Have you heard of Wahoosh Falls? Hamilton might be the City of Waterfalls, but you don’t need to travel that far from Mississauga or Toronto to chase waterfalls. In fact, there’s a beautiful waterfall right here in Mississauga. It’s called Wahoosh Falls and it’s so easy to visit. While it doesn’t involve very much hiking, there’s a huge payoff for very little effort when it comes to visiting this stunning waterfall.
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All About Wahoosh Falls
Wahoosh Falls is a charming little waterfall in the middle of Mississauga. It’s tucked away behind a busy city street, and you wouldn’t even know it was there. That might be why so many people don’t know that there is a waterfall in Mississauga. Well, now that you know, I hope you go and visit this magical little waterfall for yourself.
The waterfall is classified as a small cascade waterfall. It’s about 10 feet tall, and it’s wider than it is tall. Wahoosh Falls flows all year long and doesn’t dry up during any season. I’d love to go back in the winter to see it frozen over (when I do, I’ll update this post and share photos!). Many waterfalls in Ontario (like Hilton Falls, for example) tend to dry up during the summer months, but this one will generally always be there for you.
Although this is a hiking website, there isn’t really any hiking involved to visit Wahoosh Falls. Many waterfalls come into view once you hike through a forest for an extended period of time. Not this one! You’ll walk a few steps down a path and that’s it.
How to Get to Wahoosh Falls
Wahoosh Falls is near the intersection of Burnhamthorpe Road West and Mississauga Road (its address is 3669 Mississauga Road, if you’re looking for a physical address to put into your GPS). The waterfall is north of Burnhamthorpe and east of Mississauga Road.
I’ll post a map below so you can see it visually represented. There is a path just north of Burnhamthorpe Road. When you walk into the trees on the path, head to the right. After a few more steps, you’ll hear the rushing waters of Mullets Creek. The path leads right to the waterfall.
You’ll be up a little bit higher on the embankment from the creek and the waterfall. The best views of the waterfall are actually in the middle of the creek itself. I visited in the summertime and the water wasn’t deep at all.
I could walk across some stones in the creek to check it out (I was also wearing waterproof hiking shoes). This might be more challenging when the water level is higher in the spring and fall or when it gets slippery and icy in the winter.
Take care when you step down lower to Mullets Creek. It’s not a huge drop, but it’s enough that you could hurt yourself. There aren’t really any steps or trees to help you step down. Just take it slowly and be careful. Another thing to quickly mention: swimming isn’t allowed at Wahoosh Falls. Please do not swim here. There are signs noting that this is not a swimming hole, so please be respectful and follow the rules.
When to Visit This Mississauga Waterfall
You can view Wahoosh Falls all year long and I’m sure you’ll be impressed. For photography purposes (and to have the waterfall to yourself), I suggest visiting on a weekday morning. When I went on a Monday morning around 10:00am, I had the falls all to myself. For photography purposes, I’ve heard that the best photos are taken earlier in the day before the sunlight gets too bright behind the waterfall.
Where to Park Your Car
There isn’t a parking lot or any kind of formal park for Wahoosh Falls. It’s been a hidden gem of Mississauga for so many years without much attention, so there isn’t a park designed around it. There isn’t any parking on Mississauga Rd or Burnhamthorpe Rd W because the streets are pretty busy. Please do not park in the nearby neighborhood or residential streets or your car will be towed.
If you want to incorporate Wahoosh Falls into a little bit of a hike, I suggest visiting Riverwood Conservancy and making a day of it. Park your car for free at Riverwood Conservancy and hike the trails there. Then, walk down Burnhamthorpe until you reach Mississauga Road and enter the trailhead on Mississauga Road to Wahoosh Falls.
What to Bring on a Hike
A proper pair of hiking shoes is an absolute must. It’s also a good idea to bring sunscreen and lots of water, too. My water bottle of choice is the GRAYL Purifier because you can drink ANY water from any source, no matter what. Water from lakes, streams, rivers, public restrooms, you name it. It’s the world’s fastest portable purifier.
Don’t forget to pack some bug spray because there can be biting bugs depending on the time of year. Even if there aren’t any signs, it’s safe to assume that ticks are all over Ontario hiking trails. Protect yourself against ticks by reading our guide to avoiding ticks on the trails.
For amazing deals on hiking products like backpacks, boots, clothing, and gear, check out the Decathlon Canada shop!
Update: Wahoosh Falls Fence
Unfortunately, the City of Mississauga has put a fence around Wahoosh Falls. I’m very disappointed that the waterfall is closed off in this way. They claim that it is unsafe, but it’s not any less safe than any other place in nature. If that’s the case, perhaps it is time to install a proper viewing platform to make it more safe?
It makes no sense to keep a beautiful place from its residents, especially considering that there aren’t that many waterfalls in this immediate area. I really hope that they find a way to reopen this beautiful place without an ugly fence in the way.
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More Things to Do in Mississauga
Are you looking for more fun things to do in Mississauga? Here are a few outdoor activities you can find in ‘Sauga:
- Visit one of several parks and gardens in Port Credit on the Waterfront Trail
- Check out the 10 best hiking trails in Mississauga
- Hike at one of two conservation areas in Mississauga, Rattray Marsh or Meadowvale Conservation Area
- Visit Kariya Park, a Japanese garden near Square One
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We used to go there as kids in the 70s. Didnt know it had a name lol
Interesting to know.
Great place to,visit.,
Love to,have a newsletter,from your side.
That’s really neat, Jim! It’s nice to know that people have enjoyed this spot for many years.
I reckon it won’t be much of a gem now you gave away the location and humans being as nasty ad we are will have the area littered in less than a week…
I do hope that I am totally wrong about this !!!
Unfortunately, nothing is truly secret when it’s on the Internet (it was right there on Google Maps before I wrote this article, and I found out about it on Reddit before I wrote this.)
I also don’t believe in being a gatekeeper and I’ll always share beautiful areas that I discover with everyone because I want others to be able to experience it, too.
Unfortunately, people do litter on ALL the trails I’ve been on – there hasn’t been a hike I’ve done where I haven’t seen a piece of litter. It’s sad, but true.
Hi Lauren,
You’ve probably heard by now but had to check out your suggestion as it is sort of just along from my Etobicoke . After looking for a place to park then a short walk found it but also a long, high city installed fence preventing any access. Noticed that gherkin are large homes backing on to the area whose residents might have complained about the gatherings there. But so many factors seem to suggest the city had no alternative.
Thanks for your article though which did point me to a gem of a site in Mississauga. Learned that it is right by the Sawmill Trail which I can get to by taking a Mississauga bus directly to it so can forget about bother of parking. Sawmill trail to Dundas street at Erin Mills, return or take a bus from there home. For seniors it’s $1.00 all day!
That’s really good to know. Yes, several local residents were putting up a HUGE fuss and did not want anyone to see the waterfall. They didn’t like anyone but themselves to park on their street. There are massive houses in the area. Looks like money talks! What an absolute shame. I hope the city is able to transform this space into a city park so we can all enjoy it (instead of fencing off natural beauty and keeping it from nature lovers!).
Unfortunately, it is closed to the public. We went to see it at the end of July and there are huge green metal gates across the opening with a sign on it saying closed for regeneration. It looks like it has been closed for quite a while.
Years ago we went to miississauga rd to a spring water pipe right on th side of the road. Is thst part of the falls?
Thank you so much Lauren. You provided all details about the falls. I can’t wait to see.
Visited today. Fence is placed. You may park your car in the opposite street and then walk like 500m. If you are parking far away, its not worth that much walk.
I wouldn’t really call it a waterfall…..it’s river water flowing off rocks!!! Not much of a place to hike. There are WAY better trails in Mississauga e.g., Mississauga Valley, Erindale Park to name a couple…
Definitely not a place to go hiking – just a pretty waterfall! The drop is about 10 feet, which does classify it as a waterfall. However, if you are looking for places to go hiking in Mississauga, I suggest you check out my list here: https://ontariohiking.com/mississauga-hiking-trails/ Happy hiking!
Thanks Lauren for this post. This is barely less than 3kms from my home and I didnt know it existed.
Checked it out today and it was a nice walk from Riverwood Conservancy and back.
Let us know of more hidden gems.
thanks for publishing this article. I was looking for a day trip site with my kids in Mississauga and this fits perfectly!!!
Wow I had no idea of this place. I was just at Riverwood tonight and I frequent U of T grounds quite often. I’ll have to check it out. Thank you
FYI – I tried today in the morning (14 Aug 2020) – and it seems city has put ‘Notice of Service Disruption’ – it is CLOSED due to UNSAFE AREA – at least for now 🙁
That is such a massive shame. It seems the City of Mississauga does not want us to be able to see one of the most beautiful places in the city! Thank you for the heads up.
Thank you so much for this information. I live in Mississauga and didn’t know about this hidden gem. I will go an visit this beautiful falls today.
The area is totally fenced off now. Last summer you could still go into the ravine and look but not access the water. Now the fence fully extends and you cannot access the ravine or path.
Thank you so much for the update, Les. That’s super unfortunate. I hope there are plans in the future to make this area safely accessible for all to enjoy.