Don’t tell the other Halton Conservation parks, but I think Rattlesnake Point might be my favourite. It has the perfect combination of breathtaking views, crumbling walls, and ancient cedars that line the different trails. Before we get to the trails, let’s talk about parking.
Parking at Rattlesnake
There is an upper parking level and a lower parking level. Both spots will get you to the trails just fine, just at a slightly different starting point. Parking in the upper area will land you in the middle of the Vista Adventure Trail Loop, and the lower area will start you at the beginning of the Buffalo Crag Trail.
Rattlesnake Point Trails
The Vista Adventure Trail (Green) is rated a 1 for difficulty and is about 1.5 kilometres long. You will see some fantastic views and great lookout points, and it is mostly kid-friendly, although not stroller-friendly.
It connects to the Buffalo Crag Trail (Yellow), which is rated a 2 and is 3 km long. The Buffalo Crag Trail follows along the escarpment and has some incredible views. An insider tip: there are two trails that run parallel to one another.
If you stick to the crumbling wall, you will find this trail more challenging than if you move away from the wall and follow the parallel one, which is easier for young children and old dogs. However, it is slightly less adventuresome and won’t have the same views.
Follow the Yellow Trail until you reach the lookout point and loop back to your parking spot. The last trail, Nassagaweya Canyon Trail (Orange), follows along with the Buffalo Crag Trail and is rated a 3. Once you reach the lookout, you can follow it along where it connects to the Crawford Lake Conservation Area.
During the pandemic, they closed off this connection since the time limits to visit each park were limited to 2 hours. Upon visiting their site, I no longer see this restriction. But remember that hiking through Crawford Lake will take around 4-5 hours and isn’t recommended for young children or older adults.
