Alexandra Falls

The Hay River drops about thirty-two metres at Alexandra Falls over a lip of Devonian limestone, and a second fall, Louise Falls at about fifteen metres, lies downstream; a gorge trail of about three kilometres connects them along the rim. The rock is full of marine fossils from a warm sea that covered this ground around three hundred and eighty million years ago. Dene tradition tells of the two falls as two spirits, Grandmother and Grandfather, who protect the area. A spiral staircase descends at Louise Falls to the gorge floor. The falls are at their most powerful during the May melt when the whole northern spring runoff comes down at once.

Highlights

• The thirty-two metre drop - the main fall over a limestone lip.
• Louise Falls - a second fall downstream with a spiral staircase to the base.
• The gorge trail - a rim path connecting the two falls.
• The Devonian fossils - marine fossils in the exposed limestone.

When to go

May for the peak melt flow; June to September for the trails and facilities. The park closes for winter, when the falls freeze into ice formations visible from the rim.

What to expect

The park facilities are seasonal and the site closes in winter. Mosquitoes in early summer are severe. The gorge staircase is steep.

Nearby

Hay River lies northeast; the Alberta border is south.

Key facts