Scenic Views · Camping & Hiking · Ontario
Ontario's second-highest waterfall, a 40-metre drop on the Kaministiquia River west of Thunder Bay, seen from boardwalks and railed lookouts. Parking fee applies; fishing isn't permitted in the park.
Kakabeka Falls plunges about 40 metres into a gorge on the Kaministiquia River, and the power of the water is what visitors remember. Several reviewers say they preferred it to Niagara because it's just the river and the cliffs, without the crowds. The gorge walls below the falls are impressive in their own right.
Boardwalks and a pedestrian bridge wrap around the top of the falls, with viewing platforms at different angles. The top of the falls can be seen from the boardwalk with a wheelchair or stroller, though you need stairs to see all of it. Reviewers praise the upkeep, the clean washrooms and the history and geology signs around the park.
Short, easy trails such as the Mountain Portage and Boardwalk trails circle the falls, and the park has campgrounds, a small beach upriver of the falls, and groomed ski trails in winter. The base of the falls is a spawning ground for endangered lake sturgeon, and fishing isn't permitted in the park; you can sometimes watch the sturgeon from the platform in spring.
Expect a day-use parking fee or a walk in from the village. Off-trail side paths lead toward the bottom of the falls, but stay on marked routes and behind railings; the rock is steep and the water dangerous. Bring bug spray in summer.
Summarised from visitor reviews on Google Maps. Based on 3,288 Google reviews. Conditions and rules change — check current park, access and fishing regulations before you go.
