Most often undertaken as an hour and a half scenic drive from the Crowsnest Pass down fairly remote gravel roads, the journey to Oldman River Falls doesn’t attract as many people as some of the more accessible waterfalls in the Crowsnest Pass. That said, the time it takes to reach Oldman River Falls is one of the selling points, as despite being an impressive and beautiful roadside waterfall, it remains one of the most obscure and least-visited waterfalls in Alberta. For those that are willing to take the drive (or those that are already driving between the Crowsnest Pass and Kananaskis Country), Oldman River Falls is well worth the visit.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience Oldman River Falls for yourself, including how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Oldman River Falls as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
When to Visit Oldman River Falls
Like many waterfalls in the Rockies, the best time of year to visit Oldman River Falls is in late Spring. Melting snow and recent rainfall mean that the water level is at its highest, and the waterfalls at their most dramatic. That said, Oldman River Falls flows quite well even into late summer (when I visited) and becomes a popular swimming hole late in the year when the water is calmer.
How to Get to Oldman River Falls
Oldman River Falls is located on the border of Beehive Natural Area, about halfway between the Crowsnest Pass and Kananaskis Country. It’s about an hour and a half from either the Crowsnest Pass or Highwood Junction. If driving from the Crowsnest Highway, turn north onto Highway 40 in Coleman, at the intersection with the Subway. Follow the road for a couple blocks, after which point it curves to the left, then to the right, then to the left again. After passing the cemetery on the left side, turn right to stay on Highway 40. After about 45 kms of driving along the scenic gravel road (passing by the trailhead for McGillivray Ridge) through the hills, turn left onto Oldman River Road. Continue for another 19km. The road is in decent condition. it’s a little washboard in a few sections but as long as you drive slow enough pretttmuch any car should be able to handle the drive. If you keep an eye out on the left you’ll glimpse Oldman River Falls through the trees just before reaching the small pullout. If driving from the north, head to Highwood Junction near the southern end of Kananaskis Country. It’s possible to reach Highwood Junction by driving all the way south down from near Canmore, or west from Longview. At Highwood Junction drive south onto Highway 940 and follow it for 60km km before turning right onto Oldman River Road. Continue for 19km to Oldman River Falls.
Click here to open the exact location in Google Maps.
Walking to Oldman River Falls
The small pulloff just before a larger parking area is the best place to park for Oldman Falls.
A faint path leads down towards the sound of rushing water less than a minute away.
There are several different trails braided together but essentially: go right to get the view of the falls from above, go left to descend to the base of the falls.
Oldman Falls from above.
The path down to the base of Oldman Falls is steep, and was a bit muddy and challenging on the day we visited. Likely in dry conditions it would still be a but slippery so be careful either way.
The base of Oldman River Falls.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to Oldman Falls in Alberta! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.