By Julie Bruns
There’s something about the raw energy of a waterfall that makes us stop and stare (and take a picture, or two, or 40). Luckily for Canadian waterfall hunters, there are plenty of cascades to track down across this beautiful country. [Image credit: istock.com/VisualCommunications]
Topping the list of course, is Canada’s most well-know waterfall: the torrential Niagara Falls in Ontario. While it’s not one of the tallest waterfalls (it’s only a humble 50 metres high), it makes up for this with its sheer volumes of tumbling water. 85,000 cubic feet of water ever second, to be more or less exact. Hop on one of the tour boats at its base to get up close and personal, but be prepared to come back soaked!
Dropping 141 meters, Helmcken Falls in B.C. is Canada’s fourth-tallest waterfall, but that’s not why you'll remember it. It pours dramatically over a cliff edge into a bowl-shaped formation that it has carved out of the rock, sending up sheets of mist before tumbling over a second tier. You’ll have some of the best seats in the house as far as waterfalls are concerned – the viewing platform is perched right on the rim, overlooking the tumult.
Featuring a massive volume of water pouring over a series of short, staggered falls, Athabasca Falls is not only a pretty spectacular waterfall in its own right, but it features the breath-taking background of the Rocky Mountains in Jasper National Park. Clear out space in your camera before you go – you're gonna need it!
The dramatic cascades of Shannon Falls are a laid-back stroll from British Columbia’s coastal Sea to Sky Highway, making it an ideal waterfall to visit of you’re looking for easy access. If you’re still raring to go after taking a few waterfall selfies, it’s also right next to the renowned Chief Stawamus hike.
Monmorency Falls churns down an 83-metre cliff into the St. Lawrence river just a short jaunt outside Quebec City. A cable car can whisk you up the cliff, while a suspension bridge reaches over the falls, so you can take in the spectacle from all angles. Feeling like a daredevil? Take a ride down the 300-metre zip line!
This 400-foot-high falls looks about as pretty as it sounds, with water running over a smoothed face of rock for an appearance that is indeed similar to a dramatic veil. Just 16 km from Chilliwack, it’s another one of British Columbia’s incredible falls, and maybe it’s just the name, but it seems even more romantic than your average waterfall.
----------------------------------------
Check out more great Canadian content from YP:
· 10 giant Canadian roadside attractions you have to see to believe
· 15 national parks to visit in Canada’s 150th year
· Holey moley! 10 Canadian doughnuts to die for
----------------------------------------
This little waterfall just outside of Hamilton, Ontario is only 19 meters high, but pours elegantly down a series of stepped rock shelves, giving it a charming, fairy-tale look. As if to complete this storybook setting, it is situated in the aptly named, and picturesque, King’s Forest Park.
If you’re determined to add a challenge to your waterfall list, take a look at Nailicho, also known as Virginia Falls. Flowing through the Nahanni National Park Reserve in the Northwest Territories, the falls take a little more than a stroll to get to. You’ll need to make like an explorer and rent a float plane to land above the falls before hiking to a majestic viewpoint. There, you’ll reap your trek’s rewards as you appreciate the vast size of the falls as it splits and tumbles around the pointed Mason’s Rock before gushing hundreds of feet down.
Canada is filled with an amazing range of must-see waterfalls, from small and elegant to towering torrents. If you’re missing the mist and the roar of water in your ears, add some of these cascades to your next adventure bucket list!
