The Adventure Stairs are exactly what the name suggests — 305 hand-laid stone steps climbing the Niagara Escarpment from a residential street in west Hamilton to the top of the cliff. They were built over years by a single homeowner who decided he wanted easier access to the top trails. The stairs are unofficial, free, and a little uneven; the city has tolerated them rather than endorsed them.
They are tougher than the official escarpment staircases nearby (the Wentworth Stairs and the Chedoke Stairs) but quieter and more interesting. Climbing them is a Hamilton rite of passage. Park on Chedoke Avenue and walk west to find them. The view from the top is over the lower city and Lake Ontario.