Bosumarne Falls is a short hike through gorgeous mossy rainforest to two waterfalls near Chilliwack Lake. This waterfall isn’t super famous compared to others near Vancouver. I’m not going to call this a hidden gem as it is well known to locals (and it’s always a bit odd when bloggers call everything a hidden gem!) But if you like walks through mossy rainforests, you’ll love this. In 2023 the bridge was down so if there is rain or snowmelt, it will be less family friendly than it used to be; You need to cross the creek. Hopefully the bridge will be rebuilt soon.

Bosumarne Falls – The basics

Distance: 2.6 km
Elevation gain: 100m-ish 
High Point: 685m
Time: 40mins – 50mins
What to bring: The 10 essentials, and bring bear spray
Facilities: Nothing.
Dogs: Great for dogs (apart from the river crossing)
How hard is it? This used to be family friendly fun! It’s easy if the bridge gets re-built. While the bridge is down it might be hard in spring when the waters are high.

Bosumarne Falls Map

Wait – what does Bosumarne mean?

My blogging friend Lori (from Hiking for the scaredy cat) mentioned that the falls are named after four neighbours; Bob, Sue, Marilyn and Neil.

Bosumarne Falls – Getting Started

There is no sign or official trailhead for this waterfall. You need to park on Chilliwack Lake Road, 3km from the turn-off to Chilliwack Lake. Look for telephone pole #455, that has “2017” spraypainted onto it (Save the trailhead on googlemaps, as it can be hard to spot) You’ll know you’re in the right spot when you see some large rocks and the start of a logging road.

The trail is very easy to follow to start with. Saplings have grown up along the old logging road, so it feels a little wild, but the trail is still easy to see. There is a large clearing when you can look up to the surrounding peaks. Keep going along the logging road as it turns left and climbs up a hill. The road ends when you reach the forest, but the trail continues on.

Lower Bosumarne Falls

Once you enter the forest, you’ll be able to hear Lower Bosumarne Falls. Follow the well-worn trail for less than 50m to get to the teeny lower waterfall. This is a pleasant little spot, so worth taking a peek before you head on to the main show!

Amazing trail

It’s not much further to the main Bosumarne Falls, but the trail is really fun! There was a rickety bridge after the lower waterfall that is now down. It is still possible to cross the creek (even without that bridge.) BUT you need to be careful and avoid this trail when the water is high. The path is rocky, mossy and so feels like a real adventure. There is even a stairway made out of a log!

The main Bosumarne Falls

This is such a lovely waterfall. There are two main drops carved into the cliffs with a nice plunge pool at the base.

You can get up close to the base of the falls. In the summertime the pool must be lovely to swim in. We visited in the autumn, so it was a little to chilly to go for a dip. Still, it’s a nice spot to stop for a snack.

This is a great mini adventure for when you stay at Chilliwack Lake, or even if you fancy some extra when you visit Linderman Lake. The lack of signage means you might not meet many other hikers. But this little trail is definitely worth a peek!