The Devil's Punchbowl (previously known as "the HorseShoe Falls") dates back to over 450 million years ago! Originally materials from the Niagara escarpment were deposited in a large inland sea. About 1 million years ago the area was subjected to 4 ice ages and following the end of the last ice ages there were very high water levels and this is what created the details of landscape of the punchbowl. One of the streams crashed over the escarpment at Stoney Creek carving what has now become the Devils Punchbowl. Not the loveliest of waterfalls as the flow has been greatly reduced, but the Devil's punchbowl is an historical landmark and fascinated visitors and geologist year round.
The Devil's
Punch Bowl Falls has quite a history to it. Like all history, some
facts are fascinating while others can be tragic. The Devil's Punch
Bowl is located in Stoney Creek. Believe it or not, about a hundred
years ago, it was called the "Horseshoe Falls" because of its round
concave gorge. Of course now we know the Horseshoe Falls, as the
Niagara Falls in Canada. The Devil's Punch Bowl received its name
possibly around the time of the prohibition when 'moonshine' was made in
the area.
Historically,
there have been numerous tragedies of suicides into the gorge from
various points surrounding the bowl over the years.
There
are legends and myths that also surround the Devil's Punch Bowl. Poems
have been written for the 'Cross on the Hill", by Emily Lawrence.
High
on the mountain, the site has a lookout with amazing views of Lake
Ontario, Stoney Creek Castle, the Skyway Bridge and the Hamilton Harbour
to name a few.
The
main attraction though is the falls which comes from the Stoney Creek
and cascades down a 37 metre drop into the Punch bowl. Like most
waterfalls there are two separate falls, the Upper and Lower. The lower
falls is a 6 metre 'classical' fall.
While
peering down into the gorge, it almost seems endless with spectacular
rock and shale formation of textures and colors. This site is a major
tourist attraction in the Niagara Escarpment and well worth the trip!