By Robin Esrock

Where there’s mountains, there’s water, and where there’s water, there’s waterfalls. Canada’s iconic cascades trigger the awe of locals and visitors alike, each offering something unique to admire. Some smash you over the head with sheer velocity and volume, others owe more to their surrounding beauty, or even the opportunity for a natural shower. How many of Canada’s most famous or fetching waterfalls have you visited?

1. Helmcken Falls (British Columbia)

Location: Wells Gray Provincial Park
Height: 141 m (463 ft)

Helmcken Falls gets a lot of international buzz over the ice climbers who scale the monstrous ice cone that forms at the base each winter. A visit in summer is more accessible and arguably more impressive. The Murtle River plummets into a canyon, creating a view so incredible that they created a provincial park just to protect it. Formed by meltwater and a large lava deposit, the 4th tallest waterfall in the country and its thundering column can be viewed from various trails accessible via a parking lot. Late spring sees the maximum flow, and it’s best to leave the ice climbing to the professionals.

2. Virginia Falls (Northwest Territories)

Location: Nahanni National Park Reserve
Height: 96 m (315 ft)

Twice the height of Niagara and set deep in the remote wilderness of the Northwest Territories, Virginia Falls is the result of the South Nahanni River dropping dramatically over a vast ledge split by a massive rock, causing a roar that echoes through the canyon. One hundred million tons of water crash over a 30-storey drop every day. The spectacle is further rewarded by the effort it takes to actually see it. Nahanni Falls is only accessible in summer by floatplane from the town of Fort Simpson, or on a multi-day rafting or kayaking expedition.

3. Montmorency Falls (Quebec)

Location: 15 minutes from Old Quebec City
Height: 83 m (272 ft)

Montmorency Falls stands 30 metres higher than Niagara Falls, and is easily accessible by trail, cliffside rail car, a suspension bridge, via ferrata, or even a 300-metre zipline. While the surrounding area is lush in summer, winter attracts ice climbers drawn to the impressive ice cone that forms at the base. Montmorency is a popular attraction that draws crowds from nearby Quebec City. Keep in mind the panoramic staircase has 487 steps, but you can recover with a craft beer at the restaurant overlooking the falls. Groomed pathways throughout the park offer various viewpoints.

4. Shannon Falls (British Columbia)

Location: Shannon Falls Provincial Park, near Squamish
Height: 335 m (1,099 ft)

Shannon Falls is a favourite stop for travellers on their way from Vancouver to Squamish or Whistler. Pull into the parking lot off the Sea to Sky Highway, and you’ll find easy trails through the evergreen forest base, ascending alongside the cascade with watering holes to cool off on a hot summer day. The flow is strongest with snowmelt in spring. While you won’t see the falls from the top of nearby Stawamus Chief, you will get stellar views of Howe Sound and one of the climbing world’s iconic rock faces.

5. Cameron Falls (Alberta)

Location: Waterton Lakes National Park
Height: 23 m (75 ft)

Located inside the townsite of Waterton Village, Cameron Falls isn’t particularly tall but boasts serious geological significance. Water rushing down the mountains splashes over ancient Precambrian rock estimated at over a billion years old, making it among the oldest exposed rock formations on Earth. After heavy rains, the bottom pool can turn rosy pink due to sediment picked up along the way. Waterton is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Waterton–Glacier International Peace Park, shared with Montana’s Glacier National Park.

6. Pissing Mare Falls (Newfoundland and Labrador)

Location: Western Brook Pond, Gros Morne National Park
Height: 350 m (1,150 ft)

Pissing Mare Falls wins the title for the best-named waterfall, and it’s just one highlight of visiting Western Brook Pond in Gros Morne National Park. Long and slender as its name suggests, it gains extra points for the spectacular glacier-carved inland fjord surrounding it. After walking the 3 km wooden boardwalk from the parking lot, hop on the mandatory 2-hour boat tour up the fjord and keep an eye out for the waterfall spraying in the wind.

7. Athabasca Falls (Alberta)

Location: Jasper National Park
Height: 23 m (75 ft)

One of the most powerful falls in the Rockies, Athabasca Falls is among Jasper’s most popular attractions. The mighty Athabasca River carves a narrow limestone gorge, resulting in boiling rapids and striking potholes. The falls are located about a half-hour from the townsite along the Icefields Parkway and are accessible via paved trails and scenic viewpoints.

8. Niagara Falls (Ontario)

Location: Niagara
Height: 51 m (167 ft)

No list of waterfalls is complete without Canada’s most iconic natural spectacle. Formed by melting glaciers 12,000 years ago, the Canadian side’s Horseshoe Falls eclipses the American Falls, with 6 million cubic feet of water cascading every minute. The resort town offers a variety of ways to engage with the falls, from cruises into the mist to aerial rides and nightly fireworks. Despite the lively tourist atmosphere, the falls continue to wow visitors from around the world.

Robin Esrock is the bestselling author of The Great Canadian Bucket List, now in its third edition.