are the themes for December. Winter is attempting to arrive with Cootes Paradise Marsh frozen and unfrozen as of late November, following a very warm fall. Conditions for skating will be monitored, as the weather is forecast to bring ice cover by the beginning of December.

For wildlife, the open water areas host concentrations of northern waterfowl wintering in the area, highlighted by Bufflehead, Goldeneye, and Hooded Merganser. The best trails to catch a glimpse of the birds are the Marshwalk Trail (open waters of Spencer Creek), the Princess Point Trail, and the Waterfront Trail (open waters near the Fishway). Water levels are notably below average, exposing exceptionally large sections of the marsh bottom and pushing most waterbirds to the outlet areas in search of water.

With the leaves now off the trees, extensive landscape views are possible from places such as the George North Tower at Cootes Paradise or from Rock Chapel’s recently updated lookout. The view from Rock Chapel provides a vista of the last undeveloped land between Lake Ontario (Cootes Paradise) and the Niagara Escarpment.

Borers Falls, a 5-minute walk from the Rock Chapel parking lot, is also in fine form with higher water flows in December. Resident birds such as the Bald Eagles, various hawk species, and Pileated Woodpeckers are now much easier to spot, as are the resident wildlife, including deer, beavers, and fox.

Trail User Notes

RBG will be closed on December 25, 26, and January 1. The parking lot gates to Princess Point and the Arboretum will remain closed for these days.

• Urgent Reminder: Wildlife feeding is prohibited. Feeding wildlife along the trails is resulting in long-term damage to these important nature sanctuaries and their inhabitants. RBG has a strict policy prohibiting the feeding of wildlife, with enforcement regulated by the City of Burlington’s By-law Enforcement Agency. If you witness wildlife feeding, please report it to Burlington By-Law Enforcement.

Escarpment Trails:

• The Rock Chapel parking lot seasonal closure will begin on December 23 and to reopen for use on March 21, 2025.

Cootes Paradise:

• Arboretum Winter Hours: The Arboretum is open daily 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. for trail users

For Your Safety

• While our nature trails remain open to the public, please note that all use is at your own risk. Most of our trails are hilly and the trail surfaces are natural soil. Consider your footwear as during winter surfaces can be icy or muddy depending on the weather.
• Please stay on the marked trails to avoid trampling regenerating shrubs and trees or buried roots of understory plants such as trilliums.
• The nature trail system is considered closed during extreme weather event notifications from Environment Canada.
• Mountain bikes/fat bikes are not allowed as our trails are not designed to accommodate these activities.
• Please be aware ticks, including those carrying Lyme Disease, are found throughout the Hamilton/Burlington area and are active at temperatures above 0°C. Protect yourself by staying on marked trails. RBG does not accept ticks for testing. For inquiries regarding ticks, please contact the Region of Halton or City of Hamilton Public Health.