Helmcken Falls
Helmcken Falls is a waterfall located on the Murtle River within the Wells Gray Provincial Park in British Columbia, Canada. The park was created in order to protect the waterfall, making the waterfall a focal point of the park. The Helmcken Falls is the fourth highest waterfall in Canada.
The measurement by which the waterfall is gauged is the total straight drop without a break in the water. The three waterfalls that are larger than the Helmcken Falls are all found in British Columbia as well. Discovered in 1913 by Robert Lee, Helmcken Falls was such a spectacle that Lee wrote to the Premier of British Columbia, Sir Richard McBride, asking if the Falls could be named “McBride Falls. This request was denied and instead the waterfall was named after a famous physician, John Sebastian Helmcken, who helped bring British Columbia into Canadian Confederation in the later 1800’s. The strange fact twist to this is that Dr. Helmcken never actually saw the falls before his death.
Helmcken Falls can be found by taking a small side road once inside the Wells Gray Park. There is a viewing platform at the top of the falls, which provides a breathtaking view of the falls and the canyon to which the water falls into. There are also a number of trails that surround the falls that can be explored while in the area. Although most of the trails can be considered strenuous and bringing children on the trails is not recommended, the view from most of the trails is worth the trek. One of the most popular trails is the Bottom of Helmcken Falls route.
This walking route begins just past the overlook and soon declines into a scramble route, which eventually follows the Murtle River to the bottom of the falls. The trail takes about an hour each way but provides a great view of the Helmcken Falls. Although the Helmcken Falls are generally visited in the summer, some make a point to visit the falls in the winter because of the large ice cone that forms around the base and sometimes works its way halfway up the falls. The Helmcken Falls is an area within Wells Gray Provincial Park that is full of history and beauty. Whether individuals are coming just to see the falls or to explore its surrounding trails and the rest of the park, there is something to do here for everyone.
