Day 102: Wowed by waterfalls

To say that Helmcken Falls is impressive is a huge understatement. I'd seen a few photos online, and read other people's descriptions of them but none of that prepared me for the spectacle. The falls drop 140 m into a heart-shaped amphitheatre, carved into a massive gorge with sheer walls. Layers of successive lava flows can be seen in the cliffs, some of them towers of columnar basalt which would be impressive in themselves if found anywhere else. Down at river level, the canyon is lined with bright green trees and shrubs.

This is the view from the tourist overlook, barely a minute's walk from the car. After seeing the falls from this angle, we drove round to the other side and hiked the 3-km trail to the opposite canyon rim. That was an even more visceral experience, being closer to the falls themselves, plus having no safety fence to stop you plummeting over the edge. Needless to say, we were all extremely careful in placing our feet. The view was literally quite dizzying (as described in the guide book) and we were all thankful for the illusion of safety by hanging on to various trees. Well worth seeing, despite the mosquitoes. Video clips from each side are here and here.

Helmcken Falls