Helmcken Falls in Wells Gray Park is a British Columbia must-see any time of the year. This region of BC has four seasons—in the spring and summer, you will experience the gorgeous, green scenery and warmth of the sun, in the fall you can see the gorgeous autumn leaves in bright oranges, reds, and yellows, and in the winter you’ll find a partially frozen waterfall but the powerful water does not stop flowing.
Getting There
To reach Helmcken Falls, just follow the signs from Clearwater, BC, and if you’re fortunate, you may also see some Canadian wildlife on your drive. Depending on the time of day and year, you may see black bears, grizzly bears, moose, and deer. I don’t need to say this, but I will, that these are wild animals and can be dangerous if provoked. Years ago a friend visiting from another country approached a black bear cub with the hopes of taking a close-up photo. Needless to say, that is not a good idea as the mother is nearby…it’s best to use a telephoto lens! We still laugh about it today and he realizes now that it was not a smart move.
There are stops along the way for those who choose to hike into the Falls and different hiking distances. For those who choose not to experience a hike, you can park fairly close to the viewpoint and walk a short distance. This is also where tour buses park and can get a bit busy at certain times of the year.
Things to Do
For the adventurous, or those who want a longer wilderness experience, there are accommodations, campsites, and activities for all ages. Some adventures consist of whitewater rafting, mountain biking, canoeing, cross-country and downhill skiing, paragliding, horseback riding, and guided hiking tours, just to name a few.
There are 39 named waterfalls in Wells Gray Park (and many more yet to discover) so it looks like I have more adventuring to do!
Read more about Wells Gray Park and all it offers at wellsgray.ca
wow this place looks gorgeous!
Thank you Taylor!
I need to go on a road-trip in BC! It looks so pretty!!
Yes you do!! There is so much to see and each part of BC is quite different.
39 waterfalls?! That’s amazing!! I can imagine the beautiful things you’ll come across in that area of BC. Must. Get. To. Canada!
There is so much to see, Lily! Yes you must get to this side of Canada! 🙂
Helmcken falls looks AWESOME! Seems like just a great place to just feel at peace if you know what I mean 🙂 I’d love to have a picnic there!
Thanks Jamie! It is such great place and the sound of the waterfall is so peaceful!
Looks so beautiful. I’m definitly putting this on my travel bucket list. I need to get to the BC asap!
Yes you should visit! There is so much to do in all seasons but summer is my favourite. Just in my region there are over 200 lakes, and over 2000 hours of sunshine a year. Love it!
Me and my husband love to search for waterfalls! We already added Helmcken Falls to our bucket list, how beautiful!
That’s fantastic! You’ll enjoy it. If you like hiking there are numerous options, too. There are many waterfalls near Helmcken you can explore as well.
I’ve actually never heard of Helmcken Falls! Now it’s on my list. How many days did you spend there?
That’s great! I live nearby so we drove up for the afternoon. It would be nice to spend some time in the area though, there’s much more to see.
This looks so beautiful. I would love to get out to the Canadian west one day, and this looks like a great spot!
You should! There is so much to see in any time of the year, but summer is my favourite. 🙂
Love that photo from above! I’m always looking for new adventures and chasing waterfalls. I’ll have to check this place out if I visit!
Yes, I agree! A drone shot would be fun too…now that’s a bucket list purchase! LOL
I have only been to the east side of Canada and visiting the parks in BC is a dream of mine. When in Algonquin park I had hoped hard for a moose encounter but sadly it didn’t happen. I saw a beaver, though!
That’s fantastic! I lived a bit further north in BC and saw moose and bears often. I don’t see them so much anymore. Now you’ve given me the idea to go look for some soon! 🙂