Little Qualicum Falls is a popular park located on Vancouver Island between Parksville and Port Alberni. The 440 hectare park was created in 1940 as part of an effort to protect the river, its waterfalls, the old growth Douglas-fir trees, and the surrounding plant life.
The park is well known for its spectacular river gorge. Throughout the park, visitors can view several beautiful waterfalls and cascades as the river shoots down narrow canals and surges over broad cliffs.
The river is not, however, the only sight at Little Qualicum Falls. The river is framed by large fir trees that are, in turn, bordered by impressive coastal mountains. In short, there is a wealth of natural beauty in the area.
Even though the park is not exceptionally large, there are many things to do. Hikers and walkers might enjoy an easy stroll along the trail that skirts the river. There are a few spots to go swimming along the river, but swimmers should be careful and must be sure to read any posted warnings.
There are a number of campsites available at Little Qualicum Falls from May 1st to September 30th—check the official park website for more information. The campground is quite nice, but it gets busy in the summer months, so plan accordingly.
A ten minute drive west from the campground leads to Cameron Lake, which has a day use area for swimming, boating, picnics, and other recreational activities.
There several more locations to explore nearby—highlights include Englishman River and MacMillan Provincial Park (the famous Cathedral Grove).
One Comments to “Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park”
[...] 2010. I was up visiting in Nanaimo when I decided to go on an spur of the moment camping trip up to Little Qualicum Falls. I was a bit worried about the weather but it all worked out in the end with the rain starting as [...]