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Before we begin, I have to put in the asterisk for this post. Technically, this is not a gnilma's hiking adventure, because I have never been to this hike in person. My wife went on this one with her friends, without the family. But I felt I should still share this hike because the views are really worth sharing. As such, I'm writing this strictly from what she told me and from what I read online, without any personal experience. Maybe we will go on this one as a family some day in the future.
To get to Norvan Falls, you start at the Lynn Headwaters parking lot and follow the Lynn Loop Trail north along the creek. Continue north at the junction where Lynn Loop meets Cedar Mills Trail, while still following the creek north. Eventually, Cedar Mills Trail will turn into Headwaters Trail where you will venture into the forest while still heading north. When the trail takes you near a metal suspension bridge, do not cross the bridge, but instead take the trail to the right to reach Norvan Falls. The whole trail is an approximately 14km long out-and-back trail with about 260m elevation gain.
When my wife went on this trail, it was during Fall of 2024, so she was able to spot a lot of fungi / mushrooms growing in the forest. She took a lot of photos of them, which I will share a few weeks later in another hiking post after the waterfall mini-series is over. As I've never been on this hike, I don't get to tell you how pretty the creek or the forest or waterfall were. Instead, see for yourself from photos taken by my wife.
Trailhead.
Trail following the creek.
Entering the forest.
Sign pointing towards Norvan Falls.
Mountains in the background.
Standing trees and fallen trees.
Still in the forest looking out.
Looking up in the forest.
Man made stairs and platform.
There is a fork that heads to Coliseum Mountain. It's another 9.2km return with a lot of extra elevation gain.
Metal suspension bridge that crosses Norvan Creek. Do not cross the bridge and turn right on the trail to reach Norvan Falls.
Norvan Falls.
Video of Norvan Falls.
Check out my previous hikes:
  1. The Panoramic Views of Panorama Ridge
  2. The Golden Larches of Frosty Mountain
  3. The Winter Snow of Pump Peak at Mount Seymour
  4. Sapphire Waters and Azure Skies of Battle Bluff
  5. It Isn't Always Sunshine and Blue Skies
  6. The Frozen River and Waterfalls of Maligne Canyon
  7. The Amazing Arches of Arches National Park
  8. The Bizarre Hoodoos of Bryce Canyon National Park
  9. The Magnificent Stones of Zion National Park
  10. The Flowing Walls of Lower Antelope Canyon
  11. A Glimpse of Hope at the Hope Lookout Trail
  12. Turquoise Waters viewed from Sea to Summit Trail
  13. The Three Peaks of Mount Seymour
  14. The Serene Winter Scene at Dog Mountain
  15. Murrin Loop and Jurassic Ridge
  16. Yosemite National Park
  17. The Bear's Hump at Waterton National Park
  18. Views of Okanagan from Pincushion Mountain Trail
  19. The Half Frozen Waterfalls at Franklin Falls
  20. Hole in the Wall of Vancouver Island
  21. Sometimes You Just Get Lucky
  22. Winter Wonderland at Alexander Falls
  23. Eagle Bluffs
  24. Smuggler Cove Marine Provincial Park
  25. Admiralty Point
  26. Myra Canyon Trail
  27. Garabaldi Lake
  28. Botanical Beach Loop
  29. Wild Pacific Trail Lighthouse Loop
  30. Whistler Train Wreck Trail
  31. Grouse Grind
  32. Crown Mountain
  33. Chance Cove Coastal Trail
  34. Big Four Ice Caves
  35. Stawamus Chief First Peak
  36. Four Lakes Trail at Alice Lake Provincial Park
  37. Four Lakes Trail Winter Revisit
  38. Lindeman Lake Trail
  39. Malcolm Knapp Research Forest
  40. Steelhead Falls
  41. Cascade Falls
  42. Dawson Falls
  43. Bridal Veil Falls
  44. Kay Falls and Bear Creek Falls
  45. Lions Bay Loop and Crystal Falls
  46. Overlander Falls
  47. Flood Falls
  48. Marymere Falls
  49. Johnston Canyon Lower Falls
  50. Elfin Lakes
  51. Gold Creek Lower Falls
  52. Nairn Falls
  53. Lower and Upper Shannon Falls
  54. Brandywine Falls
  55. Mamquam Falls
  56. Cliff Gilker Park Waterfalls
  57. Snoqualmie Falls
21 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 18h
Nice. Really like that mountain view.
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Did you and she pick any of the mushrooms? I love the wild mushrooms, but as the saying goes be absolutely sure, not dead sure. The woods are full of really great tasting mushrooms. I once found about a meter round chicken of the woods mushroom. It was great!!
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I did not go on this hike. My wife did not pick any of the mushrooms because she can't tell which ones are poisonous and which ones are edible.
I think there are local mushroom picking tours with guides that bring you into the woods and show you which mushrooms are edible. We have never join these tours though. Maybe we should check it out sometime in the future.
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Oh…. It is well worth it. Especially if you can learn how to tell the good, tasty ones from the deadly ones. Sometimes there is not much difference.
My neighbors think I am somewhat crazy because after a good rain I would sometimes walk around the neighborhood with my bucket full of tools and ask If I could get rid of their mushrooms for them. They thought that was a little bit off, but I got some really delicious ones that way, too. Just not the super good ones from the forest.
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Awesome! I'll take your advice and go on a mushroom picking tour when mushroom season returns.
I'll also be sure to tag you when I post about the mushrooms my wife saw on this hike. There were lots, different types, colors, and varieties; really cool.
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Ok, Possibly I can’t guarantee the type over the internet. Sometimes you have to make a cut or a break the stem or the umbrella-like part to make a really positive identification.
AS A WARNING: DO NOT EAT ANY UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE WHAT THEY ARE!!! Some highly poisonous ones look a lot like good ones, on the surface, or at a first glance. Don’t be tempted, though.
There are careful live mushroomers, but there are no careless live mushroomers.
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Thank you for the advice.
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🚩 This post might be more relevant and engaging in the ~Photography territory.