Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park

A Forest Park With The Little Qualicum River Dropping Through Two Waterfalls And A Series Of Canyon Pools, A Short Loop Trail With Bridges, Swimming Holes In The Lower And Upper Falls Areas And A Campground Beside The River. A Cool Summer Stop On The Road To Port Alberni · Qualicum Beach, British Columbia

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park sits on Highway 4 about 20 km west of Parksville, where the Little Qualicum River drops through a forested canyon toward Cameron Lake and the road to Port Alberni (confirm distance). The river tumbles over two main falls, the Lower Falls and the Upper Falls, through narrow rock chutes and into deep green pools, with a loop trail, footbridges and viewing platforms that make the whole canyon easy to see in an hour. Tall Douglas fir, cedar and hemlock shade the walk, and a campground beside the river offers cool nights when the east coast is hot. In summer, swimming holes below the falls draw families and cliff-jumpers, while in autumn and spring the river is loud and white after rain. It is a quick, rewarding stop on the way to the west coast, and a good base for camping. Booking is through BC Parks Discover Camping (confirm all fees, dates and rules).

Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, on Highway 4 about 20 km west of Parksville in the mountains of central Vancouver Island; coordinates approximate, Qualicum Beach, British Columbia, Canada

Little Qualicum Falls is open every day for day use from about dawn to dusk, with the campground running from spring to early autumn and a smaller winter operation in some years (confirm). Services are basic, with pit toilets and a few taps, and the staffed gate may only operate in peak season, so confirm dates with BC Parks before travelling. The river is highest and loudest after heavy rain and spring melt, and the swimming pools are best from July to early September, when flows fall and the water warms.

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