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Gold Creek Falls – Golden Ears Provincial Park
The Lower Falls on Gold Creek may only make a 10 metre drop, but they are a beautiful example of the way that water meets the woods in British Columbia, Canada.
I feel most happy when I’m walking amid green woods, listening to white waters and bird song.
One of the things I missed most when I moved from Western Canada to East Coast Australia was the green: that lush green that comes with tall conifers that have grown up through decades (and even centuries) of rainfall; the varied greens of an understory of lichens, mosses and ferns.
It’s little surprise, then, that whenever we’ve gone back to Canada for visits, we’ve searched out little emerald patches of nature (e.g.: Walking in the Green; Tide Pools; Lighthouse Loop; Newcastle Island; “Strong Waters”; Clayoquot Sound; Walks in the Woods; etc.). All our stays have been regrettably fleeting, and the most recent are a few years ago now, and fading from memory.
Two years in a row we managed short stays in Mission, a small city on the north bank of the Fraser River about 60km inland from Vancouver. On each occasion, we “borrowed” my young first cousins (once removed) and took them with us for short-but-rewarding treks into the woods. The first was a very brief (0.75km return) walk into the Cascade Falls Regional Park to look over the eponymous waterfall. The second, about a year later, was a longer walk (6.5km return) along the Lower Falls Trail in Golden Ears Provincial Park to Gold Creek Falls.
Why not join us!
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Welcome to the Woods
British Columbia has a lot of woods. In fact, almost 64% of the province (149 million acres) is forested. Not all this forest is protected, however, and only a small percentage is old-growth.
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Boy on a Giant Stump
A young lad climbing the giant stump of what was probably once a western red cedar gives an idea of the scale of these massive trees.
Cascade Falls
Cascade Creek plunges over 30 metres into a large emerald pool before emptying into the Stave Lake Basin (see: Harnessing Energy).
Teenager on the Suspension Bridge
The suspension bridge over the falls is a very short walk from the car park, up a steep hill, …
Suspension Bridge
… and leads across the canyon …
Visitors to the Falls
… to a viewing platform.
Graffiti on the Rails
People clearly feel the need to leave their marks!
Cascade Creek and Falls
In theory, this is as close as you you can get to the pool beneath the falls; …
Swimmers in the Falls
… in practice, people climb down the slippery slope regularly, selfie sticks in tow.
Light through the Bridge
Not much light reaches through the suspension bridge mesh …
Under the Bridge
… and it is cool and shady underneath – and slippery! Still, people regularly climb down the side here …
Crystal Waters
… to access the cold, crystal clear waters in the creek below.
Into the Woods
It was about a year later that we walked into another conifer wood, draped in Spanish moss and dappled light.
Moss on the Fallen Trunks
What little sun gets through the tall trees gleams on the mossy ground-cover.
Giant Stump
I marvel at the girth of the ancient tree trunks, …
Boy on a Boulder
… and at the size of some of the boulders strewn along the trail.
Rushing Waters
Before long, we can hear the creek beside us as the waters rush over the rocks towards Alouette Lake.
Rocks in the Creek
The water – frigidly cold as it races down from the mountain-tops – is emerald green.
Women on the Falls
The Lower Falls on Gold Creek are only small, but they are very pretty, and everyone stops to admire them.
Lower Falls – Gold Creek
The colours are wonderful!
Kids in the Rocky Creek
It’s a hot day, and plenty of people are happy to paddle or bathe in the icy-cold waters.
Path in the Woods
It’s the same trail out and back, and we return along the well-groomed path, …
Golden Ears Provincial Park
… detouring onto one of the side-trails to admire the beach, and the mountains of Golden Ears Provincial Park behind.
Maple Samaras
The sun overhead shines through the maple leaves and the winged seeds that remind me of childhood games.
Orange Mileage Marker
According to the trail notes, there are markers in the trees every 500 meters. This was the first one we noticed – and we were almost back at the car!
They might have been short, easy hikes, but they were both extremely rewarding. As I have said before: you can’t beat a walk in a green woods!
Until next time,
Happy Travels!
Photos: 09July2015 and 27July2016
