Two Easy-to-Visit Waterfalls, Sea-to-Sky Highway, British Columbia

The Sea-to-Sky Highway is a beautiful stretch of road, connecting Vancouver and Whistler.  There are lots of things you can stop to see and explore, but presented here are two waterfalls I’d like to bring to your attention.  They are well worth pulling off the highway and taking a short hike to see.

Shannon Falls Provincial Park

Located 58 kilometers (36 mi) from Vancouver and just 2 kilometers (1.2 mi) from the small city of Squamish is one of the tallest waterfalls in British Columbia.  Shannon Falls drops 335 meters (1105 ft).  It’s named after William Shannon, who owned the falls and land around it in the late 19^th century.

The cascading water is a memorable spot and popular with day-trippers and those looking for a place to picnic.  There is a large (free) parking area, from which you walk up a well-maintained trail through a forested area for a view of the waterfall….

Your walk brings you past Shannon Creek which drains the falls…..

It’s about 1 km from the parking lot to the base of Shannon Falls, from which the following photos were taken.

We visited in early summer when there was still snowmelt filling the falls, but I expect Shannon Falls would have been even more spectacular in April or May.  After taking photos and soaking in the view, we returned on the loop trail to our vehicle and continued towards Whistler.

There are a number of hiking trails nearby and for the more adventurous, the park is known for its rock-climbing opportunities.  There is a small concession and information center offering snacks, information, and souvenirs…

The parking lot gate is closed between 10pm and 7am each day if the year.  The falls are adjacent to Stawamus Chief Provincial Park.

Brandywine Falls Provincial Park

Located further inland, about halfway between Squamish and Whistler, is Brandywine Falls,  It’s a waterfall of much different character than Shannon Falls and is really beautiful.

Parking is free and as you walk towards the falls from your vehicle you’ll cross this covered footbridge under which flows Cheakamus Creek,,,,

It’s about a one kilometer walk from the parking area to falls.  The trail is well maintained and winds through a forest and past a rockfall….

Your walk takes you across a Canadian National Rail line to a viewing platform over the edge of a canyon, from which you can see the water drop over the precipice.

Brandywine is a picture-perfect waterfall, dropping over a precipice 70 meters (230 ft) into the canyon below.

There is no access allowed to the lower falls area as the canyon is not safe to enter, with unstable slopes and falling rocks.

The park gate is open May 1, 2024 to October 31, 2024.  Trails in the park are not maintained during the winter but it is open to pedestrians year-round.