Junction Falls is a rather pleasant hike that at times feels more like a walk in the woods with a fantastic destination. It is also a great choice for trail running, and biking. If you hike in a group or want to challenge yourself distance wise this will be a perfect choice as well. This is a truly beautiful part of Alberta that is rich in history, and should be discovered by more people.
Getting There
Getting to Junction Falls’ trailhead is super easy as the road ends there. Make your way down to Turner Valley either via the charming towns of Black Diamond or Millarville, and take Highway 546 all the way there.
Highway 546 takes you on a 25 min drive through Bluerock Wildland, and the Sheep River Provincial Parks. It is quiet a pretty drive. Don’t miss the Sheep River Falls on the way which require just a 2 min walk from the parking lot.
The Hike
Junction Falls hike starts with requiring to cross a river. Hold on to your shoes tight! Crossing the river I dropped one of my shoes in, and had to drive all the back to Black Diamond to find another pair. Luckily one of the consignment stores found a brand new pair of shoes close to my size in a trailer out back. Depends on the time of the year the river might run faster, and higher. If you are average in height be prepared to get wet past you knees in any case.
If you made it across with both of your shoes then you are ready to get the hike going. The trail takes you on the side of another river in and out of the woods pretty much all the way there. You will have plenty of lookout spots to view the canyon below.
I see Junction Falls becoming a tricky hike if it’s wet. The terrain includes very soft soil that will easily turn muddy, and make it a much harder unpleasant hike. I definitely recommend checking the weather before you head out. Otherwise, except the distance it is an easy hike with an easy trail to follow.
As you know, I like to make things a little more adventures. If you are considering to do the Junction Falls hike then I assume you like waterfalls, and not just a walk in the woods. If I assumed correctly then make sure to check the river cascades that create beautiful smaller falls, and swimming holes.
The grand finale is a spectacular tri-fall that you can climb, and explore all over. Up to here the elevation is minimal, and barely noticeable. If you chose to hike to the top of the waterfall, the distance is short but this is where you will encounter most of it.
The grand finale:
If you are a confident hiker, have a good footing and want to have even more fun; why not hike-out in the canyon? That is exactly what we did. Carefully follow the water down from the falls into the canyon. Down there you will find more waterfalls, and a different view. Don’t worry you can connect to trail about half way down 🙂
Distance: 15.7km
Elevation: 245m
Difficulty: easy to moderate, only because of the distance.
Time: 5-6 hours.
Season: May to October.
Dog Friendly: Yes, if the pooch is used to long distances.