Englishman River Falls
Markus posing next to the upper falls of the Englishman River Falls
Just over a year ago, we took a vacation with our dog to Vancouver Island to discover the areas north of Victoria like Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum Beach and parks like Cathedral Grove and the Kinsol Trestle. It was a jam-packed vacation, but one of the places that we didn't get a chance to see was the Englishman River Falls. Since we were in the area, we decided to take a little detour to do the hike that we didn't get to.
Starting in Vancouver, we took the ferries over to Nanaimo and drove up north towards Englishman River Falls Provincial Park. Since we were visiting during the COVID-19 pandemic, there weren't as many people at the park the same time we were there and some of the public areas like the picnic tables where closed off. That said, it would appear that during more normal times, Englishman River Falls is a popular trail and it is a great way for families and dogs to spend an afternoon.
About Englishman River Falls
A shot of Englishman River Falls (upper falls) from the suspension bridge
Type: Trail
Length: 1.3 km
Traffic: Moderate
Route Type: Loop
The trail around the Englishman River Falls is a fairly short and easy loop that will feel more like a walk than a hike. It features two points along the trail that overlook the actual waterfall, but split up into its upper and lower parts. From the parking lot, the upper falls is just a couple minutes away. By following the path, you'll end up at a bridge where you can watch the falls flow beneath you to the other side where the water is beautifully blue.
A view from the other side of the suspension bridge at Englishman River Falls
When you've walked over the bridge to the other side, you can keep going left to complete the trail loop, which eventually takes you down to the lower falls. This entire trail loop is about 1.3km, so you'll be at the lower falls before you know it. Similar to the upper falls, there's a bridge that allows you to take a closer look at the falls and on the other side of the bridge where the current isn't as strong, there are people (and dogs) swimming in the water. This is a spot where a surprising number of people were spend their afternoon relaxing and swimming in the water.
From this spot on the lower falls, it's only another short stretch to go back to the parking lot where you began. This completes the walk and in total, it should only take you right around 30 to 40 minutes or so.
Markus walking along the path at Englishman River Falls Provincial Park
While doing this trail, we wandered away from the loop to check out another spot at the park. After crossing the bridge from the upper falls where there's a fork in the trail, going left follows the loop, but there was also a path going right. Trying to get a better view of the upper falls, we took a right and ended up at a quiet and shallow stream. We ended up spending some time around this peaceful area.
It's worth mentioning that the trail keeps going and it becomes quite a long trail, so I wouldn't go wander off too far if you had your dog with you. I would recommend just going towards the water and then heading back the way you came to rejoin the loop. From this area, there are actually multiple paths you can take, so make sure you're taking the same path back. We noticed public washrooms along the trail to the water which you will be able to use as a marker that you're on the right path.
What we liked
We love chasing waterfalls, so it's especially nice when there are two of them along this trail!
The trail isn't very long and it's always nice when it's looped so we don't have to double back out.
The path is wide so that there's enough room for dogs to pass by.
There are plenty of parking spots.
What we didn't like
Nothing
Our Recommendation for Reactive Dogs
While we were on this trail, we came across a number of dogs and they were mostly off leash. The saving grace of this park is that the trail is wide enough that we were able to bring Markus aside to let the other dogs pass if we needed to. As a whole, the walk was comfortable for us and the other dogs were trained well. If you're planning on making a trip here, be prepared that there will be off-leash dogs.
At the lower falls, there are extra sets of stairs from the bridge that'll take you down so that you're at water level. This is where most of the people were spending their afternoon and from the bridge, we saw some dogs down there swimming in the water as well.
Disclaimer
Markus is a reactive, but not aggressive dog. His instinct is to avoid other dogs and he may growl, bark or lunge if provoked, but will not attack. We normally do not have issues with leashed dogs when both sides are controlled, but we will be on guard when an oncoming dog is not leashed. There are varying levels to a dog’s reactivity and only you can decide if this park, trail or hotel is appropriate for your dog. Our visits generally will not include off-leash areas; most experiences shared on The Markus Project are within leashed or undefined areas.
Please remember that our past experience visiting a park, trail or hotel may not be the same as your experience at the same park, trail or hotel. We have no control of who visits the park and whether they adhere to park rules - like leashing their dogs on leash-required paths - or not. Please use your discretion with the information provided and with your personal knowledge of your dog’s reactivity when visiting these parks, trails or hotels.
