Moul and McDiarmid Falls
In May we drove to Clearwater, then up the Wells Gray Road to hike the Moul Falls Trail. The pull-off to the parking area is well-signed and now there are many more parking spaces because this has become a popular summer hike. On this day there were two vehicles only ,and the trail was quiet. It is 3 km to Moul Falls with the first 2 km on a gentle double track. We arrived above the falls, then hiked down a new stairway (with thanks) to the amphitheater basin below the falls. After enjoying the spot, we hiked back up and then we went upstream to cross on the footbridge to the other side. The trail winds over Birch Bluffs, then down the lava cliffs almost to Clearwater River. We then scrambled on a narrow, sketchy single track to the base of McDiarmid Falls, enjoyed the view, had lunch, and then retraced our steps.
A few images from the hike are shared here. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption.
As always, the base area of Moul Falls is worth the hike.
The route down to McDiarmid Falls is a harder, but it is worth the effort. Both falls are part of Grouse Creek, which flows into the Clearwater River.
All in, the hike was 9.3 km taking about 3 hours. There are several route options possible, but on this day it was an out-and-back hike on a warm spring day. Recommended to all.