The Waterfalls of Wells Gray Provincial Park
Untamed Water
Welcome to the land of waterfalls in Wells Gray Provincial Park. Feel the mist as you step out of your car and onto the viewing platform at Helmcken Falls. Enjoy the calming energy as you walk through an old-growth rainforest and happen across one of the over 40 waterfalls here. Make it a day of adventure and hike to Moul Falls. Walk down the trail and you’ll find yourself in a place few people experience, looking at the world from behind the thundering falls. Return in autumn and watch as the majestic salmon fight their way back home.
Connect With Waterfalls of Wells Gray More Info
HELMCKEN FALLS SPRING CLOSURE
Beginning April 22 2024, and continuing into May and June, BC Parks will be replacing the Helmcken Falls viewing platform, improving accessibility on the nearby trails and upgrading supporting facilities. For safety reasons, the area will be closed to the public during this time, and road access will be closed at the junction with the Clearwater Valley Road (“Park Road”). Updates will be posted on the Tourism Wells Gray Current Travel Info page (link below). We appreciate your patience while we repair and improve this area for future visitors.
Eons ago, lava flowed freely where waterfalls now thunder. This is Mother Nature at her best. Witness some of the most dramatic geographical wonders in British Columbia as you walk on nature’s edge.
Waterfalls Dominate at Wells Gray Provincial Park
Take your time and discover the over 40 waterfalls in Wells Gray, BC’s fourth largest provincial park. Take in the height of Helmcken Falls and enjoy the invigorating trek to Moul Falls. Tranquil beauty awaits at Dawson Falls, while Bailey’s Chute, is where the salmon stop at this insurmountable passage of rushing water as they return to their spawning grounds.
Helmcken Falls – Where the Heavens and Nature Meet
Choose your view where the heavens and nature meet at Helmcken Falls. The viewing platform is accessible from the road and offers an all-encompassing view of the falls and canyon area. Watch as water thunders down 141m (463 ft) at Canada’s fourth largest waterfall. It’s here where the hurried water of Murtle River carves its way through the North Thompson Valley from a nameless glacier in the Cariboo Mountains.
Explore the area and discover the seven waterfalls that pour from Murtle River as the water churns over land as it catches the sunlight and creates rainbows. This balance of power and beauty is your introduction to the Canadian backcountry in a most unique way.
Use the river as your guide and take an hour-long hike on Rim Trail. The sound of rushing water gets louder as you near the falls. Stand at the edge of the canyon and feel the rumbling torrents up close.
Dawson, Moul and Spahats Creek Falls – Diamonds in the Wild
Meander along the path that takes you through an old-growth rainforest to where Dawson Falls rumbles and rages. It’s a 10 minute walk with a priceless view. Dawson Falls extends 90 m (295 ft) across, (almost the length of an NFL football field). Breathe deep as surging water tumbles over prehistoric molten rock and swirls into the Murtle River. This could be just what the doctor ordered.
Slip behind Moul Falls by taking a one-hour trek from Clearwater Road. You’ll feel energized as you work your way down to the base of the falls where time and nature have eroded the rock face. Being behind this waterfall creates a feeling of connection with Mother Nature. The scent of untamed water envelops you as the spray cleanses your spirit as you stand in this hidden den.
Picture-perfect is the best way to describe Spahats Creek Falls. If you only have time to visit one waterfall, this is it. It can be reached through a 15 minute drive from Clearwater and a 5 minute walk from the parking lot. Watch as the water shoots out through a hole in the rock, then pours into the Clearwater River. Wilderness blankets you, even though the road is mere minutes away.
Witness the cycle of birth and death up close as you watch the mighty salmon battle their way back from the ocean to the place they were born. The urge to return and lay their eggs is so strong, only death will stop them. They swim against currents, battle their way upstream and try to jump the pounding waterfalls. This is the end for one of this region’s most sacred creatures. It’s also the beginning for the next generation.
World Renowned Adams River Salmon Run
This is it… the world famous annual Adams River salmon run. Delight at the sight of millions of fish making their way back home to lay their eggs during the peak of the season in mid-October. The Adams River is one of the most important rivers in North America for the Sockeye salmon.
Watch in awe from viewing platforms accessible from trails in Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park. The Sockeye have their highest return of spawning fish every four years. To celebrate the occasion, the Adams River Salmon Society holds an almost month long celebration, Salute to the Sockeye, during these peak periods.
a Land of Waterfalls
Long before these frosty waters surged here, lava flowed freely. Today, this beautiful liquid dance will mesmerize you. The steady drumbeat of the falls burns into your senses and creates a life-long memory. Prepare to be stunned as you walk on nature’s edge and witness some of the most dramatic geological viewing in British Columbia.
