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Chasing Waterfalls near Campbell River, BC

4 beautiful waterfall hikes near Campbell River, British Columbia.

Hiking Easy

Elk Falls: Longer Hike
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Description

If you're a fan of chasing waterfalls, you'd better chase your way up to Campbell River on Vancouver Island. The region surrounding Campbell River is rich with waterfalls! Rivers and streams course their way down from the towering mountains in the heart of the island, heading east on their way out to the bay. As they snake through this rugged terrain, they inevitably tumble off endless cliffs, rocks, and ledges, making for stellar waterfall viewing.

The most notable waterfall in the region is found in the eponymous Campbell River, where it plunges off a 25-meter (89-foot) cliff. Known as Elk Falls, the path to this thundering waterfall is an ultra-popular hike. The route also crosses an incredible suspension bridge, which is the highest pedestrian bridge on Vancouver Island. You can choose to either hike a short out-and-back to Elk Falls or add on some bonus mileage to view Deer Falls as well.

If you drive further up the highway and deeper into the interior of Vancouver Island, you'll reach Strathcona Provincial Park—the first provincial park designated in British Columbia. In Strathcona, you can hike to a series of fantastic waterfalls. But of all the falls found in the park, Lupin Falls is the most easily accessible from Campbell River.

Just a few miles south of Campbell River, you'll find a beautiful hike along the Puntledge River with views of Nymph Falls. Unlike the other tall, vertical waterfalls found in this guidebook, Nymph Falls is a lengthy series of small cascades where the Puntledge River flows over undulating rock slabs. These wide rock slabs create stunning veils of falling water, and manmade fish ladders cut into the rock also create a series of much more rugged, tumultuous falls. This series of cascades is gorgeous in its own right!

Routes included

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