Fri. July 17, 2026 Wells Gray Provincial Park

 Fri. July 17

50 degrees this beautiful morning! We continue south through beautiful scenery.  A few more towns and businesses.

Today we continue south to the town of Clearwater, where we turn into Wells Gray Provincial Park Visitors Center.   On advice from the welcome center folks, we decide to get a campsite at nearby North Thompson River Provincial Park and then head into Wells Gray. $33.50 Canadian ($25 US) sound fine, but there is a boil water advisory and only pit toilets.  We choose an open site, deposit our envelope and head out.

Wells Gray is noted for its waterfalls, so we decide to do the three major ones.  Some of the others require more hiking than we're willing to take on.  Spahats (1st nation word for bear) is first, only a 6 miles or so drive on decent road.  

At the end of an easy 1/2 mile trail is a great viewing platform. The falls is 97' tall and Spahats Creek continues to carve into the canyon wall, so the falls moves further downward.  Lots of other viewers, but not crowded.

About 20 miles farther is beautiful Dawson Falls on the Myrtle River.  It is only 60' high, but is 297' wide and sometimes called mini-niagara.  

 The easy trail is about a mile RT and soon the sound of the Falls is clear.

 

Dawson Falls and the Myrtle River are powerful, carving into old lava flows.

Helmcken Falls is Canada's fourth-highest at 463' .   This falls was the inspiration for the creation of Wells Gray Park in 1939. 

 There is a tent set up near the viewpoint with a few rangers who explain Spray Zones to us.  Apparently the area near the base of waterfalls are called Spray Zones and are home to many unique plants which have just recently been identified and studied. They have some samples of Rough Gooseneck Moss, Tree Lung Wart and Witches Brew... and expect to discover more.

We head back down the mountain to Clearwater and our campsite, stopping at a Subway for a tasty sandwich.  We walk a bit and a little rain moves in.   The Park Rangers are making rounds and we discover there is some fine print, which says non-residents pay extra, plus we don't have Canadian money so they charge extra for that too.   The guy is a bit apologetic, but this is a popular campground and has "special" rules, different from other Provincial Parks.  Oh well.   Live and learn, eh?  

Beth chats with a couple from Florida who have been traveling in Canada since early June and plan to continue till September.... escaping hot weather.  

We snack a bit and play some cribbage.  Hard rain for a bit and we have to close the overhead fan.  But it is cool enough without it tonight.