Silver Creek Conservation Area is located in Halton Hills, about an hour north east of Toronto. The variety of trail options and unique geological features make it an interesting and worthwhile place to explore. The 1,000+ acres is preserved by Credit Valley Conservation.
Entrance of the Silver Creek Conservation, just west of the Side Road 27 / Fallbrook Trail intersection. Straight to the north (left) is the Roberts Side Trail. Travelling straight will take you down Bruce Trail.
We walked down Roberts Side Trail and back west down Bruce Trail. It was mid-day on a Saturday in April. It wasn’t too busy when we arrived around noon and we were able to find a parking spot easily. When we left around 2:00 PM it was starting to get a little busier. Not unusual for a Saturday.
You’ll see large rocks both on and off the trails with clusters of large mossy dolomite limestone. On the trail itself the thin dirt has worn away, revealing the bedrock beneath.
Rocky incline of the Roberts Side Trail.
Mossy limestone on Roberts Side Trail.
The trail has rocky regions with both inclines and declines, so make sure you wear proper shoes. The trail is marked well, both on the Bruce Trail and on the multiple side trails. It was muddy in the springtime when we visited.
Marshy areas are a feature of both the elevated and valley regions of the escarpment. There is a beautiful small pond about a 3 minute walk from the entrance towards Roberts Side Trail. On the main Bruce trail, there are a few lookout points with views across the Silver Creek Valley, a feature of the Niagara Escarpment.
A cluster of birch trees when looking over Silver Creek Valley.
Views from the lookout over Silver Creek Valley.
In the springtime there were plenty of Chickadees, Woodpeckers, and Nuthatches both on the side and main trails. When venturing closer to the valley, we saw at least a dozen turkey vultures. In the springtime, the sound of frogs by the marshes reverberated in the air.
The forest is dense with plenty of tree varieties that are estimated to be 100-125+ years old including birch, eastern hemlock, white pine, sugar maple, and white cedar. Multiple varieties of mushroom and fungus thrive off the dead trees that cover the forest bed.
I’m not an expert but this looks like “Turkey Tail” or Trametes Versicolor, a kind of bracket fungi or polypore. . This almost looks like some kind of a white bracket fungi that had frozen during winter and is now thawing. Let me know by commenting if you can identify this.
When looking north from Side Road 27, you’ll see an old structure just behind the treeline. This is a relic of the McClure family farmhouse. Here, lived the McClure family with nine children who had acquired and developed the property in 1854.
View of the McClure Family Farmhouse off of Side Road 27 (courtesy of Google Maps).
Overseeing the intersection of Side Road 27 and Fallbrook Trail. To the left behind the treeline is the McClure Family Farmhouse; to the right is Silver Creek Outdoor Education Centre.
There is free parking on the road of both Fallbrook Trail, and Side Road 27 (pin the intersection here when entering directions in GPS).
There are a few waterfalls in the area – we’re planning a next visit as there is plenty more to explore!

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I’ve been to Silver Creek Conservation a few times. It can get busy on the weekend, especially when the weather is nice. I love that last picture with all the cedars on the large rock. It’s amazing how they can grow in such hardy places.
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Thank you for your comment! Absolutely I’m planning on revisiting during a weekday to avoid any weekend business. Thank you so much.
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Beautiful!! Love the descriptions.
❤
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Beautiful Pictures! Will have to add to my to do list to visit! 😍
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Thanks Jessie for commenting!
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