
Flood Falls Near Hope
Flood Falls near Hope is a fabulous and very easy to reach waterfall, right by the Highway between Hope and Chilliwack in Canada. Like Bridal Falls, which is along the same stretch of road, it takes very little effort to visit it; But for some reason it is not quite as famous as its watery neighbour. You do need to walk uphill a teeny bit to reach the base of the falls. But this mini hike is through a gorgeous mossy, forest that is full of artwork by local artists.
This is a great waterfall to visit to stretch your legs when you’re on a road trip. We were heading to Manning Park on this occasion, but it’s perfect if you’re heading for a wine tour in the Okanagan, or even an epic road trip to the Rockies.
Flood Falls – Map
Flood Falls – the basics
Distance: Less than 1km there and back
Elevation Gain: 70m (ish)
How big is the waterfall? The water drops 300m, although you can only see the bottom section from below the waterfall.
How much time do you need: You can rush in and out in about 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. There is a little elevation gain, but we met some young kids on the trail. It’s good for grannies and little’uns.
Extra Tip: You could easily visit both this and Bridal Veil Falls in one trip. They are very close to each other.
Flood Falls – Getting Started
This lovely waterfall is (like Bridal Veil Falls) located right next to Highway 1, in the Fraser Valley, very close to Hope. If you know when to look, you can even see it as you drive past – it is a 300m drop(!) from high up on the mountain. To find the trailhead, leave the exit the Trans-Canada Highway at exit 165 onto Flood-Hope Road. If you’re lucky, there are some thimbleberries to taste, right where you park.
Masks in the trees
Some local artists have adorned the trees along this trail with art (mostly masks). So as you walk through the mossy forest, remember to look up! Some of them reminded me of the little tree spirits you see in Studio Ghibli animes.
You really need to keep your eyes peeled for some of them! I loved this red tengu-like mask that is hidden at the top of a hollowed out tree.
I won’t post all of them, so when you visit you can have fun searching for them. We found 9…but maybe you can spot even more!?
Boot in a tree
Right before we reached the falls we found a boot in a tree! I am not sure if this is part of the Flood Falls art. It looked like a well loved walking boot that had been nailed up there.
Flood Falls Views
This is a very short walk, so in no time at all, you’ll find yourself look up at the long, skinny splash of water. In some ways the falls are best views from far away, so you get a better idea of how far up the mountain they go.
They are lovely up close too!
There is a pool of water at their base, but it is very easy to cross the small stream to view them from the other side of the river. We stopped here for a snack as it was so quiet. There were only a couple of other waterfall chasers when we visited.
There is another good viewpoint to the left of the falls, with a bench for you to sit on wile you take in the views.
It was a little drizzly when we visited Flood Falls, but I loved the way the mist surrounded the mountains, hugging the trees. It’s a gorgeous area to look up and see all the moss and bright green vegetation on the cliffs above the waterfall.
Once you’ve had a peek, it’s a quick walk back (downhill the whole way) back to the trailhead to go on to your next adventure.
This is a short, sweet stop along the Trans-Canada Highway. If you are staying in Hope (or one of the many nearby RV/Campsites) this is a fabulous waterfall that you can reach with so little effort. Or, if you are in a massive rush, keep your eyes peeled as you drive along the highway, as you can get a quick glimpse of the waterfall from afar as you zoom past.
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, there are lots more!
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32 thoughts on “Flood Falls Near Hope”
Such a hidden gem, only few minutes from the road. I wonder if in hot days you can get a swim in this small pool.
I think you could paddle, but it wasn’t very deep. It would be a good way to cool your feet in the summertime at least.
This looks like such a beautiful place to go if you want to be immersed in nature, but don’t want a long hike. I can’t believe how easily you can get to somewhere like this from the car park! The addition of the art on the trees adds a quirky interest, especially to make it a bit more fun for the kids. This makes me realise I have been away from nature for too long and that I am craving to visit somewhere like Flood Falls!
It’s mad isn’t it! We have lots of waterfalls that you have to hike for hours to see…then once like this that you can reach in no time at all!
I hope you can get out into nature soon Sarah!
Another great suggestion for a beautiful walk! I love the views of it actually from the highway, that’s gorgeous! The masks in the trees are definitely quirky but I also find them slightly creepy 😉 Thanks for pointing out this waterfall!
I know what you mean, some of them are looking down at the hikers with slightly creepy eyes…like some kind of forest demon!
What a perfect little hike! You usually have to hike so far to get to falls as gorgeous as these. Our boys would love this. They love waterfall hikes because the anticipation keeps them going- and this wouldn’t keep them waiting too long to see the falls!
Exactly, this is perfect for getting kids outside. It would also work really well as a mini stretch-your-legs for them if you were driving somewhere else on a road trip. It can be hard to keep little legs still in a car on long distances…
Flood falls looks spectacular and what I like is the quirky touch of the masks in the trees. Waterfalls are always our favourite as they are so serene and soothing.
Thanks Sandy and Vyjay! Yeah, i like them for that too…but I also love that they give you something to aim for at the end of a walk. 🙂
That is real interesting – an art hike and an impressive waterfall at the end of a short hike. The masks are nice and I agree, the boot looks out of place.
Yeah, I did do a double take when we saw it!
I LOVE waterfalls. I am really missing visiting one due to current pandemic. This one looks amazing. Would love to visit it during my trip to Canada. Hopefully, next year!
Oooh yay, i didn’t know you are planning to come to Canada. You are going to looove the hiking and photography here. I look forward to seeing it through your lens.
You always bring us such scenic hikes. I can see why it’s an artist’s favourite, it looks so amazing. Have you been in the fall? I’m sure it looks great with the fall foliage. Love the moss laden trees with faces on them.
Oooh you are right, I bet it would be lovely in the fall. We just found it this Spring, but i am sure we’ll pop back again as we drive past!
What a fun hike! I just went hiking for the first time in months, and it was even sweeter since I hadn’t left the city in a while. I love that there is artwork along the path. What a unique, fun surprise to make the hike even more fun. Although, it is pretty ironic that right now hiking is one of the only places I can venture without a mask, here they are part of the path 😉
Oh yay! I am glad you got out hiking too. It is sooo nice to get out after being stuck in the city so long isn’t it!?
p.s. I totally thought the same thing when we saw the masks!! 😀
You weren’t wrong when you said mini hike!
After reading about the masks, I’m wondering if there’s some competition in BC to see who can hide the most inaniment objects along trails. I remember doing a hike somewhere near Vancouver where teacups were hidden all along the trail.
Lol YES! We did that one recently too! There were soooo many teapots! I’ll write about it soon. 🤣
Next time I am road tripping on the West Coast, I will be sure to stop and see these falls. I did a roadtrip down Highway 1 from Vancouver to the Rockies a couple of years ago and I wish I knew about these falls then. It’s always nice to find a place like Flood Falls to get out and stretch your legs.
I totally agree! I seem to spend hours looking at maps to try to find these kind of stop-offs for our road trips! I think my husband prefers to keep driving for longer, but I like to stop and see ALL the views.
I’ve been doing some hikes here in Budapest lately, and if I lived in Canada, I’d definitely do this one! Loved the mask details!
Oooh nice, i didn’t know Budapest was good for hiking too. I would love to visit, so once covid-19 is over, I may have to ask you for recommendations.
It’s such a short hike (and detour), it’s amazing more people don’t visit it! And I absolutely love the art – I can’t wait to visit and try and find all of the masks!
That is how I felt…it was like Pokemon, but I wanted to see them all. 🤣
Lovely photos as usual, who doesn’t love a waterfall? Something about them is so soothing and peaceful. No jumping shots on this walk then?
Lol just one jump (right at the top!) I am getting too predictable!
What beautiful scenery! I love that they have benches for you to relax & enjoy the waterfalls. We’ve been doing local hikes as well and are really enjoying it.
I wonder if the whole world is hiking more (as it is the one thing we can still do safely in a covid-19 world) I am glad you’re enjoying it too.
These are truly amazing places to visit. My friend and I are going to visit Canada. Thanks for this post. Very interesting. I would like to experience it myself.
I hope you can Christopher! 😀 There are sooo many good waterfalls in this area.