Alexandra Falls
A thirty-two metre fall over a limestone lip, on a river the Dene call the place of the loud water.
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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 two kilometres downstream; a gorge trail 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. The Dene name for the area refers to loud water. 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.
What you actually see
- 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.
Honest expectations
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.
What to pack for Alexandra Falls
Chosen from what this place is for. Tap a kit for the full checklist.
Opening times, ticket prices and seasonal closures change - check the official source before you go: official site.
