I’ve been trying to get to this spot for a while. I made an attempt in February, 2015 while heading to Sudbury, Ontario. I thought I’d take a bit of a detour and head up highway 11 to North Bay then across highway 17 (Trans Canada Highway) through Sturgeon Falls to Sudbury. Along the way, I’d stop and explore Duchesnay Falls.
Well, I know little of winters in Northern Ontario, apparently. The temperature dropped steadily as I drove north. By the time I got to North Bay, it was -25C. When I got to Duchesnay Falls, the parking lot hadn’t been plowed in some time and the waterfall looked to be in a snow covered deep freeze.
Fast forward to mid October, 2015. Once again, I take the highway 11 / highway 17 detour to Sudbury. Once again, the weather turns to crap on the day I need to go north. It’s the first lake effect snow of the season. Streamers are coming off Georgian Bay and off Lake Nipissing.
However, by the time I get to North Bay, the sun is out and the weather, although a bit chilly, seems to want to cooperate. When I pull into the unmarked parking lot at Duchesnay Falls, Mother Nature is finally on my side.
Duchesnay Falls
Duchesnay Falls is immediately north of the Trans Canada Highway. It sort of can be seen from the road. However, this is a long and twisted Canadian Shield style waterfall with lots of drops, curves and pools. What you see from the road is a fraction of reality.
The parking lot is paved, on the north side of the road and within walking distance of the North Bay Regional Health Centre, Nipissing University and Canadore College, all on the western edge of town.
The thing is, if you didn’t know what you were looking for, there is no sign to tell you what’s there. There is but one sign in the whole area surrounding the waterfall and that is to warn not to swim. This warning comes at an opportune spot, just above a pool located about halfway down. These pools look tranquil but they’re inches away from another rocky plunge.
In the above image, you can see what I believe to be the lone sign. You can also see the waters of Lake Nipissing on the horizon.
These images were taken on the main, west, channel of Duchesnay Creek. There is an east branch of the creek that runs parallel to the west at points but it was nothing more than a trickle 1-2 feet wide at this visit.
I couldn’t find much in the way of stats when it came to Duchesnay Falls. Length is over 100 feet and there are several drops. There are two drops that are much bigger than the others and these two have heights from 15 to 20 feet.
The trails on either side of the waterfall are part of system that extends out from Nipissing University and Canadore College. At what can be considered the top of the waterfall, there is a walking bridge across (pictured below). There is no warnings here but I read, I believe on the university’s web site, that the bridge is in a state of disrepair and caution should be exercised. I survived the crossing…
Looking to compare Duchesnay Falls with similar waterfalls in the extended area, I would say it’s a bit like a smaller version of Onaping High Falls, northwest of Sudbury. However, with its twists and turns, along with its water volume, I would say it would be more like Ragged Falls at Ragged Falls and Oxtonge River Provincial Park, at the western edge of Algonquin Provincial Park.
Perhaps, it’s best just not to compare and realize this is a unique natural spectacle. I only spent about an hour here but could have stayed all day. The colour of the leaves helped but I can see these being a shutterbug’s paradise anytime of year.
I was able to throw on a ND filter for some longer exposure shots. Once again, I could have done that all day long. Most that I took were not overly long exposure. With the speed of the water, the shots included in this article are no more than a few seconds. That texture, as opposed to the milky look associated with 20-30 second or longer exposures, has become my new favourite.
Folks from the south (aka the Greater Toronto Area), there may be a legitimate reason why there is no signage for this location. They might really be trying to keep us from visiting. This is a clean, garbage free area. This is also a barrier free area. Even in dry conditions, the rocks can be slippery and a fall (as proven this summer when a jogger lost his footing and fell down a cliff) can be extremely dangerous.
If you are visiting, for goodness sake, respect the environment and the people!
The image above is the view from near the highway. Pretty spectacular but there’s some much more.
The sign below is what you see looking east from the parking lot. North Bay is so close yet you certainly get a bit of a wilderness feel from this location.
The HD video below shows the many twists and turns to the waterfall and is well worth a look. If you like what you see, be sure to share and give a thumb’s up – I would be eternally grateful!
Duchesnay Falls Video
