Directions: The trailhead is located at the end of John Hart Rd. It is located 2.5 kilometers from the last lights out of Campbell River onto the BC-28. Turn right onto John Hart road, signs for BC Hydro & Canyon View Trail. Drive to the end where you will be greeted by a sizable, well-designed parking lot. The road and lot are frequently maintained by the BC Parks crew. The area is kept clean and groomed, there are two out houses that are almost always going to be tidy, you can really tell that Elk Falls is a treasured gem of Campbell River.
Trail: Head past the out houses and down the wide flat trail, shortly crossing the service road, and onto a stiff steel bridge. This bridge used to span over a trio of wood stave penstocks which transported water around one kilometer to the John Hart Generating Station (now decommissioned). Being built in 1947 they were removed 30 years past the expiration date of 40 lasting to be 71 years old.
Take a left into the forest, soon to find your self accompanied by scattered giants, large old-growth Cedar and Douglas Fur. Keep your eyes open, there are also a few large huckleberries bushes on this stretch, one might be lucky to snag a snack during the summer months. In a quarter kilometer the trail will T head right at the intersection, soon after coming up to a long set of steel grate stairs. The stairs are semi-steep, sturdy, and wind down to the foot of the Elk Falls suspension bridge. The bridge bounces 200 feet above Campbell River allowing a view straight down the canyon, looking over the 89 foot Elk Falls. For those unaccustomed to heights this can be stomach turning yet liberating.
On the way back, instead of turning up to the parking lot keep heading straight. This trail will lead you to a third viewing platform, or at your on risk, along the rock flats to the head of the fall. Follow this trail, eventually coming up to a mid-trail outhouse and designated picnic area. Keep down this path until hitting a trail with chain link fence on one side. After switch-backing down this hillside, head slightly left to enter the flats or take a right 85 meters to the third viewing platform. This platform, which offers a perspective uniquely powerful, was erected in 1939 By the Young Men’s Forestry Training Program. The platforms ground is composed of loose forest soil consequently it can get very muddy when things are wet.
Moose Falls: From the platform head straight up the Hill and keep straight down the path. The further you follow beside Campbell River, the more Old-Growth stands appear. Scan your eyes through the forest on the way to Moose Falls to look for remanence of a history up in flames. This forest was hit by the great forest fire of 1938 and here you can still see scorched Old Growth.
Not long after passing three ginormous, more recently scorched Douglas Firs, take the first overgrown trail to your right where you are able to view a small set of falls. It is known as Deer Falls, it is easily missed. Along here you can stop, take in the beauty, then either explore you way up the sharp, rocky edge, or back onto the main trail. Hike a couple hundred meters or so up the main trail and on a corner there is a much more obvious trail leading you to a view of Moose Falls. The pool which Moose Falls empties into is known at the Dolphin Pool, I’ve never seen any dolphins here but its a nice calming place to relax after experiencing the vigor of Elk Falls.
History: The viewing platform which was erected in 1939 by the Young Men’s Forestry Training Program is just one project of many for them in the area. The group was created as a program to populate a dwindling labor force during wartimes, originally developing the “official” trail system in the mid thirties. The Falls had apparently been popular with Canadians since the late 19th century, but most likely for thousands of years before that as well. Although protecting the area from industry was widely talked about in the early 1900’s, it wasn’t until 1940 that the area was established as a park.
In 1933 a solitude tea shop was established by the Falls, in the midst of its world wide popularity, a prominent visitor talked of quite a bit is Mae West a controversial super star of the 20th century. The grub came fresh from Frank and Anne Masters farm, property they had quickly and successfully developed into a bustling 40 acre farm in the years preceding the tea shop. The shop was run by Anne Master’s for 5 years until being decommissioned by the government. It was built in a log cabin, presumably by the couple, Anne was known for her fine service and delicious food. Even though she was gifted a camera from Mae, no pictures of the tea shop survived nor much memorabilia. Unfortunately within a year after the shops removal Frank became victim to the fire which burned down the couples farm house, probably along with most of the artifacts from the tea shop. If you want to learn more about the Master’s or some history of Campbell River try checking out the Campbell River Museum.
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