Seeking Waterfalls

Dykes Falls

Dykes Falls are found in the Henderson Settlement area of New Brunswick, near Cambridge Narrows.  The falls are hidden away behind a quarry and appear more like a long waterslide, as O'Neill Brook winds its way through the forest.

To get there: go the Henderson Settlement area from either Cambridge Narrows or Hatfield Point, along Hwy 710.  If going north, about 6.5kms on Hwy 710 from the intersection with Hwy 124, keep an eye out for a quarry to the east.  If you reach Shaw Rd, you've gone too far.  If heading south, pass Shaw Rd on Hwy 710 and watch for the quarry on your left. It is no more than 3 kilometres from Shaw Rd. Park in the quarry area (out of the way) and walk down the road which goes into the woods.  At the turnabout, take the path into the woods toward the brook. 

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Henderson Falls

Henderson Falls (or also named Shaw Falls) are found in the expanse of valleys and hills of the Saint John River Valley in Queens County.  The falls lie within a grove of cedar trees which line the brook on both sides.  Also surrounding the falls area are extraordinarily tall pine trees, which tower high above the average tree growth.  One pine tree also has grown into the rock ledge near the falls.  The site is also well maintained and has a bench and stairs for access.

To get there, head along highway 710 from Springfield or Cambridge Narrows.  Look for the Shaw Road either before or after the Y fork in Hwy 710, depending on your direction of travel.  Shaw Road is on the east side of Hwy 710 at Henderson Settlement.  Proceed along Shaw Rd until you see a red cottage on the left hand side, marked #105.  Park opposite of the cottage on the south side of Shaw Rd.  Ahead of you, before the big house with the covered front deck is a pathway leading toward the brook.  Take this path and look for the stairs heading down.  To see the upper falls, stay high on the bank and go upriver about 25 metres.

There is a nice swimming hole and a bench on site.

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Kierstead Mountain Falls

Kierstead Mountain Falls are found in a gully of one of the high points in New Brunswick between Coles Island and Sussex.  The tiered falls are about 5-6 metres high and flow from Big Brook, which crosses under Hwy 10.  A gentle sloped forested trail leads to the falls. 

To get there, take Hwy 10 from Coles Island or Sussex.  Watch for the Keirstead Mountain cemetery on the west side of the road near the top of Keirstead Mountain. On the southbound side of the road, there is a guardrail on Hwy 10 that leads up to the cemetery, park just before this guardrail at an old rest area where the road is widened.  A grassy trail leads down a slope toward the brook. Watch for the Y, where the trail continues down the hill through the woods.  At about 750m, you will see red flashing on a tree near the bottom of the hill.  Follow the flashings down a small embankment and return upstream toward the falls. There are downed trees and the last part of the path is not well cleared or marked.

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Erbs Falls

  Erbs Falls is located on the Kingston Peninsula in south-central New Brunswick.  Hidden among farm fields and valleys, Erbs Falls has a unique feature attached to it: an incredibly well constructed salmon/fish ladder.  The falls are a combination of chute and plunge water flow, rising about 10 meters from top to bottom. 

To get there, from Belleisle Bay head toward Erbs Cove on Hwy 850, taking Ganong Rd.  Ganong Road continues to Peters Hill Road.  Park near the bridge by the gate and signage.  From Hampton, take Hwy 845 to Peters Hill Road.  Just before a sharp turn and the junction with Ganong Rd.  The falls are on the side of the road with the shed/barn.  

When visiting the falls, make sure you check in with Rob Daly in the nearby farmhouse with barn.  At the falls area, 'No trespassing' signage is plentiful, but if you ask permission Daly said that he doesn't mind courteous visitors.

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Waterfalls of Moose River Gorge

   Moose River Gorge rises in the hills above Moose River, as part of the Cobequid Mountains of Nova Scotia.  The Gorge itself is impressive, with rocky cliffs rising above Moose River in excess of 190 metres.  Sheer drops can be seen and viewed throughout, making it one of the more extreme areas in Nova Scotia.  The Moose River Gorge is also home to five waterfalls, with varying heights and types.  You will find one 5m plunge fall, one 90m multiple/combination (slide, plunge, cascade), one 30m slide fall, one 15m cascade and a 50m punchbowl/slide, all along the same river within just over a kilometre of each other. There is also   evidence of a historical logging operation at the first falls location, with a heavy chain and dam structure still evident. In all, seeing these five waterfalls takes a full and hard day of bushwacking, rockhopping and map-compass travel. The reward though is a day of enjoying some large waterfalls.

To get there: From Amherst, go south on Hwy 302 to Parrsboro.  Take highway 2 east to Moose River.  Watch for two bridges once you reach Moose River.  Park at the second bridge which is shortly after two sharp turns.  From Truro, take Hwy 2 west toward Great Village, Bass River and Five Islands.  Continue toward Moose River.

To access the falls: A map will be required to reach the gorge. There are no trails.  The following description will add to your use of topo maps. From where you parked, the dirt road heading uphill and north will lead you to Moose River Falls (west branch) and also allows access to the Moose River Gorge area.  Take the first right hand branch in the dirt road and continue northwest following the road and cart tracks until you reach the edge of the gorge.  Bushwacking is required to descend and continue upriver toward the middle 'finger' of Moose River.  Continue rockhopping up river to the smaller set of falls.  From there, you will need to bypass the falls by climbing around and descending back down to the river shortly after the falls.  Continuing along the edge of the gorge is not recommended as there will be no way down due to the steep cliffs.  Continuing this process up river and only climbing the sides of the gorge when necessary to bypass a fall will allow you easier access to all 5 falls.  

Although rewarding with views of four 40-90 metre waterfalls and one 5 metre fall, this trip requires experience in orienteering, bushwacking and extremely steep, rocky terrain.  This is not a trip to bring the kids.

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Gillis Falls

Gillis Falls are located near Sydney River, Cape Breton Island.  The area is unique as there are two cascading falls on Gillis Brook, both with swimming pools below them.  If you visit the area in the summer, expect others visitors as the area is a popular destination due to its proximity to the city.

To get there, head southwest on Hwy 4 from Sydney Forks. Take Hwy 216 toward Eskasoni.  Go north on Gillis Lake Rd and 3.3 kilometers on the dirt road until you reach a dip in the road and a bridge across Gillis Brook.  On the eastern side of the bridge you will find a short and well trodden trail to the upper falls.  On the western side, the trail is less pronounced and fairly steep at the falls.  Use caution descending down to the lower falls. 

 

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Second Fork Falls

There are hardly more difficult waterfalls to reach in Nova Scotia than Second Fork Falls.  Located amidst the beautiful Cape Breton Highlands of the northern Margaree area, Second Fork Falls slide over 90 metres down to the pool below.  Second Fork Brook flows into the Margaree River.  The area around Second Fork Brook is an Eco Reserve and in that area the Margaree River is also a designated Wilderness Area. (No fishing is permitted).  The view from the top of the falls is beautiful and reflects protected status.  From the top, you can see rocky cliff faces that line steep valley surrounding the area.

The 'way' to the falls is rough. Due to the amount of river crossings, I would not suggest this trip during high water levels. On our recent trip, most of it was bushwacking as any trail has grown over or deteriorated.  There is a distinctive trail for the first half hour of travel.  From the Maccallum's, follow the path until the crown survey marker.  Cross the Margaree River at the spot where the 'island' appears in the river. Follow a primitive often overgrown trail on the west bank of the river.  Just before the second brook, there is a bend in the river.  Despite the tendancy to cross the river, stay on the west bank until you see the distinct opening and the cliff face off to the east.  Cross here, and follow the brook for 45 minutes until you reach the falls.  The going is very tough and is mostly bushwacking through small maple trees.  Long pants are recommended for this part.  In reaching the falls, you will have many crossings of the brook deciding along the way which sections are most easily passable.  Total trip time is 5 hours return.

To get there: From Hwy 105 near Baddeck take the Cabot Trail to the turn off for Margaree Valley.  Follow the signs north to Big Intervale and Kingross.  Take the east Big Intervale (dirt) Road for 10.5 kilometres.  Keep straight when you see the turn-off to the bridge and the fish hatchery.  At the end of the dirt road, park at the roundabout.  As a courtesy to the land owner, check in with Don Mccallum (white and red house). The total drive is 47 kilometres from the Big (red) Barn near Baddeck.
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Brandy Falls

Brandy Falls are located on Brandy Brook, along a side trail from the Fundy Footpath, Fundy Trail Provincial Park. These tiered falls are reminiscent of Miles Doyle Falls in Cape Breton. A campsite is also located nearby and although primitive it is within sight of the waterfall.

The section of the Fundy Footpath west of Brandy Brook is the most difficult and dangerous section of the backpacking trail.  There are numerous locations where the trail is eroded to the point where hands and footholds are necessary to continue further.  In some areas, fallen trees (large old growth) have made travel difficult.  This area is already subject to a steep drop-off from the trail, so deterioration has made it more challenging.

To access the falls: If dayhiking, use a 4X4 to drive south on the Martin Head Road into the Model Forest Reserve and park near the junction with the Fundy Footpath closest to Martin Head.  Take the footpath east toward Centurion Point.  After 1 1/2hrs, you will reach Brandy Brook.   Once you reach Brandy Brook, look for the blue flashings to indicate a side trail.  Vehicular access may also be possible from an access road near Centurion Point.  The viability of this road is not known at this time.  If backpacking, continue east along the Fundy Footpath from Quiddy River and Martin Head toward Centurion Point. 

Wolf Brook Falls

Wolf Brook Falls are located near Wolf Brook on the Fundy Footpath, Fundy Trail Provinical Park.  The falls flow from a nearby stream, which descends into Wolf Brook.

To access the falls: The falls are easily accessed if backpacking the Fundy Footpath and can be found on the western side of Wolf Brook as you descend the trail into the cove. If dayhiking, there is an access road for trail maintenance to the east of Wolf Brook, about a half hour after ascending out of the cove. At this time, I am not sure of the road's condition or how to access it from the north.  Consult a backcountry road mapbook if accessing the area from the north.

It is likely that there are larger falls 2+kms upstream on Wolf Brook.  Whether they are accessible is not known at this time.

Rapidy Brook Falls

Rapidy Brook Falls are located by Rapidy Brook along the Fundy Footpath, Fundy Trail Provinical Park. The tiered falls are one of many in the area and flow toward a steep drop-off that leads to the Bay of Fundy.

The falls are not visible from the trail, however if you scramble down the bank to the brook level it is possible to obtain a nice view of the falls.  To reach brook level will require hand holds on roots and rock on a very steep incline.

To get there: Rapidy Brook Falls can be accessed by backpacking along the Fundy Footpath in Fundy Trail Provinical Park toward Little Salmon River from the interpretive centre (20+kms).  If day hiking, it can be reached from the Dustin Brook Access Road, which leads to the Little Salmon River campground. Rapidy brook is an hour hike from Little Salmon River campground. From Little Salmon River, expect a siginificant climb into the hills and a steep descent into the brook.