I am still processing the impressive beauty of the road trip to Wells Gray Park while quietly planning another one—joy, awe, amazement, laced with heavy doses of curiosity. After all, there is always room for new memories. ALWAYS.

Life is one big road trip. Sure, you can prepare for it to some extent, but what happens on the road is mostly out of your control. I’ve driven to BC more times than I could count, solo, with my ex, daughter, friends and for work. While not all great, there is something freeing about being on the open road.

Travelling will test your patience. Sometimes you will drive in silence, focusing on the road directly ahead or the people riding along with you. Other times you will want to move faster than you can. Take it all in. Slow down. And don’t let yourself run out of gas. Also, check your car grille for any dead birds, it’s a thing. So, are you ready for a road trip and fill up with experiences?

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Wells Gray Provincial Park

There is no place like Wells Gray. The 4th largest park in BC, layered by time and elements, is home to 22 volcanoes and 41 waterfalls. I mean, if this is not amazing, then I don’t know what is. Volcanic eruptions, followed by periods of great cooling, created layers of volcanic rock above the valley floor, which would explain our dirty feet from last year’s visit. This is a wild place. Clearwater Valley or Wells Gray Corridor includes an abundance of waterfalls on 70 km of the beautiful park road.

Iconic Waterfalls

The waterfalls begin to swell during the early summer months when the snow melts on the mountains. So how did they all form? I am no geology nerd, but the formula is pretty easy: volcanoes + glaciers = waterfalls. Undoubtedly, the waterfalls make Wells Grey the destination that it is. There are many to discover, and two days is simply not enough to see them all. I will for sure have to plan another visit. Soon.

Triple Decker

Charming. It’s a stunning three-tiered waterfall. Only 4 km up the Park road, it marks the start of a 7km one-way hike down the Clearwater River trail towards the Candle Creek Falls. The trail to the Triple Decker is about 15 min long, and although short, it is steep and super sketchy when wet. Well worth it.

• Distance: 1km return
• Difficulty: moderate
• Height: 61m

Spahats Creek Falls

Dramatic. Spahats Falls will get you excited about what is coming next. About 10 minutes into Wells Gray Corridor and maybe a 5-minute walk along the canyon rim, you will find a very dramatic Spahat Falls that plunges through a keyhole in the rock face and into the Clearwater River. My friend Kirsten and I stopped there on the way from Penticton last year and made plans to come back in the spring, sans kids.

• Distance: 1km return
• Difficulty: Super easy
• Height: 73 m

Moul Falls and McDiarmid Falls

Wet. While not the tallest waterfall in the park, it is the most spectacular. It is accessed at 25 km into the Wells Gray Corridor. Getting to the falls requires a little more effort as you need to hike about 3 km. You can actually walk behind the falls during low water, at your own risk, in a dress though a rain jacket would probably be a better choice. Continue further through the bridge and through an old-growth forest to experience the base of the McDiarmid Falls.

• Distance: 8km return
• Difficulty: Easy to moderate
• Height: 35 m

Helmcken Falls

Classic. It is the park’s most well-known waterfall, Canada’s 4th highest waterfall and is accessed at 49 km into the Wells Gray Corridor. It was discovered by Robert Henry Lee, who worked along the Murtle River as a land surveyor. The layers along the canyon were formed when hot lava cooled quickly. You can hike along the Helmcken Falls South Rim Trail to see it from another perspective, but guess what? It poured. Since there are no guard rails and the drop is 500 ft, it was an ultimate no.

• Distance: 8km return if doing the South Rim Trail to the base of the falls
• Difficulty: Flat and easy
• Height: 141 m

Dawson Falls

Mini Niagara. Dawson Falls cascades over a layer of lava that is over 200,000 years old. It is sometimes called mini Niagara for its horseshoe shape. It was also discovered by the surveyor Robert Henry Lee, and it is easily accessed via a 20-minute walk to the viewing area.

• Distance: 1.1 km
• Difficulty: Easy
• Height: 90 m

Bailey’s Chute, Marcus and Myanth Falls

Three waterfalls and a lake. It’s a beautiful walk through a microclimate of giant cedar trees and moss-covered everything. It is only a short walk to a platform built overlooking an extreme whitewater rapid caused by a lava flow narrowing the river bed. From there, you can loop the trail if you want. Bailey’s Chute’s modest 30-foot cascade shows the sheer power of the Clearwater River. Marcus is the second of three major waterfalls along the Clearwater River; it stands out because of its 350 widths. At 3.4km, there is yet another waterfall, Myanth, almost as wide as the Marcus falls. It makes a perfect spot for catching frogs.

• Distance: 6km return
• Difficulty: Flat and easy
• Height: 9m, 5m, 3m

Silvertip Falls

Treat! The Silvertip waterfall is a beautiful sight. It is the tallest waterfall in the park, hidden under Trophy Mountain. It actually cascades down the mountainside. It’s pretty soggy, muddy and slippery, especially on the roots. The waterfall makes a lot of noise but feels isolated and tranquil simultaneously. The 30 min hike takes you through the lush vegetation and more rainforest stuff. The road to the trailhead is a logging road. It’s a bit bumpy but doesn’t require 4×4, in my opinion. Well worth it!

• Distance: 2km return
• Difficulty: Moderate
• Height: 168m

How To Get To Wells Gray Provincial Park

Wells Gray Provincial Park is north of Clearwater, BC, west of Valemount and east of Williams Lake. Yes, yes, it’s far from Edmonton, a 7-hour drive to be exact. The main park access is via the Wells Gray Corridor or Clearwater Valley. 68km drive will take you through spectacular waterfalls, lakes, hiking trails and interior rainforests. More than 250 different varieties of wild blooms exist in the park. Did I mention wildflowers? It is worth the drive.

Where I Stayed in Wells Gray

Kirsten and I stayed at Cedar Heaven Resort between Clearwater, BC and Wells Gray Park in one of their’s four tents. It was a unique experience, and I loved it. I call it wild with a touch of luxury. So if you like camping and flush toilets, you will definitely find this place perfect for enjoying and exploring. Plus sauna in the woods is a magical thing. It is a lovely resort; they also have cabins with queen-sized beds and kitchenettes, but I wanted to experience under the canvas and immerse myself in the great outdoors. Well, that sounded wordy. I was there for the fluffy robe.

Bears, Blooms And Wild Mushrooms In Wells Gray

Wells Gray Park is home to a vast range of flora, fauna and fungi! I came across so many different types along the trails. Mushrooms love the moist weather and flourish underneath the trees and in dark soil. It was fun taking pictures, and no, I did not try any.

Black bears graze by the roadsides but avoiding an encounter is the best way to protect yourself and keep the bears safe. Bears are cute and furry, but if they could, they would eat you and everyone else around!

There is nothing quite like walking through a rainbow-coloured field of alpine flowers. It’s been a slow start to spring, so the blooms were not plentiful. Wells Gray Park has two bloom seasons during the year, one being in June and the second in August. The early season consists mainly of the yellow Glacier Lilly and white Spring Beauty. The most common flowers late in the second season are the red Indian Paint Brush, the purple Lupin and the ever-so-cute Alpine Daisy. Another reason to come back here.

LNT

LNT is built on seven principles that promote and inspire responsible outdoor recreation through education, research and partnerships. The basic message is to pack it in, pack it out. The principles include:

• Plan Ahead and Prepare
• Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
• Dispose of Waste Properly
• Leave What You Find
• Minimize Campfire Impacts
• Respect Wildlife
• Be Considerate of Other Visitors

I would imagine the same principles apply in BC as in AB, but somehow it is still a struggle.

What To Pack For Wells Gray

Mid-June was wet. It actually felt humid but not cold. Layers are best as usual:

• Daypack plus rain cover (I used Osprey Daylite which is my go-to for less heavy loads)
• Water (2 L bladder)
• Snacks
• Layers/Rain/Wind Jacket
• Hiking Boots/Waterproof Trail Runners
• Socks (good wool socks make a difference)
• First Aid
• Bear Spray/Bear Bells/Bear Bangers/Bear Necessities!!
• Umbrella ????

Related

If you like BC, you can read about connecting with nature in beautiful BC: here.

Happy Adventuring!