As a swollen river rockets
Waterfall Hikes in the Canadian Rockies – Volume 1
by Steve Tersmette
Victoria: Rocky Mountain Books, 2023
$25 / 9781771606165
Reviewed by Amy Tucker
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Steve Tersmette‘s Waterfall Hikes in the Canadian Rockies – Volume 1 is an invitation to rediscover the secrets of waterfalls. The book is a thoughtfully curated guide to more than 100 waterfall hikes across Banff, Kananaskis, Crowsnest Pass, Waterton, Yoho, and the BC Rockies, offering detailed trail descriptions, driving directions, GPS coordinates, and stunning photography. Whether you are an experienced hiker looking for a rewarding day in the mountains or a casual nature lover seeking an accessible yet awe-inspiring stop, this book ensures a waterfall awaits you. Tersmette captures this appeal beautifully:
The captivating force that attracts people to waterfalls is nothing less than magical. From long silvery threads to small hypnotic cascades delicately bubbling over rocks and tree limbs, to the deafening roar of a swollen river rocketing over a cliff, people go to great lengths to seek out these natural wonders.
One of the book’s greatest strengths is its accessibility. Unlike traditional hiking guides that organize trails by difficulty, Tersmette sorts them by region, making it easy to plan hikes based on location. This structure is ideal for road trips, ensuring you can quickly find a nearby waterfall hike, whether passing through Banff or spending a weekend in Waterton.
Waterfall Hikes is invaluable for casual hikers, families, and photographers. The book features many short, scenic trails, some leading to waterfalls just minutes from the parking lot, while others require a pleasant hike through forests and rocky landscapes. “The book provides a variety of trails described here,” Tersmette notes, “from five-minute walks from your car door to destinations that may require a night out in a tent.”
Even after years of exploring the Rockies, I was drawn to hikes I had yet to discover, intrigued by trails that promised a new perspective on familiar landscapes. A good hiking guide should do more than provide directions; it should inspire, and in that regard, Waterfall Hikes excels. The photography alone makes it a pleasure to flip through—each image is carefully composed to highlight the falling water’s sheer power and elegance. Some waterfalls appear as delicate silver threads against green moss, others as roaring torrents crashing into hidden pools, each a reminder of nature’s artistry.
For photographers, these images are a visual guide to capturing waterfalls at their most stunning. The book’s attention to seasonal variations is valuable, allowing hikers to time their visits for maximum impact. Some waterfalls are best seen in the height of spring runoff, while others reveal intricate ice formations in the winter, transforming them into frozen sculptures of breathtaking beauty. “Waterfalls provide an escape, a solace for the mind while soothing the soul. And, they are pretty things to photograph,” Tersmette writes.
In an age of digital maps and hiking apps, it is refreshing to hold a beautifully designed book, flip through its pages, and feel the call of the wild.
While Waterfall Hikes excels as a practical and visually compelling guide, it could benefit from additional depth. One noticeable gap is the lack of historical and geological context. Waterfalls are more than scenic landmarks; they are living testaments to the forces that have shaped our planet over millennia. Many falls in the Rockies have Indigenous names and significance, while others tell stories of glacial movements, tectonic shifts, and the slow yet relentless carving of water through stone. Including these histories and geological insights would have added another layer of richness to the book. While Tersmette provides essential trail details, adding Indigenous perspectives, historical anecdotes, or explanations of how these waterfalls were formed would have transformed the book from an excellent hiking guide into a deeply immersive experience.
Similarly, while the book acknowledges seasonal changes, a more detailed season-by-season breakdown would have been helpful. Some waterfalls are most dramatic in spring, others are breathtaking in winter, and knowing exactly when to visit each one would help hikers plan their trips for peak conditions.
The book leans toward well-trodden trails for experienced hikers and backcountry enthusiasts, making it ideal for most adventurers. However, it leaves out some of the Rockies’ wilder, lesser-known waterfall hikes. A section dedicated to remote, challenging trails would have been a welcome addition for those who seek solitude and discovery.
While the book may not feature the most extreme, off-the-grid waterfall routes, it is still an excellent reference for experienced hikers. Even for those who have spent decades on the trails, there is always something new to discover, and this book provides a fresh perspective on familiar landscapes.
Waterfall Hikes in the Canadian Rockies – Volume 1 reminds us why we lace up our boots and step onto the trail: to see something extraordinary, to feel humbled by nature, and to carry those moments with us long after we leave the mountains behind. This book has certainly earned its place in my pack.
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Amy Tucker is an educator and researcher with more than two decades of experience in post-secondary education. Since 2001, she has worked as a University Instructor and Open Learning Faculty Member at Thompson Rivers University (TRU). Her primary areas of focus include education, training, recruitment, career development, and management. Her research emphasizes decolonizing education, promoting reconciliation, and advancing principles of equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) in both academic and community settings. In addition to her academic work, Amy enjoys outdoor activities such as running, swimming, cycling, hiking, and kayaking. Her adventurous spirit shines through in her participation in various athletic events and her passion for exploring the natural beauty of British Columbia. Amy shares her experiences as an athlete in her newspaper column, “The Accidental Athlete,” which appears in the Kamloops Chronicle. Kukwstsétsemc. [Editor’s Note: Amy Tucker has reviewed books by Janice Strong, Carol Anne Hilton, Melissa Hafting, Theo Dombrowski, Margaret V. Ostrowski, and Sara Ellison for The British Columbia Review.]
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The British Columbia Review
Interim Editors, 2023-26: Trevor Marc Hughes (non-fiction), Brett Josef Grubisic (fiction)
Publisher: Richard Mackie
Formerly The Ormsby Review, The British Columbia Review is an on-line book review and journal service for BC writers and readers. The Advisory Board now consists of Jean Barman, Wade Davis, Robin Fisher, Barry Gough, Hugh Johnston, Kathy Mezei, Patricia Roy, and Graeme Wynn. Provincial Government Patron (since September 2018): Creative BC. Honorary Patron: Yosef Wosk. Scholarly Patron: SFU Graduate Liberal Studies. The British Columbia Review was founded in 2016 by Richard Mackie and Alan Twigg.
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