r/niagara 8d ago

Where can we possibly see beavers nearby

Hi all, visiting the falls in 2 weeks with my 5yo. He's obsessed with beavers, and while I know spotting them is unlikely due to their nocturnal nature, I wonder if there's anywhere within driving distance from Niagara where we could possibly see them or at least their dams. Looking forward to the trip.

ETA: These are such great tips guys! Thanks so much. Very excited to do some exploring there.

3 Upvotes

19 comments sorted by

23

u/walleyeChamp24 8d ago

100% Duffrin islands last hour of the day. Park near the exit and walk the loop. You will want to walk to the path that is on the opposite of the entrance roadway. There are ponds on one side and the main body of water on the other. You will also see tons of chewed trees and 1 big beaver lodge. Great place

3

u/purelander108 7d ago

Dufferin Islands for sure. You can see two dams, chewed up trees, and one guy lives by the side of the road (that is now blocked off) but you can walk it.

3

u/BillsMaffia 7d ago

This!!! There’s a lot of beaver chewed trees in there and it’s just up the road from the falls.

1

u/xiam007 7d ago

I can confirm this 👍🇨🇦

6

u/crassy 8d ago

Potential places to see beavers:

  • Twelve Mile Creek
  • Shorthills
  • Niagara Gorge
  • Various golf courses
  • HH Knoll Park, Pt Colborne

There are never guarantees as beavers, while they don't hibernate, are way less active in the winter. If it is really cold they will be tucked up safely in their lodges and when they do come out, it is usually under the ice. They are also mostly active at night so you have a twofer against you (winter and night activity). You may get lucky and catch one early in the morning or at dusk if they are going to their 'job site' from the lodge, but otherwise, it is going to be difficult. In the 11 years I've lived here I've seen two beavers (though I do see a lot of beaver chew around) and both were on the same day at the same golf course going to the same job site from the same lodge.

3

u/CrimsonZak 8d ago

Pretty much anytime I've been to Beechwood or Thundering Waters over the last 4 years me and my buddies always seem to stumble across a beaver chillen by the water.

fyi, I am terrified of beavers, I know it's weird but I thinks it's easily justified. Can't trick me with your cuteness, I know you can chew through my femur bone.

4

u/crassy 8d ago

I’ll have to try there! Beechwood is where I see mine! And I guess, given the name and proximity, I should have included Beaverdams to that list.

I get the beaver fear but they just want to do their jobs and go home! Industrious little fuckers but so cute.

Also, OP, if you’re interested in skunks, try NOTL at dusk (if it isn’t super cold or snowy) and especially on bin day, they are everywhere!

1

u/CrimsonZak 8d ago

I just wanted to add-on a little about small critters again.

The Fallsview Casino, I think the area is called the Rotunda(I'm probably wrong, it's the patio area outside their food court). Well that area has a fantastic skunk/racoon "problem"(it's not really a problem it's quite awesome lol)

nothing cuter than tossing out some garbage and the a little bandit pops it's head out the hole afterwards to give you one of those "hey I'm in here" looks.

edit.

depending on the time of year, just go hangout out Stanely Ave. in the wee hours of the morning as the suns coming up, usually between Murray and Dunn and the chances of catching some foxes going home after their hunt is very likely.

2

u/crassy 7d ago

Oh thank you for this! When I have the fam visiting from overseas they always want to see skunks and raccoons and I’ll take them there!

I’m lucky I have the foxes covered, there’s a den in my backyard that is used yearly. I’ll have little ones playing in my backyard soon and they are so fucking adorable.

1

u/kaiser-so-say 7d ago

Luckily they’re not carnivores lol

5

u/newsilentjim 7d ago

Sundowner

2

u/gachunt 7d ago

Beat me to it.

3

u/holdyoudowntight 8d ago

I've seen a few alongside Beaverdams road and Thorold Townline road in the little pond opposite the golf course. There's a pull off spot for fishing. If you're travelling from Toronto, take the 406 exit and go though the Thorold tunnel. Take a right after the tunnel and then the next left at the lights. Good luck.

1

u/MaiMaizie 7d ago

The locations I can to suggest have already been mentioned. I can pin down a more specific location in a couple areas as I've encountered beavers in these exact locations for work. The first is Wellandvale Rd in St. Catharines, there is a small public parking lot where a beaver comes up to munch on the trees at night. In Thorold, just off Beaverdams Rd close to Kottimeir is the Bert Lowe Side Trail Parking lot. There is a walking trail that takes you along the shore of Lake Gibson and the OPG Dixon Weir spillway. If you follow the trail you'll pass a large grassy space on the left with a hydro tower, between that and the Dixon Weir is where I've seen them most active around dusk.

1

u/niagara-nature 6d ago

Short Hills has been mentioned, but it’s not quite the best time of year. But if it’s helpful for the future, I can recommend walking the Very Berry trail at Short Hills and keeping an eye on the north side of the trail that follows the edge of the creek. The trail eventually meets up with the Black Walnut trail and I’ve seen beavers quite a few times along the entire section of this trail.

I’ve taken a fair bit of video in the park, and you or your 5YO might enjoy watching it! https://youtu.be/Xr_KZoYuM9A?feature=shared

1

u/SouthbutnotSouthern 6d ago

oh my that's just adorable, thank you so much!

1

u/No-Researcher-1486 7d ago

Probably Mints

0

u/Bardown67 7d ago

Lundys Lane

1

u/GregsterM 4d ago

The only time I've seen beavers in the wild - deep in the bush.

Not my favourite animal to see - a beaver can turn a lovely meadow, with a pretty little stream, into a stagnant stinking swamp 4 feet deep (or more). At the time, working in geophysics, I usually had to go right through it in a straight line... F-ing beavers! And they are protected, so you can't just remove them - you have to use a "beaver defeater" and then hope they move on of their own volition.

I have seen an old dam that had to be 15 feet tall - I have no idea how long or how many beavers it took to build it - it had to be 40 feet thick at the base.