Located within a rural community named Errington, which is situated on the outskirts of Parksville, there is an emerald gem; Englishman River Falls Provincial Park. The name stems from local First Nations lore telling of the discovery of a white man’s skeleton along the river. Consequently, it became known as the Englishman River.

Year round, this park delivers maximum scenery for minimum effort. Englishman River Falls Provincial Park is a beautiful setting that can be enjoyed as a one hour excursion or as an extended camping adventure. The aptly named ‘upper’ and ‘lower’ falls (as there is a significant elevation change between the two) are the park’s crown jewels.

The upper falls are literally 5 minutes from the parking lot. A short jaunt on flat terrain leads to the upper falls bridge, where, from one side you can watch the cascading water disappear into a narrow slot to reappear on the other side as it continuously carves out the canyon on its way to the lower falls.

Witnessing the lower falls, which are also impressive, requires a little more of an energy expenditure.  Turn left after the exiting upper falls bridge onto a very friendly loop trail that takes you down a gentle switchback leading to the lower falls. It then climbs back up a steep hill that will definitely elevate your heart rate. The lower falls bridge offers an impressive ’reverse’ view to that of the upper falls bridge. The lower falls empty into a pool suitable for swimming; temperature and water levels permitting.

The loop trail takes about 45 minutes to complete. There are several ways to extend the hike and view other areas of the park. To explore these options, consult the kiosk next to the parking lot where you will find a very informative map of the park’s trail systems, as well as other important information. For your own safety, please observe signage and stay within park boundaries.

Adjacent to the parking lot is a large day use area complete with covered picnic tables. Washrooms are nearby. Englishman River Falls Provincial Park also has campground facilities. Please contact BC Parks for more information on reservations and guidelines.

To get to this spectacular park, take Highway 4 from Parksville heading towards Port Alberni and Coombs. Watch for the Englishman River Falls sign and turn left onto Errington Rd. A half hour drive down a scenic and winding country road leads you to the gate, where you will be greeted by a stealthy cougar prowling above the entrance sign.

Please observe the park’s posted speed limits, remember to bring change for parking and do not leave valuables in your vehicle.

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