Niagara Waterfalls in Goldstream Park, May 06 2018

Although not the world famous attraction south of Toronto, the Niagara Falls waterfall in Goldstream Provincial Park just north of Victoria is still a spectacular sight. The waterfall is narrow but drops 47.5 meters. The short hike takes you to the canyon a short distance from the base where you can see the water cascading over the rocks from high above and is a perfect stop for anyone traveling through the area. From the day-use parking lot off of Island Highway (Highway #1), walk northward and away from the picnic area, following the wide gravel trail. At the junction, go left and follow the trail as it passes through a scenic forest before arriving at a bridge with a tunnel on your left that passes under the highway. You want to walk through this tunnel to continue along the trail on the other side of the highway. Carefully climb down the rocks on the side and step up into the tunnel, making you're way through to the other end where you step out onto a rocky creek bed. Walk to the left of the creek bed and up a small embankment onto a trail and follow that trail uphill. Within a couple minutes, you come around a corner and the view of Niagara Falls is in front of you. The waterfall is best viewed from the end of the trail or by carefully walking down the small hill at the end to the edge of the creek. It is not advisable to get close to the waterfall as rocks and other debris regularly wash over the edge from high above and can cause serious injury. After enjoying the view of the waterfall, return to the side of the highway where you parked by walking back down the trail and passing back through the tunnel. After return to the trail, it's worth going left and walking the short distance to the Visitor Center to learn about the history and ecology of the park. There is also a viewpoint next to the Visitor Center from the southern tip of the Saanich Inlet.