About

Preserving the beauty and ecology of the Niagara Escarpment has always been a priority for Ontario Nature. The Wilfrid G. Crozier Nature Reserve has played an important role in these efforts. The four-hectare (ten-acre) reserve straddles a section of the escarpment near Milton.

The reserve is part of the Halton Forest North a provincially significant, Area of Natural and Scientific Interest (ANSI) and is crossed by the Bruce Trail. The Halton/North Peel Field Naturalists are the official stewards of the reserve.

We are looking for stewards of this nature reserve. Please email us if you’d like to learn more.

Email the Nature Reserves Team

Pileated woodpecker © Peter Ferguson

Plants and Animals

Above and below the short cliffs that divide the reserve in half are old fields that have been tilled. In the recent past, these fields were used mostly for grazing and hay mowing. Now they are good examples of old-field succession communities.

Characteristic of talus slopes on the escarpment, you’ll find mature white cedars, a diversity of ferns, fungi and mosses along the rocky cliff.

Spotted salamander © Joe Crowley

Visiting

The escarpment face, except for the top five metres or so, is mostly buried behind a talus slope. The escarpment rim is dominated by eastern hemlock with a scattering of sugar maple, paper birch, eastern white cedar and red oak. The cliff-edge forest extends about 12 metres back from the face and then opens into old field again.

We do not charge a fee for entrance and there are no operating hours on any of our nature reserves. Properties are monitored by volunteer stewards. We rely on visitors to be safe, minimize their impact on nature and be respectful of others. For more information about visiting the reserves, please read our Permitted Activities Policy.

We welcome donations to support this nature reserve and our system of 26 nature reserves.

Eastern pondhawk dragonfly, Wilfrid G. Crozier Nature Reserve © Noah Cole

“The unique property features trails, surrounded by eastern hemlock, paper birch and red oak, that follow the edge of the escarpment. Hikers can enjoy the skyline and landscapes of Halton Region along with mixed forest habitat growing alongside large, scattered rocks to successional meadows.”

– Nature Reserve Staff

Wilfrid Crozier Nature Reserve © Keeva Fitzpatrick

Directions

The property is six and a half kilometres north of Highway 401 on Regional Road 25 from Milton, south of Speyside. To access the property, turn west onto St. Helena Road from Regional Road 25. A small parking area is located right at the end of the road. Follow the signs to the Bruce Trail, which runs through the reserve.

View Wilfrid G. Crozier Nature Reserve in a larger map

Panoramic autumn side trail view © Smera Sukumar

Wilfrid G. Crozier Nature Reserve