Bridal Veil Falls is an impressive waterfall located right next to Highway 1, in the Fraser Valley between Chilliwack and Hope. The falls spread out and cascade over the rocks to look a little bit like a giant bride’s veil, so maybe that is why it was given that name.

I love waterfalls! I’m happy to go on long hikes to reach pretty waterfalls. However it is also fantastic when you can visit such a beautiful natural phenomenon with virtually no effort! This waterfall doesn’t really count as a hike, but it was so pretty that I wanted to share it anyway. If you’re driving East from Vancouver, it is really worth stopping and stretching your legs to visit Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park.

Bridal Veil Falls Map

Bridal Veil Falls – the basics

Cost: Free
Distance: 300m in one direction (1 km if you follow the whole loop)
Elevation Gain: 50m (ish)
How big is the waterfall? The water drops 120m, although you can only see the bottom 60m drop from below the waterfall.
How much time do you need: You can rush in and out in 15-20 minutes. You’ll want to stay a bit longer to admire the view though
Facilities: There is a car park, picnic benches and flushing toilets (plus pit toilets if you prefer a back-country experience!?)
How easy is it: Very easy. The path is suitable for a stroller. There is some elevation gain, but if you take the full 15 minutes (rather than zooming up in 5 minutes), it would be easy as pie.
Extra Tip: There is a Tim Hortons nearby (on the same exit as Bridal Veil Falls, just the other side of the highway.) We stopped and bought timbits (Canada’s famous mini doughnuts) to eat at the waterfall.

Bridal Veil Falls – getting started

There is a sign that says it takes 15 minutes to reach the falls, but that is very generous! It took us around 5 minutes to wander up the trail. We weren’t rushing, it just isn’t very far at all! You walk along an easy to follow trail, next to a creek.

One of the really cool things about Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park is you can hear the waterfall as soon as you step out your car. However as you get closer, the waterfalls really start to roar! You have to wait until you are right up close before you’ll be able to see the main waterfall though. You’ll see some smaller falls to the right before the main viewpoint.

Isn’t this gorgeous?

There is a large warning sign asking people not to go any closer to the falls. If you chose to ignore this, please be careful not to trample on the mosses (some are really rare!) also be very careful of the wet rocks as you could easily slip and hurt yourself. It seems like most instagrammers ignore the warnings and march right to the base of the falls. Still, you can get an amazing view with a zoom lens from the safe area behind the sign.

Woodland Trail

On the way back to your car, you can follow a pretty path through the forest, along the woodland trail. It’s great for seeing flowers, ferns and all the mosses.

Temperate rainforest

We arrived in the rain, so you can see the forest looks incredibly lush and green. This area is a temperate rain forest so even when it’s not raining, it may be humid and a little soggy.

Mosses – stay on the trail!

There are 250 different species of moss within the Bridal Veil Falls Provincial Park(!) Each moss has a preferred tree or mineral type, so part of this diversity is down to the variety of rocks and minerals. For some of these mosses, this is the only place you’ll find them in North America. According to a sign in the car park, there is one moss species that can only be found here, and in Scotland. Cool eh!?

Picnic Area

Once you get back to the car park, there is a bench-filled picnic area, that looks like a perfect place to stop and eat if you need to stretch your legs when traveling along Highway 1.

This was our very first stop-off on our road trip/adventure exploring British Columbia with Marc’s brother Tom and his girlfriend Andreia. It’s a pretty good view for our first break on our road trip eh!?

I hope you like the look of this gorgeous waterfall as much as we did! Or, if you’re looking for other fantastic Waterfalls near Vancouver, here is a mini list:

• Twin Falls in Lynn Canyon in North Vancouver. These are next to the (free) suspension bridge. There are several hiking options nearby.
• Kennedy Falls in North Vancouver. This is a fun, moderately difficult hike that also passes through some beautiful old growth forest.
• Norovan Falls (near Coliseum Mountain) in North Vancouver. This one is great for stretching your legs to see an impressive waterfall.
• Gold Creek Falls – Easy hike to a pretty waterfall in Golden Ears Provincial Park
• Sawblade Falls (as well as a few other beauties) in Coquitlam
• Shannon Falls near Squamish – No hike for this one, but it is one of the most impressive waterfalls in BC.
• Head North towards Pemberton to visit Cool Creek Canyon. It is amaaaazing. The Canyon is basically a series of waterfalls up along a Canyon for 1km (with 300m elevation gain)
• Holloway Falls at Joffre Lakes looks like a waterfall from a fairy-tale. Plus you get to see the gorgeous blue waters of Joffre Lakes if you visit.
• This one is further away, but if you’re driving from Vancouver to Jasper, stop at Wells Gray Provincial Park for several epic waterfalls.

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