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Home Attraction Carcajou Falls
CarcaJou falls after the center column collapse NWT carcajou falls on the canol trail Carcajou Falls in the NWT Carcajou Falls with center column before the collapse_ G Sigl CarcaJou falls after the center column collapse NWT

Carcajou Falls

Communities

Sahtu

Attractions Type

Landmark Look-out

Carcajou Falls, located in the MacKenzie Mountains in the Sahtu Region, and a popular stop for many hiking the Canol Trail, the longest wild hiking path in North America requiring three or more weeks to complete. Norman Wells is the nearest community, and the falls are typically experienced by aerial flight tours. 

In June of 2023, the falls underwent a natural and dramatic transformation. In the past, onlookers experienced the famous falls splashing over a stony column then spraying refreshing mist into the mountain air. The distinctive column made Carcajou an unmistakable Canadian landmark.  Then one fateful day, the defining pillar disappeared.  Although photos distinctly capture the before and the after of the great collapse, the exact moment when nature took its course, crumbling the pillar into a million pieces and sending it down the river, is uncertain.

Today, Carcajou Falls is still considered one of the crowning jewels of the Mackenzie Mountains, and a testimony to the colossal power and undeniable beauty of the natural world.