How to Hike to Begbie Falls Near Revelstoke

Of course, we were going to share a hike with a waterfall. All of our other hikes in and around Revelstoke are special but none of them have quite the waterfall that Begbie Falls has.

We did this hike on our last day in Revelstoke, so we didn’t really get to choose to go on a day with good weather…

Unfortunately, it was raining – a lot! But the waterfall at the end was more powerful than ever and it was still an awesome day exploring Revelstoke’s surroundings. 

If you’ve read some of our other posts, you know Revelstoke is an outdoor paradise filled with adventurous activities.

There are so many things to do in and around Revelstoke including Begbie Falls. (You can read our other Revelstoke posts right here.)

We actually tried to do it earlier in the season at the beginning of May but there was still a whole lot of snow on the trail. Especially the bits of the trail in the trees where sunlight only hits for a few hours a day.

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The full guide to hiking the Begbie Falls in Revelstoke

Luckily we came back on our last day in Revelstoke and got to enjoy Begbie Falls at full force. With the rain and the spring runoff, the falls were really coming down.

We spoke with a local and he said he’s never seen it that powerful before and he goes there all the time to walk his dogs in the area.

Rain or shine though you will have an awesome time exploring the area. The hike we did was Begbie Falls via Bluff Trail but there are tons of other awesome trails to explore in the area.

Also, if you’re into climbing then this is one of the best areas in Revelstoke to go climbing. 

But now it’s time to go chasing waterfalls in Revelstoke. We tried our best to document the trip and get some photos.

Unfortunately, with the rain, it was a little difficult. Otherwise, the trail is an awesome little trek if you want to just get out in nature.

You will enjoy some peace and quiet for a few hours exploring the Begbie Recreational Area.

Practical information about Big Eddy Bluff Trail

Distance: 5 km return / 3.1 miles return
Elevation: 240 meters / 787 ft. elevation gain
Type: Out and back
Length: 1.5 – 2.5 hour return (not including breaks)
Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

What you need to know about Begbie Falls near Revelstoke

If there’s one hike you should do on a rainy day in Revelstoke it’s Begbie Falls or Sutherland Falls (they’re a few minutes apart from each other.

Of course, you don’t want to get stranded up on top of a mountain while it’s raining but there’s nothing wrong with exploring a nice dense forest with an epic waterfall at the end while it’s raining.

We were a little bummed out when we started the hike but by the time we got to the falls, we were blown away with how much force all the water was coming down with.

Even throughout the trail, you walk next to a little river and you could just hear how loud the current was the whole way.

On the other hand, if it’s not raining this is an excellent hike to do that’s very close to Revelstoke.

It’s only about a 20-minute drive from town. As soon as you’re there you’ll feel the peacefulness of exploring the area.

The path itself is very well maintained. Even though some people tend to get lost we found that taking a picture of the trail map at the beginning of the hike helped us a bunch.

If you have the app Trailforks then we definitely recommend using it. Trailforks is free and it helps with staying on the right trail with its GPS system and makes it easier for you to see where you’re going.

Besides maybe getting lost once or twice the path is very nice and easy to follow.

There is little to no incline on the way there. Then it’s a bit of incline on the way back but for a very short period of time.

You’ll be surrounded by some fantastic scenery and we’re sure you’ll enjoy your time out on the trail.

Here’s a map of the beginning of the trail

Here’s a picture of the beginning of the trail

One reason we’ll always love Revelstoke is how close all these amazing hiking trails are from Revelstoke.

You can drive as little as 15 minutes in any direction and end up in stunning National or Provincial Parks and Begbie is no different.

To get to Begbie Falls, you will drive about 10 minutes south on Highway 23. If you continue south down Highway 23 you’ll also see the turnoff for Sutherland Falls.

The parking lot for Begbie Falls is quite obvious as the parking lot can be seen from the highway. It’s a popular hiking and climbing spot so there’s usually quite a few cars around.

It’s something we do but before we start a hike we sometimes take a picture of the trail map just for reference. You never know if you’ll end up taking the wrong turn or something and especially on this trail there’s quite a bit of side trails.

So it’s actually quite easy to get lost and then you end up spending an extra half hour or so getting back. (This isn’t necessarily a bad thing since there are tons of awesome trails in the area.)

Hiking Tip: Look up the trail on AllTrails before starting your hike 🗺️. You can find important trail information such as recent wildlife sights and trail closures. Check out the free version here or get a 7-day free trial of AllTrails+ here.

Directions while you’re on the Bluff Trail

The Bluff Trail is absolutely wonderful. The moment you step on the trail you’ll feel at ease.

It’s a very easy and nice trail to hike on since it’s very well maintained. And as long as you stay right at every fork you shouldn’t get lost.

For the entire hike, you should always be fairly close to the stream.

It will follow you on your right for the majority of the Bluff Trail and this stream is what Begbie Falls eventually turns into. So if the stream is powerful you can expect a nice waterfall at the end of it.

If you look here on Trailforks you will be able to see the Bluff Trail. It’s a friendly 2 km downhill trail that leads you to the forest road.

Begbie Service Road to Begbie Falls

This is the only tricky part of the whole hike. Just because the signage is a little confusing and you don’t really know where to turn to find Begbie Falls.

It took us a bit of trial and error but on the second path we took we ended up finding the falls.

So once you get off Bluff Trail onto a very visible forest service road you will instantly take a right. You will walk until the end of the service road which is the parking for Begbie Falls.

Once you get to the parking lot you will take a left.

The trail will bring itself back into the forest with a steep decline right off the bat and from there the trail will lead you to the waterfall.

Again, just make sure to stay right and about 100 meters from the waterfall you will see an arrow pointing you in the right direction.

From there you will find the platform that overlooks Begbie Falls. It looks like it’s two different waterfalls because it splits into two. It makes for some fantastic but very wet pictures, haha.

We didn’t spend too much time at the falls because there are some other epic spots just around the corner.

So if you have time then definitely explore the area and check out some of the other trails nearby. The area isn’t too big so it’s not like you will get completely lost either but do go explore a little.

You may even notice that there are a bunch of camping spots too. So if you want somewhere to camp near Revelstoke for a night then the Begbie Recreational Area is a fabulous spot to camp out for a night or two.

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Begbie Falls back to the trailhead

So this hike is best done as an in-and-out hike. Once you’ve done your exploring around the waterfall and the surrounding area then you can go back to the forest road.

From there you can connect back to the Bluff Trail and make your way back on the same trail you came in on.

This time every chance you get you’ll stay left since it’s the opposite of when you came in. But you’ll notice the trail easily.

You may also see a bunch of other small trails with signs. The majority of those lead to some awesome climbing spots. So if you ever want to come back and climb you’ll know where to go.

How to get to Begbie Falls from Revelstoke

It’s a short little drive from downtown Revelstoke. It’s on the Begbie side so you will have to cross the bridge and head south on the 23.

• It should only take about 15 minutes from downtown to drive to the trailhead.
• The directions can be found here. Use those directions because if you put Begbie Falls into Google you will drive right to the actual car park on the forest road and won’t have much of a hike.
• Like we mentioned before though the car park for the trailhead will be on your left side when you’re going south on the 23. You won’t miss it!

Camping in Revelstoke

If you’re looking to camp in Revelstoke then we have a few recommendations…

Echo Lake is an absolutely beautiful place to camp but it’s a little out of town. So it’s worth going there for the full weekend. Whereas Williamson Lake Campground is right in Revelstoke and super easy to get to.

Here is a post of a few camping places in Revy: 5 Gorgeous Spots for Camping in Revelstoke.

A few are in town and actual campgrounds whereas others are just free campsites where you can drop a tent and stay the night.

So you can see which campsite works best for you depending on how you’re travelling around.

Before you go hike to Begbie Falls

It doesn’t hurt to check the local bear warnings in and around Revelstoke. Revelstoke is known for having bears roam into the town so it’s always good to be prepared!

You can check out this site for any warnings and closures. But if you come prepared, you bring bear spray and know how to use it, you should be ok.

You can check the Revelstoke weather forecast here too to make sure the weather is in your favor. We’ve been to Begbie Falls a few times and it’s crazy seeing the difference in power between spring and fall.

The trail was a little bit muddy but nothing some waterproof hiking boots couldn’t handle.

The hike is rather short and easy so there isn’t really anything else you need to worry about. Make sure to not forget your camera or phone to take some epic pictures by the falls.

Leave no trace

When you go hiking (and do other outdoor adventure activities), always remember to follow the 7 principles of leaving no trace.

This means:

1. Plan ahead and prepare.
2. Travel and camp on durable surfaces.
3. Dispose of waste properly.
4. Leave what you find.
5. Minimize campfire impacts.
6. Respect wildlife.
7. Be considerate of others.

What to bring for Begbie Falls

It is a shorter hike so you don’t need to bring too much with you. We just brought a few snacks to enjoy as a little reward for getting out and exploring.

Packing list for Begbie Falls

• Water! We always fill up our LifeStraw bottles before hikes or day trips and even during them when we can.
• Sunscreen! Please pack sunscreen for this hike. For this hike there is quite a bit of shade since you are in the trees for most of the hike but it’s still good to have with you.
• A power bank is nice to bring because you don’t want to run out of battery while hiking in the mountains.
• Bring some snacks or lunch to enjoy during the hike. You can enjoy a snack while hanging out at Begbie Falls!
• Hiking poles are great to have on this hike! There’s a decent amount of elevation so having your hiking poles with you is a good idea.
• You can check out this great list of hiking gear to get some more inspiration!

You may also like…

• 6 Must Do Hikes in Revelstoke
• 5 Gorgeous Spots for Camping in Revelstoke
• Big Eddy Bluff Trail – Hiking in Revelstoke
• Stunning Scenic Flight Over Mount Revelstoke National Park
• Greenbelt Path – Walking Trail in Revelstoke

Recap of the Begbie Falls hiking trail

We hope you enjoy Begbie Falls as much as we did. It’s one of those must do’s while exploring Revy! I mean Revelstoke is an outdoor paradise so if it’s exploring the Revelstoke Mountain Resort, taking a scenic flight over Revy, or just exploring all the waterfalls in the area you’ll have a great time.

It’s one of those towns where every season is awesome! If you love hiking, climbing, kayaking, mountain biking, or any other outdoorsy activity you can do it all in Revelstoke!

If you end up having questions about Revy, Begbie Falls, or anything else feel free to reach out. You can DM us on Instagram or leave a comment below and we’ll get back to you!

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