Findlay Falls in Canal Flats, BC

Nestled along the Kootenay River, touching the shores of the Columbia Lake, and reaching the peaks of the Rocky Mountains, lies a small village in the East Kootenay Region of British Columbia called Canal Flats. The unique geographical location of Canal Flats within the Columbia Valley offers up some of the best hiking trails, backcountry roads, and scenic adventures in BC.

Just west of Canal Flats, about 5km up Findlay Creek Road on the left-hand side you'll find Findlay Falls Recreation Site. A day-use area for recreational vehicles, dogs, picnics, fires, and exploring, this site is also the trailhead to Findlay Falls.

One thing you might immediately notice as you're heading towards the trailhead (or you may completely miss), is the old abandoned cabin under the roadway. No information can be found about this cabin but it's assumed it belonged to the first settlers of the Ktunaxa Nation. While it makes for a nice photo op on the outside, it is collapsed under the roadway, so do not try and crawl inside.

Continuing to the trailhead that takes you down to Findlay Falls, you'll find a couple of offshoot trails that take you to the edge of the cliff. These tiny trails can be very slippery, so use caution when nearing the edge of the cliffside. The main portion of the trail continues downwards for about half a kilometer where you'll reach a short rocky portion down to the water's edge.

From here you'll be able to see the twin waterfalls that make up Findlay Falls. Depending on what time of year you go, you might be able to see massive chunks of ice still sitting along the creek. The beautiful green tint of the water and serene forest landscape allows for some amazing photographs and breathtaking views.

*If you want to see Findlay Falls from a much higher point, you can continue driving up Findlay Creek Road past the recreation site for about 1km and turn left onto Skookumchuck Creek Forest Service Road. At the entrance to this road is a wooden vehicle bridge that overlooks Findlay Falls. Exercise extreme caution on this bridge as it is an active road with frequent 4x4 traffic. The Skookumchuck Creek FSR also takes you up to some of the best off-roading trails in the area.