While camping in Clearwater, we did 3 days of hiking in the Clearwater River Valley and in the Trophy Range.    For a half day hike we drove up the Clearwater Valley Road for 4.3 km to the Candle Creek Trailhead (Triple Decker Falls).   We hiked down the trail to an eclectic turn-around spot and then back on the same trail for a 6 km excursion.

 

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The trail descended steeply down through the forest, generally following Candle Creek to the edge of the lava bluffs, then detoured north to a route down to a bench above the river.

 

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A short hike down the trail hikers we saw a side trail going to the foot of Triple Decker Falls.   This cascading falls has a vertical drop of 60 m in a narrow canyon.

 

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Retracing our steps, we then continued down the trail winding down to a lookout over the Clearwater River.

 

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We hiked south on the Clearwater River Trail and then we crossed a bridge where we spotted a short side trail to the bottom of 10 m Candle Creek Falls.

 

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We continued south on to get a good view of the lava cliffs towering above the trail.

 

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The trail follows the foot of the lava cliffs for a while.   Orange crustose lichens stained the basalt columns and the faceted rockfaces.   Water, freezing and thawing,  and wind erosion have shattered the rocks on the cliffs, leaving a talus slope below, but the trail follows the foot of the cliffs past the lava flow on its way to Clearwater.

 

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The trail goes all the way to Dutch Lake, but we turned around and retraced our steps back to the trailhead on the Wells Gray Corridor Road.   There is a lot to see on this trail so we recommend it.   In the spring the waterfalls will have lots of water, and in the fall, deciduous trees and shrubs will provide autumn color and cooler temperatures.