Niagara Parks Commission - Niagara Heritage Trail

Niagara Heritage Trail

The Niagara Heritage Trail is a historic and scenic route running the entire 35 mile Canadian coastline of the Niagara River from Fort Erie northward to Niagara On The Lake. Construction began in stages during the early 1980s, and was completed in 1995.

Along the route, visitors can access the following historical sites:

• Olde Fort Erie, site of a major battle in July, 1814 between British troops stationed there and advancing American troops;
• Chippawa Battlefield Park, site of the first major battle on the Canadian side during the War of 1812, and cited by some historians as the birthplace of the modern American Army;
• Sir Adam Beck Generation Stations near Queenston, twin hydroelectric power plants servicing Ontario and much of the northeastern United States;
• MacKenzie Printery, housing Canada's oldest printing press (ca. 1770) and historical home to William Lyon MacKenzie, a government reformist;
• MacFarland House, which housed wounded British and American soldiers jointly during the War of 1812;
• Laura Secord Homestead, historical home of the woman who set out on a historical walk from Queenston, Ontario to the village of Beaverdams, warning British soldiers of an impending American attack in 1814.

The trail makes its central heart in Queen Victoria Park near the main tourist area, and also passes by attractions such as the Whirlpool Golf Course, Niagara Botanical Gardens, the Butterfly Conservatory, and the Floral clock.