Canadian Rockies to The Great Lakes & Beyond travel blog

Kakabeka Falls

They call the falls the Niagara of the North

Joe at the Falls

Here we're at the top of the falls; they drop over about...

A close-up

The falls plunge 40 meters over the cliffs

A rare picture of Hannah; she prefers to be behind the camera.

Another look back at the falls and the river

As they cascade over the rocks

And one last shot


A rain, thunder, and hail storm woke us up in the middle of the night. If the storm hadn’t, Foxy would; she was in a panic because it sounded like someone was pounding the roof of the motor home with ping pong balls. They said the hail was the size of softballs and we didn’t get the worst of it; apparently, it was much worse northwest of Thunder Bay.

However, the day looked pretty good so we set out for Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. The Kaministiquia River, once a trade route for early explorers, flowed through forests and rough terrain but one big obstacle along the river corridor was Kakabeka Falls…the explorers had to carry their canoes around the steep cliffs to avoid the falls. Roads and railway replaced the river for transportation but the falls remain a marvel of nature for enjoyment by locals and tourists.

The fast flowing falls, referred to as Niagara of the North, plunge 40 meters over the sheer cliffs into the gorge below. The rock layers at the foot of the falls are believed to be some of the oldest fossils in the world.

There are lovely walking trails, boardwalks, overlooks, and a bridge across the river so the visitor can view the falls from many angles. Truly awesome.

We stopped at the Visitor Center to pick up some information on Ouimet Canyon and Sleeping Giant, a possible outing for tomorrow.

Share |