北米の滝・トップ20

More water after rain, upper and lower view.

The Mist Trail is much easier to hike uphill in early summer (snowmelt) than downhill because it becomes very slippery. Instead of returning the same way, it's recommended to head a little further upstream, turning right, onto the John Muir Trail—not only because of the slippery descent, but also because this leads to the best vantage point for Vernal Falls (marked on the map). Especially when the Merced River is full, the view is spectacular. The descent on the John Muir Trail is then much easier. Warning for photographers: During snowmelt, only take photos in the "splash zone" with a truly waterproof (submersible!) camera—and pack any other camera in a completely waterproof bag beforehand and only unpack it again at the top. Several careless camera owners have destroyed their equipment on this trail. I once heard a man at the top complaining about a broken Hasselblad – it was in his backpack, but obviously not completely waterproof. The fine mist penetrates everywhere, and even with a rain jacket, you end up wet like you've just taken a shower. On warm summer days, the trail is extremely crowded, with several thousand visitors on just a few kilometers of trail.

I have done this at the end of July. While it is as everybody describes, easy to the lower falls and not super hard to the upper falls, it was extremely crowded and it felt more like cattle drive up there. I suggest do this very early in the morning or evening there is probably less traffic.

You get really wet when you go up the steps at Verna Fall

The view of the falls is world-famous. The view of the Horseshoe Falls is certainly the more spectacular. Recommended in both summer and winter. In winter, the freezing spray creates an incredible world! However, the entire spectacle is a tourist magnet at any time of year.

The Maligne River, about 80 km long, flows into the Athabasca River near Jasper at 1,000 meters elevation. Its main reservoir is Maligne Lake, with Medicine Lake located 16 km from its mouth at 1,392 meters. Much of the river’s water disappears into an underground drainage system, re-emerging downstream through springs and underground channels. Below Medicine Lake, the river gains volume from surface runoff and springs. At Maligne Canyon, it carves a deep gorge through erosion, forming potholes and curved surfaces. The canyon drops 120 meters over 1.5 km, with underground water sources significantly increasing the river's volume at the bottom. (Visit June 1. 2018) https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Maligne-Canyon-Falls-2626 Some information on geology of Maligne Canyon at page 53 of: http://parkscanadahistory.com/geology/misc-report-6-1963.pdf

Athabasca Falls is located on the Icefields Parkway, Alberta's Highway 93, at km 203 (towards Lake Louise to Jasper) at the junction with Highway 93A (which is normally closed from November to April). The mighty Athabasca River originates from the glaciers of the Columbia Icefield. At the foot of Mount Kerkeslin, the Athabasca River plunges over a jagged cliff of Precambrian quartzites into a narrow canyon of its own making. https://www.worldwaterfalldatabase.com/waterfall/Athabasca-Falls-2576 Some information on geology at page 102 of: http://parkscanadahistory.com/geology/misc-report-6-1963.pdf

After our world trip in 2022, we came back to Niagara Falls in 2024 for the solar eclipse. We prefer the Canadian side and it is always an experience to be here. A visit to the falls in winter over Christmas is also particularly recommended, as the atmosphere is very special then and the rush of tourists is limited.