Directions: The Myra Falls trailhead is located at the southern tip of Buttle Lake; about an hour and a half outside Campbell River. After hitting Strathacona via Highway 28, keep straight past the Buttle lake bridge and onto Westmin Rd. 36km from this bridge will be a right hand turn onto a maintained gravel road. Keep driving until you hit a groomed park entrance with outhouses and clear parking spaces.
Be warned, introverted hikers or those looking to get a good parking space: Myra Falls is a very popular spot. The best way to experience the falls without being overwhelmed by people is by coming early in the morning. Mid-fall and winter is the best time of year to avoid the crowd. Although at this time you are able to experience the area in a different light, the conditions can be ruff and at times the park will be closed be safe and always come prepared.
Trail: The trail to Myra Falls is well-maintained and very clean for the amount of traffic it see’s through out the year. The trail it self maintains a gradual yet semi-steep and consistent grade, which can works your legs. The ground is hard and flat, consisting of a compacted gravel/dirt mix for most of the trail. Even with the consistently steep grade the profile of the trail makes it fairly easy for all levels to traverse. That being said it is still tiring on your legs and those with knee issues should bring walking sticks.
When hiking the trail you have the option of taking two way. One is a loop with brings you through the forest for 1.3 Km and gives you and upper view point of the falls from the forest. The alternative route will cut off about half of the travel time and take you straight to the flats between the falls. This is and out and back version of the trail, it consists of around half a kilometer of the well maintained trail mentioned followed by a 50 meter shot of rooty unstable ground to the Falls. Coming into the falls from this entrance is truly serene, especially on a day like the one below when the sun shines into the forest opening, shimmering off aquamarine pools which swirl through similar-dulled tone layers of basalt and limestone flats.
Extra Information: In 1910, Price Ellison a politician, entrepreneur, developer, and avid explorer, took interest in Premier Richard McBride’s decree to survey what was set to be British Columbia’s first provincial park. These lands which nestled themselves amongst the untamed mountains of Vancouver Islands interior would soon become known as Strathcona Park.
Price at the age of 55 along with his beloved and adventurous daughter Myra and seven other men set off towards the summit of Crown Mountain during the summer of that year. The result of this expedition was the formation of a public provincial from the Strathcona Reserve.
Price, and at the time of the expedition, the 20 year old Myra, were both outdoor aficionados, much like many of those who come to the falls today. They were fortunate enough to be able to advocate at a political level for the environmental and economical benefits of establishing parklands, and succeeded. Myra had been described in her fathers newspaper as spending her entire life close to nature. These picturesque Falls and the ice cold creek which feed its truly magical and drawing powers were named after Myra King Ellison, the poet, outdoors women and true inspiration.
Bonus: If you are feeling adventurous and looking to view a waterfall of a higher caliber than the additional cascades then turn around and head towards lake. Along the forest’s edge on your right side is a small and slightly treacherous trail. This trail is very dangerous and I would highly discourage anyone who is not fully confident in there capabilities from attempting the decent. This trail is more of a climb than a hike, it involves grabbing roots and naturals holds down a mostly vertical mix of slippery rock faces and fallen trees.
The sheer beauty presented to you both during and after the climb is well worth the effort. This rugged trail hugs the lower and in my opinion much more impressive part of Lower Myra falls. If you are really feeling brave and to feel the full intensity there is even a small up-close and “personal” viewing platform as shown in the image above. Once you have made it to the end of your decent you are met views of a rocky and barren, lake bottom riddled with the stumps of ginormous ancient tree’s at the tip of Buttle lake surrounded by the humbling mountains of Strathcona Park, the feeling is sublime.
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