Walking guide
Exploring Wells Gray Park: The Complete Roads and Trails Guide to Canada's Waterfalls Park
Roland Neave · 2015
The standard guide to Wells Gray, with every road and trail to Helmcken Falls and the park's many other waterfalls.
Canada · British Columbia
Helmcken Falls
The fourth-largest waterfall in Canada plunges over a volcanic rim into a horseshoe canyon so deep that a roadside viewpoint gives a full, unobstructed look at the entire drop. Freezing spray builds a towering ice cone at the base each winter that has been measured at over 100 metres.
Fourth-largest waterfall in Canada by flow Essentials guide
Checked September 2026 by David Bussell
Helmcken Falls drops 141 metres (463 ft) on the Murtle, inside Wells Gray Provincial Park. It is a plunge-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Clearwater, with YKA the closest airport. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy.
As a plunge waterfall, water leaves the rock entirely and falls free through the air.
What you can do here
Planning one of these? Check your travel insurance covers adventure activities — SafetyWing is one option.
Also good forCampingHikingPhotography
When to go
Summer gives strong, reliable flow; a massive ice cone builds at the base each winter.
Entry: Free park access
Getting there
- Base town Clearwater
- Airport YKA
- Country Canada
- Region British Columbia, Northern North America, North America
- Access Easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint
How it compares
This waterfall
Helmcken Falls
Canada
Height141 mWidth—
Most similar
Akaka Falls
United States
Height135 mWidth—
Also a plunge waterfall, of similar height and in the United States
Largest curtain
Victoria Falls
Zimbabwe · Zambia
Height108 mWidth1,708 m
Largest single sheet of falling water
Tallest on earth
Angel Falls
Venezuela
Height979 mWidth—
Widest on earth
Khone Phapheng Falls
Laos
Height21 mWidth10,783 m
Measured across the whole multi-channel system
108 m
135 m
141 m
330 m
979 m
Victoria FallsAkaka FallsHelmcken FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 6.9× taller than Helmcken Falls. It drops 1.3× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Helmcken Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Videos from Helmcken Falls
9:07
4:06
1:05
Chosen from YouTube; videos belong to their creators and play from YouTube's privacy-enhanced player.
Books worth packing
Guidebook
Moon British Columbia
Andrew Hempstead · 2018
Province-wide BC guide covering Wells Gray, Vancouver Island and Yoho for planning a multi-region trip.
Guidebook
Lonely Planet Canada
Lonely Planet · 2024
Country-wide guide for combining Canadian falls, from Quebec and Ontario to the Rockies and the North.
On the map
51.9575, -120.1742
Quick answers
Where is Helmcken Falls?
Helmcken Falls is in Canada (British Columbia), inside Wells Gray Provincial Park. The nearest base is Clearwater and the closest airport is YKA. Its coordinates are 51.9575, -120.1742.
How tall is Helmcken Falls?
Helmcken Falls drops 141 metres (463 feet). It is a plunge-type waterfall on the Murtle.
When is the best time to visit Helmcken Falls?
Peak flow is June to September. Summer gives strong, reliable flow; a massive ice cone builds at the base each winter.
What can you do at Helmcken Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: ice climbing, camping, hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated easy — a short walk or roadside viewpoint.
How do you get to Helmcken Falls?
The usual base is Clearwater, and the closest airport is YKA. A short walk or roadside viewpoint from there. Free park access.
Nearby
Closest to Helmcken Falls
Dawson Falls
Canada · 4 km away
Dawson Falls is one of seven waterfalls on the Murtle River in Wells Gray Provincial Park, British Columbia…
Moul Falls
Canada · 16 km away
Moul Falls is a waterfall on Grouse Creek in Wells Gray Provincial Park, east-central British Columbia…
Canim Falls
Canada · 25 m · 30 km away
Canim Falls is a 25 metre high waterfall on the Canim River between Canim Lake and Mahood Lake in Wells Gray…
Overlander Falls
Canada · 140 km away
Overlander Falls is a waterfall on the Fraser River in Mount Robson Provincial Park, British Columbia…