Guidebook
Lonely Planet Canada
Lonely Planet · 2024
Country-wide guide for combining Canadian falls, from Quebec and Ontario to the Rockies and the North.
Canada · Ottawa
Hog's Back Falls
The Hog's Back Falls, officially known as the Prince of Wales Falls, but rarely referred to by this name, are a series of artificial waterfalls on the Rideau River in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. The falls are located just north of Mooney's Bay and the point where the Rideau Canal splits from the Rideau River.
Essentials guide
Facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia, compiled September 2026; season and access are our estimate, not a visit report. How we build these pages.
Hog's Back Falls drops 600 metres (1,969 ft) on the Rideau River. It is a cataract-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Ottawa, Canada. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Hog's Back Falls is the third-tallest of the 61 we cover in Canada; number 4 on our list of waterfalls within an hour of a capital city. As a cataract waterfall, a large, powerful waterfall or series of rapids on a big river.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Hog's Back Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Ottawa are the easiest way to combine it with the area around it.
Also good forHikingPhotography
When to go
Spring snowmelt and rain make April to June the fullest months; October adds colour, and a hard winter can freeze the face.
Getting there
- Base town Ottawa, Canada
- Country Canada
- Region Ottawa, Northern North America, North America
- Access Moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail
How it compares
This waterfall
Hog's Back Falls
Canada
Height600 mWidth—
Most similar
Hiʻilawe Waterfall
United States
Height442 mWidth—
Also a cataract 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
330 m
442 m
600 m
979 m
Victoria FallsEiffel TowerHiʻilawe WaterfallHog's Back FallsAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 1.6× taller than Hog's Back Falls. It drops 5.6× further than Victoria Falls (108 m). We don't have a reliable crest width for Hog's Back Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
On the map
45.371, -75.697
Quick answers
Where is Hog's Back Falls?
Hog's Back Falls is in Canada (Ottawa). The nearest base is Ottawa, Canada. Its coordinates are 45.3710, -75.6970.
How tall is Hog's Back Falls?
Hog's Back Falls drops 600 metres (1,969 feet). It is a cataract-type waterfall on the Rideau River.
When is the best time to visit Hog's Back Falls?
Peak flow is April to June and October. Spring snowmelt and rain make April to June the fullest months; October adds colour, and a hard winter can freeze the face.
What can you do at Hog's Back Falls?
Beyond the viewpoints: hiking and photography. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate — a real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail.
How do you get to Hog's Back Falls?
The usual base is Ottawa, Canada. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
Closest to Hog's Back Falls
Chaudière Falls (Ontario)
Canada · 10 m · 6 km away
The Chaudière Falls , also known as the Kana:tso or Akikodjiwan Falls, are a set of cascades and waterfall in…
Rideau Falls
Canada · 8 km away
The Rideau Falls are two waterfalls located in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, where the Rideau River empties into…
Coulonge Chutes
Canada · 48 m · 100 km away
The Coulonge Chutes is a non-profit recreation park and historical exhibition area operating in…
Rapides du Cheval Blanc
Canada · 150 km away
The Rapides du Cheval Blanc, or White Horse Rapids, flow between the Island of Montreal, Pierrefonds-Roxboro…