About the Author, Nathalie St. Pierre: I am 52 years old. I was born in north east Quebec. I have 3 adult children and 5 grand children. I am an anthropologist by trade but retired from the profession. I now work for the Canadian Government. My father was a hiker and I was inspired by him at a very young age to do the same. I love to be in nature, it’s my church! I am a day hiker and my favorite trails are the ones I can do in the mountains. I have a healthy life style because I want to be able to hike until I die.
I recently moved to Yellowknife, in Canada’s Northwest Territories. It’s a flat landscape, so as I was driving here to relocate, I was thinking about the rocky mountains I had left behind me with a little sadness. However, I decided I was going to make the best of this new adventure. I had done a bit of research before moving to the NWT and there were already a few hiking trails to explore on my list. The morning after I arrived in the city of Yellowknife, I decided to check the Cameron Falls trail, and I was pleasantly surprised.
The trailhead can be found about 35 minutes outside the city. It is located on the Ingram Trail, a 70 km long road along which you find several day use areas and camp grounds. It’s also at the very end of the Ingram that you find the start of the Ice Road, the very Ice Road where they made the reality show “Ice Road truckers”.
I arrived at the trailhead which is just past the day use area on Madeleine Lake. There, you can find outhouses but no trail map and no water. I looked around and easily located the trail in the forest. It starts on flat terrain and meanders through a forest of fairly tall spruce trees. Just at the start, on the left you can stop and admire a rock wall. After 1 km the trail takes you on top of the rock formation, which by the way is the oldest on earth. There are little pictograms to tell you where to go. From there it’s up and down until you reach the Cameron Falls. The trail itself is no more than 5 km, or about 3.2 miles in and out and the elevation is approximately 100 metres or close to 300 feet. It’s an easy trail suitable for families and beginners.
Although the trail is short, you can turn it into a longer hike if you explore a little off the beaten path. There is a bridge that takes you very close to the waterfall and you can go down the rock and sit right by the river. It’s a beautiful place and it is so calming to close your eyes and listen….all you hear is the thundering sound of the falls, no cars, no planes!
Since I arrived in the NWT in September I hiked the Cameron Falls trail many times – it is one of my favorite in the area. Easily accessible in all seasons. 😉
