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 · Thunder Bay District
Kakabeka Falls
Kakabeka Falls is a waterfall on the Kaministiquia River, located beside the village of Kakabeka Falls in the municipality of Oliver Paipoonge, Ontario, 30 km west of the city of Thunder Bay. The falls have a drop of 40 m , cascading into a gorge carved out of the Precambrian Shield by meltwater following the Last Glacial Maximum.
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.
Kakabeka Falls drops 40 metres (131 ft) on the Kaministiquia River, inside Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. It is a cascade-type fall, and the nearest base for a visit is Oliver Paipoonge, Canada. Access to the main viewpoint is rated moderate.
Summary adapted from the Wikipedia article (CC BY-SA 4.0).
As a cascade waterfall, water tumbles down a series of rock steps rather than falling free.
What you can do here
A walk-in-and-look waterfall
No commercial adventures run at Kakabeka Falls itself — the experience is the approach and the view. Guided day trips from Oliver Paipoonge 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 Oliver Paipoonge, Canada
- Country Canada
- Region Thunder Bay District, 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
Kakabeka Falls
Canada
Height40 mWidth—
Most similar
High Falls (North Carolina)
United States
Height38 mWidth—
Also a cascade 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
38 m
40 m
108 m
330 m
979 m
High Falls (North Carolina)Kakabeka FallsVictoria FallsEiffel TowerAngel Falls
Khone Phapheng Falls
10,783 m
Victoria Falls
1,708 m
Angel Falls is 24× taller than Kakabeka Falls. Victoria Falls is 2.7× taller. We don't have a reliable crest width for Kakabeka Falls yet, so it is left off the width chart. Tallest · widest lists.
Watch and read
Books worth packing
On the map
48.4029, -89.6256
Quick answers
Where is Kakabeka Falls?
Kakabeka Falls is in Canada (Thunder Bay District), inside Kakabeka Falls Provincial Park. The nearest base is Oliver Paipoonge, Canada. Its coordinates are 48.4029, -89.6256.
How tall is Kakabeka Falls?
Kakabeka Falls drops 40 metres (131 feet). It is a cascade-type waterfall on the Kaministiquia River.
When is the best time to visit Kakabeka 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 Kakabeka 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 Kakabeka Falls?
The usual base is Oliver Paipoonge, Canada. A real walk — expect stairs, uneven ground or an hour on the trail from there.
Nearby
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