Canada

Webster Falls, Ontario

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The City of Hamilton is a spectacular place to find waterfalls. The Niagara Escarpment runs directly through the city. When we visited in July 2019, we weren’t in Hamilton for very long, but were still able to see a number of falls.

Webster Falls and Tews Falls are both within the same park and within the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area. There are two separate parking areas for the falls, though I think you can hike between them. Webster Falls isn’t one of my favorite falls in the area. There may be some designated viewing areas, but it’s really difficult to get a good view of the full falls, which are about 22 meters/72 feet tall. There is a lot of vegetation right in front of the path, pretty much the whole path. I have photos where I tried to capture the whole drop, but it’s even more so blocked by trees. It’s a pretty area to walk around, but if I had to choose certain falls, I would skip this one and instead visit other falls that I could get better views of.

There is a fee to enter the park and also to park the car. In 2019, there weren’t any reservations required, but in 2022, there are times where reservations are required. The Conservation Hamilton website provides the fees and the dates that reservations are required. Sometimes it is only weekends and holidays, but in the fall, it seems like it may be everyday. The reservation is an additional fee. That gets you in to see both falls.

Directions:

  1. There are a number of different paths you could take to get to the Spencer Gorge Conservation Area and Webster Falls. I would suggest having the map on your car/smartphone direct you to Webster Falls.
  2. As mentioned above, there are separate parking areas for Tews Falls and Webster Falls. Webster Falls is found off of Fallsview Road.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 72′
Distance of Hike: 0.1 miles round trip

Webster Falls in July 2019

Where in the World is Webster Falls?

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Dickson Falls, New Brunswick

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Fundy National Park is known for the big changes in the sea level due to the tides, but it also has other attractions that are very interesting. Third Vault Falls is THE waterfall to visit in the park, but it is a strenuous hike, in my opinion.

Dickson Falls in May 2016

If you’re looking for something less exhausting, Dickson Falls may be the waterfall/attraction for you. Dickson Falls is about half the height of Third Vault Falls, though Dickson Falls doesn’t seem as imposing. The hike, though, is under 1 mile round-trip. It was a rather easy hike. There are boardwalks and stairs built into the hike, and this allows for many different views of the falls. It’s definitely worth a stop if you’re in the park.

Directions:

  1. NB-114 forms a horseshoe that diverges from Transcanadian Highway 1 near Four Corners/Sussex and then loops back into Moncton. NB-114 passes through Fundy National Park.
  2. I came from Moncton, so was heading south/west on NB-114. You’ll reach Alma and then cross the Upper Salmon River into Fundy National Park.
  3. If you continue along NB-114, that will lead to the trail for Third Vault Falls. Instead, turn left onto Point Wolfe Road.
  4. Drive about 1.5 miles to the Dickson Falls Trailhead and start the hike to the falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 26′
Length of Hike: 0.9 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Dickson Falls?

Natural Bridge Falls, British Columbia

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Wapta Falls and Takakkaw Falls are the more popular and impressive waterfalls in Yoho National Park. Natural Bridge Falls might not even be a stop, except that the Natural Bridge is the main feature that brings visitors to this spot. The waterfall might be considered secondary, though it created the feature!

The Natural Bridge is a rock/stone feature that has been created by the flowing water. While I don’t think the bridge is continuous, enough stone exists that it still looks like a bridge. The waterfall is larger than it might appear, being about 15′ tall. Much of the drop is hidden behind where the two large pieces of the bridge almost meet. I remember trying to get a good picture of the drop, but I don’t think there was any easy way to get to the angle necessary to capture the falls.

This stop was busier than some of the waterfalls that require a hike. It is an easy stop right off of Trans-Canadian Highway 1. If you continue on this road after exiting the highway, you’ll find Hamilton Falls.

Directions:

  1. From Trans-Canadian Highway 1 near Field, there will be a turn onto Emerald Lake Road. If you’re headed west, it would be a right turn.
  2. Once on Emerald Lake Road, after about 1.5 miles, you’ll find the parking area for the Natural Bridge.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: ~15′
Length of Hike: no hike required

The Natural Bridge in September 2014
Trying to get a better view of the falls behind the Natural Bridge

Where in the World is Natural Bridge Falls?

Sherman Falls, Ontario

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An interesting geological feature, the Niagara Escarpment, runs through Ontario and a number of the great lakes states. There are different types of rock that lead to different erosion rates. This produces some prime waterfall possibilities in New York, Ontario, Michigan, and Wisconsin. Niagara Falls is the clearest product of the escarpment. The escarpment also passes through Hamilton, which leads to a significant number of waterfalls in the city and nearby.

Sherman Falls is one of those waterfalls. It is not far from Tiffany Falls, which is where we started and then hiked to Sherman Falls. I believe there is another parking area. The Hamilton Tourism website mentions that it is off of Artaban Road. Artaban Road appears to be off of Lions Club Road (to the north) and just west of Old Dundas Road. The roads are rather curvy and winding, so you may have to pay attention carefully. Both the parking at Artaban Road and Tiffany Falls come with a fee. Tiffany Falls is $11. I’m not sure what the other parking costs.

It is actually a rather enjoyable hike from Tiffany Falls along the Bruce Trail, so if you’re stopping there, I think you might as well enjoy the hike between the two falls. They say that there’s 1 hour parking at Tiffany Falls, so I would try to respect that, but I think you might be able to fit both falls in an hour. There is another waterfall along the hike, though I didn’t notice (or didn’t look because I wasn’t aware). The falls is referred to as Old Dundas Road Falls. It’s on private property, but you’re supposed to be able to see it by looking south while walking on the Bruce Trail.

There are also other waterfalls nearby that we didn’t visit due to time constraints. Canterbury and Little Canterbury Falls are further west along the Bruce Trail. Sister of Mary Falls, Mill Falls, and Lower Mill Falls are south of the trail. Before you head out, I would suggest checking to see whether the falls and parking are open and available. Covid-19 limited access to many of the waterfalls, but that seems to be less restricted now.

Directions:

  1. I’m providing directions to Tiffany Falls. Then you can hike from there to Sherman Falls. There are multiple different ways to arrive at the Tiffany Falls parking area. I was headed east from London, Ontario, so we were on ON-403 E. If you’re on ON-403 E, take exit 58 which will take you to Wilson Street.
  2. Turn left on Wilson Street W and head northeast on Wilson Street W, which will turn into Wilson Street E. The address for the Tiffany Falls Conservation Area is 900 Wilson Street E.
  3. The parking area will be to your right if you are headed northeast. There is a day fee to park there, and parking may be limited on the weekends.
  4. From there, you can follow the trail to Tiffany Falls or cross the street and follow the Bruce Trail to Sherman Falls. It will head downhill for a bit, and then you turn left (head west) on the Bruce Trail.
  5. You’ll come to a spot where the Bruce Trail crosses Old Dundas Road. I remember there being a sign indicating where to go to get to Sherman Falls.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy)
Height: 56′
Length of Hike: 0.6 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Tiffany Falls?

Cavern Falls, Alberta

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In Banff National Park, one of the best trails where you can see waterfalls is Johnston Canyon. I recorded six waterfalls that were big enough for me to call them distinct waterfalls. You can read previous posts about Stella Falls, Upper Johnston Canyon Falls, and “Upper” Upper Johnston Canyon Falls.

Cavern Falls in August 2014

The hike to see all of the falls is approximately 3.5 miles round-trip, and it’s set up so that it isn’t a difficult walk. There is a wood path built in the canyon that allows you to get places you could not get to otherwise. I visited in August 2014, and it was very busy as it is an easy hike. I distinctly remember people trying to push baby strollers down the pathway, and because it was very busy, it would create bottlenecks. The further you go along the trail, the less busy it gets, so it’s worth it to go the distance!

When I first hiked the trail, I didn’t realize some of the falls had specific names. Cavern Falls is one of them. I think it’s named Cavern Falls because you may be able to notice there is a cavern behind the water. I think Cavern Falls is off at an angle and may be more difficult to notice unless you’re looking for the falls.

Directions:

  1. This isn’t a particularly difficult set of waterfalls to find, with one minor hitch. The trail head is along of the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A). If you’re driving along the Transcanadian Highway 1, there are limited entrances/connections onto 1A. In order to find the falls, you can either enter onto 1A a few miles after leaving Banff. You will be heading west if you take this exit, and the trail head will be on your right after driving for a while. (You can also exit at the junction of Transcanadian Highway 1 and Alberta 93. Instead of heading south, though, head north for a short distance. Then turn right and drive for 6.4 km. The parking area will be on your left.)
  2. I mention a parking area, but if I remember correctly, that parking area was completely full. There were at least a hundred or so cars (possibly more) parked on the sides of 1A, so that’s where I parked. It added a little bit longer to the walk, but it wasn’t much.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate, though strollers are honestly too big for the trail)
Height: 30′
Distance of Hike: 3.4 miles round trip (to see all falls)

Where in the World is Cavern Falls?

Tiffany Falls, Ontario

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Tiffany Falls Ontario (77)

Tiffany Falls in late July 2019

I had the chance this past weekend to finally visit some waterfalls in Hamilton, Ontario. It is reported that there are over 100 waterfalls in the city/region. I am recovering from some surgery, so I decided to find waterfalls that seemed to be easier hikes, just in case anything happened.

I started with Tiffany Falls because I had seen some photos that indicated that the falls were flowing. In the summer months, it isn’t always a guaranteed thing that a waterfall will be flowing, even in places that have a lot of water. I was definitely in luck because there was water flowing over the four falls I visited in the area. I visited the falls on a Sunday, and parking was at a premium. Based on visits to Tews Falls and Webster Falls on weekdays, weekday parking isn’t as much of an issue.

The hike to Tiffany Falls isn’t particularly difficult, and is a quarter of a mile from the parking area. In addition to Tiffany Falls, from Tiffany Falls, you can hike about 0.6 miles one-way to Sherman Falls, which again wasn’t a wildly difficult hike, though it did involve some stairs. Canterbury Falls is further along the trail, though I didn’t visit that waterfall.

Directions:

  1. There are multiple different ways to arrive at the falls. I was headed east from London, Ontario, so we were on ON-403 E. If you’re on ON-403 E, take exit 58 which will take you to Wilson Street.
  2. Turn left on Wilson Street W and head northeast on Wilson Street W, which will turn into Wilson Street E. The address for the Tiffany Falls Conservation Area is 900 Wilson Street E.
  3. The parking area will be to your right if you are headed northeast. There is a day fee to park there, and parking may be limited on the weekends.
  4. From there, you can follow the trail to Tiffany Falls or cross the street and follow the Bruce Trail to Sherman Falls.

Accessibility: 9/10 (easy)
Height: 69′
Length of Hike: 0.5 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Tiffany Falls?

Hamilton Falls, British Columbia

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Hamilton Falls British Columbia (3)

Hamilton Falls in September 2014

Yoho National Park in British Columbia has a number of impressive waterfalls: Takakkaw Falls and Wapta Falls are two great examples. But there are a number of smaller, though still beautiful waterfalls in the park.

The hike to Hamilton Falls starts at a stunningly beautiful lake, Emerald Lake, which gets its name from the beautiful color of the water. Instead of heading toward the lake, which is still an easy stop, you’ll turn toward the mountains/hills and follow the trail to Hamilton Falls. The hike is rather short, and isn’t very difficult. The amount of water flowing over the falls wasn’t large, but there was something ethereal about the way the water carved a path through the rock. It’s not as impressive as some of the other waterfalls in the park, but I found it to be a worthwhile excursion.

Directions:

  1. From Trans-Canadian Highway 1 near Field, there will be a turn onto Emerald Lake Road. If you’re headed west, it would be a right turn.
  2. Once on Emerald Lake Road, continue to the very end of the road, where you’ll encounter a parking lot and Emerald Lake. You’ll pass by Natural Bridge Falls on the way.
  3. From the parking lot, head west toward Hamilton Falls.

Accessibility: 7/10 (easy/moderate)
Height: 100′
Length of Hike: 0.9 miles round-trip

Where in the World is Hamilton Falls?

Stella Falls, Alberta

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As I’ve mentioned before in a post about Upper Johnston Canyon Falls, the hike in Johnston Canyon is one of the more popular hikes in Banff National Park. When I visited at the end of August 2014, the parking areas were completely full and people were parking on the road. The trail was very busy. People were trying to push their baby strollers down the trail, which was interesting, as the trail, while not difficult, wasn’t exactly built for strollers.

While some of the falls are named Johnston Canyon Falls, the falls in between have names. Stella Falls is the second of the three named falls you’ll encounter. The waterfall isn’t as exciting as the Lower and Upper Falls, but the scenery is stunning nonetheless. If you’re willing to do the 3.5 mile round-trip, it’s well worth it to see Stella Falls and five other falls.

Directions:

  1. This isn’t a particularly difficult set of waterfalls to find, with one minor hitch. The trail head is along of the Bow Valley Parkway (Highway 1A). If you’re driving along the Transcanadian Highway 1, there are limited entrances/connections onto 1A. In order to find the falls, you can either enter onto 1A a few miles after leaving Banff. You will be heading west if you take this exit, and the trail head will be on your right after driving for a while. (You can also exit at the junction of Transcanadian Highway 1 and Alberta 93. Instead of heading south, though, head north for a short distance. Then turn right and drive for 6.4 km. The parking area will be on your left.)
  2. I mention a parking area, but if I remember correctly, that parking area was completely full. There were at least a hundred or so cars (possibly more) parked on the sides of 1A, so that’s where I parked. It added a little bit longer to the walk, but it wasn’t much.

Accessibility: 8/10 (easy/moderate, though strollers are honestly too big for the trail)
Height: 20′
Distance of Hike: 3.4 miles round trip (to see all falls)

Johnston Canyon Falls Alberta (42)

Stella Falls in August 2014

Where in the World is Stella Falls?

Crooked Creek Falls, New Brunswick

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In 2016, I flew into Halifax, and decided to hit a few different Canadian provinces and check off a few waterfalls in each province. Third Vault Falls in New Brunswick was the most memorable waterfall I visited in the province (out of three). As I was driving through Riverside-Albert, I knew there was another waterfall near the town, and decided to visit it. I had already hiked to Third Vault Falls that day, which is a moderately strenuous hike, so I was a bit worn out.

I had also read that Crooked Creek Falls was a moderately strenuous hike, but I decided to check the waterfall off the list anyway. It is definitely a shorter hike than Third Vault Falls, but in that short distance, it is a steep downhill hike. On the return, it is a steep uphill hike. My legs were definitely worn out after those two hikes.

Crooked Creek Falls might not be worth it is as much as Third Vault Falls. It is a beautiful little waterfall, but it isn’t as photogenic as others. It’s a waterfall that I would recommend to true waterfall lovers, though I did notice some people posting about swimming in the creek, so that may be something for you to enjoy.

Directions:

  1. Route 114 leads from Moncton to Fundy National Park. When you come to the town of Riverside-Albert (headed south, let’s say), you’ll turn right onto Forestdale Road.
  2. After 1.1 miles, you’ll find a parking area. I believe it was on the right side of the road.
  3. On the left side of the road, the trail leads downhill to the creek and waterfall.

Accessibility: 3/10 (moderate/strenuous)
Height: 13′
Length of Hike: 0.3 miles round-trip

Crooked Creek Falls New Brunswick (2)

Crooked Creek Falls in May 2016

Where in the World is Crooked Creek Falls?

Takakkaw Falls, British Columbia

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DSC_0257

Takakkaw Falls in September 2014

I’m not even sure I can accurately describe the awesomeness that is Takakkaw Falls. At 1250′ tall, Takakkaw Falls is one of those waterfalls that’s stunning and yet difficult to capture it’s true height.

Takakkaw Falls is found in Yoho National Park, which is a stunningly beautiful park in British Columbia. (Banff National Park is right across the “border” in Alberta, and you should plan to visit both parks simultaneously.) In Yoho, there are a number of impressive waterfalls. While Wapta Falls is nowhere near as tall, it is much wider. Takakkaw wins in the height department, though.

The road to the falls is narrow and winding (and only open for a few months in the summer), with some surprisingly sharp curves. Once you get to the falls, though, it’s smooth sailing. There’s no real hike required to get to the falls, but you can walk on the trails to get a much closer view. If you look at the picture, you just might notice some red dots near the base of the falls, which are people getting a better look.

While you’re already rewarded with a great view of Takakkaw Falls, Whiskey Jack Falls is across the road. If you plan far enough in advance, you could even stay at the hostel near the falls. If you want to hike further (which I didn’t do), there are four other waterfalls along another trail that starts at Takakkaw Falls. (It’s a 10 mile round trip hike…)

Directions:

  1. From the Trans-Canadian Highway 1, take Yoho Valley Road north to Takakkaw Falls. (The signs for Takakkaw Falls are very obvious.)
  2.  The parking are for the falls will be on your right, and you’ll be able to see Takakkaw Falls from there. There’s a trail that leads you much closer to the falls.

Accessibility: 10/10 (easy)
Height: 1250′
Hike: not applicable

Where in the World is Takakkaw Falls?