Seeking Waterfalls

Jeffers Falls (Riley's Falls)

  Jeffers Falls (also named Riley's Falls) are found in the hills north of Parrsboro, Nova 
Scotia.  While Jeffers Falls usually describes the large fall at the final elevation drop of Jeffers Brook, there are several other falls that can be accessed further up river.  Although the rockhopping travel is difficult, the end result is reaching seven falls of various heights and sizes.  Three of these are 4-5 metres in height. 

To get there, head to Parrsboro on Highway 2.  In the town of Parrsboro, take the Beaver Dam Road north from Eastern Avenue.  Beaver Dam Road changes to Newville Road after the Prospect Road intersection.  Continue north on Newville Road toward Lakelands.   If wanting to see the lower falls only, keep going north on the Newville Road until you see a bridge and a steep forested gully to your right.  Park near a white farm house on a hill surrounded by lawn and a field. (If you reach Lakeview Corner, you've gone too far.)  On the south side of their property is a marshy area that will lead you to the brook. A short walk into the woods will lead you to the brook.  There is a trail made from the steep rocky embankment.

To hike upstream:  While driving on Newville Road, when you reach the address 1593,
watch for steep dirt road on your right, leading into the woods.  Drive up the dirt road and park at a clearing.  At the northeast end of the clearing, a short trail leads upward to a small clearing above the first and tallest falls.  The cliffs in this area are extremely steep, and caution must be used.  To see more falls, continue to the brook and begin your hike upstream from here.  You will not find a trail, but there are easier routes while rockhopping and climbing around the river.  In some areas, you must bypass cliff walls by climbing through the woods or swimming through the pools.  There are deadfalls blocking travel up river and other obstacles. This is not an easy endeavour and expect to be wet for the trip!  That being said, the surrounding gully is impressive and the thick canopy of trees will keep you dry from the rain.  The last fall can be found after 2 1/2 hours of travel up river. 

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Harrington Falls

Harrington Falls are found in the Cobequid Highlands area of Nova Scotia and pour 20 metres from a rocky cliff into the Harrington River below.  Also called "Garden of Eden" falls by locals, these falls do seem to live up to their quaint nickname.  A small ledge leads behind the falls, and depending on ground conditions also leads to an area above the falls.  Going beyond the part of the path behind the falls is trecherous and caution is advised. 

To get there: Follow Hwy 2 through Five Islands near Parrsboro, then turn north on the Lynn Road. Follow Lynn Rd until you reach the level part of the hills, looking for a clearing on the west side of the road.  It appears to be a large clearcut area with new growth.  Follow the clearcut to the west until a break in the woods, descending a hill.  Keep west until the Harrington River and follow upstream until the small gorge.  Caution advised on your steps down to the river.  Coordinates: UTM Zone 20 412390E 5034107N

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North River Falls (Colchester)

A spectacular surprise is North River Falls in Colchester County, east of Parrsboro.  The falls flow over twenty metres to the pool below and the surrounding rocks make for a picture perfect visit.  A large pool also would allow for great summer swimming.   The trail to the falls is made of an old cart path and a rope has been left for visitors when decending into the gorge.

To get there, head to Lower Five Islands on Hwy 2.  Look for Little York Rd and proceed Northbound toward a fork in the road.  Take a left from Little York Rd and continue until you'll see an unmarked narrow roadway again to the left.  Park before a two story brown sided cottage, near the narrow roadway.  Follow the roadway until the trail begins down a hill and to the right.   The falls are on your left and a steep trail with ropes and handholds and leads to the falls.

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Wards Falls

Wards Falls is one of the more popular falls in the western Cobequids region of Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.  These plunge falls are relatively small, but the geological formations at the falls area make it very appealing.  Directly behind the falls is a deep cave-like tunnel through the rock, but access is somewhat trecherous with the slippery, exposed rock beside the falls.  The trail to the falls is a pleasant 3 kilometre walk through the forest and over well constructed bridges that eliminate stream crossings.  A picnic table is also near the end of the trail.

At one time, a ladder assisted visitors to a spot above the falls, to allow visitors to explore upstream through the bottom of a steep cliff topped cave created by years of wear on the surrounding rock. With rope (and care) a person can go almost 200m through the space in the rock to where the stream decends from above. 

To get there from Parrsboro, head west on highway 209 toward Advocate Harbour.  At Diligent River, watch for a sign marking the road to the trailhead on the north side of the road (7km from Wharton).  The road to the trailhead is nearby a small bridge (see below).  Park at the end and proceed 3km to the falls. 

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Hidden Falls

  Truly a gem in the wilderness, Hidden Falls are a pleasant surprise to visit.  Located in near Parrsboro at the edge of the Cobequid Mountains, Hidden falls boast significant slide height, and also plunge into two deep and scenic pools at the falls area.  With the area's spectacular geological surroundings, it is a real treat for visitors to the falls. 

Hidden Falls are found along the waterfall highway, Hwy 2 near Parrsboro.  To get there, drive east on Hwy 2 from Parrsboro toward Bass River.  Just east of #2492 Hwy 2, there is a small gravel turn off on the north side of Hwy 2.  Park in the area.  Walking north and you will see a blueberry field to your right, but keep left through a small pasture.  A trail leads north into the woods for 10 minutes to Hidden Falls. Some minor water crossings are necessary. At the falls area, you will see two pools, one hidden in the backround and one in the forefront.  Although a bridge once allowed access to the lower pool, it is now washed out.  Hidden Falls are on private land, but the owner is receptive to respectful visitors. 

Park here:
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Bass River Falls

The geological formations of Bass River Falls are unique and provide a nice backdrop to these falls.  Located in the Bass River area of the Cobequid Mountains, these falls are just one of other smaller drops amongst the ridges and cliffs along the south flowing Bass River. 

Accessing the falls will require a steep descent and bushwacking.  There is a nearby ATV trail that leads close to the descent to the falls, however map and compass skills are still recommended.

To get there, take Hwy 2 toward Bass River.  Take Maple Avenue until the "Y", turn east on Mines Bass River Rd and then north on New Castlereagh Rd.  Continue until the point listed on the below map.  You will see that Bass River Falls is on the right side of the track.  West Bass River falls is also nearby, depicted on the left track on the map.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fwoodshack.ca%2Fgoogle%2Fbass-river.kml&sll=44.653713,-63.666687&sspn=0.007785,0.021007&ie=UTF8&t=p&ll=45.460793,-63.765936&spn=0.025465,0.055189&z=14

(thanks to Kris Griffon for the track info)

West Bass River Falls

West Bass River falls are located on the east part of the Cobequid Highlands of Nova Scotia.  These falls are likely little visited in the area and are a definite treat for visitors to the area.  To hike there, you'll need map and compass skills.

To get to the area, drive Hwy 2 toward Bass River.  At Bass River, take Maple Avenue until the 'Y' in the road. Take Old Economy Road northwest until the location noted on the map posted below.

Our track to the falls are posted on Google Maps.  I cannot guarantee its the best way to the falls, but modify the route as you see fit. Note, the smooth lines are in a vehicle and where they get jagged is the actual hiking portion. The trip to these falls is the left hand side track. The second track is of Bass River Falls. The falls location is the star shaped part of the track.  The smaller stars are where we exited vehicles for the trail.  Here's our trip: (thanks to Kris Griffon for the track info)

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=http:%2F%2Fwoodshack.ca%2Fgoogle%2Fbass-river.kml&sll=44.653713,-63.666687&sspn=0.007785,0.021007&ie=UTF8&ll=45.456037,-63.789368&spn=0.061411,0.168056&t=p&z=13

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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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