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River

Francis Brook

Class

Plunge

Size

Medium

Visitability

Average

Accessibility

Free

Activity

Moderate

Walk Time

1min

Trail

Easy

Gorge Access

Difficult

Other Trails

few

County

Manitoulin

From Sudbury, go west on Hwy 17 (Trans Canada Hwy) to Hwy 6. Turn south on Hwy 6 and drive for about 50 km to Little Current. The Hwy turns to the left and follows the eastern shore of Manitoulin Island. (Be sure to take in the view at Ten Mile Point). You will pass a small municipal airport on the right: the falls are about 4 km beyond this point. A small parking lot is located beside the falls on the left side of the road. If you reach Manitowaning, you've gone about 8 km too far!

Settlement

Manitowaning

NTS Map

41H/13

Easting

433728

Northing

5072175

UTM Zone

Besides Bridal Veil Falls (Kagawaong), I'm pretty sure that this is the only other waterfall of significance on Manitoulin Island. It is smaller and less pretty than Bridal Veil Falls, but is still worthy of a visit. This waterfall is about 10 m high, exhibiting a small, but fairly reliable flow. The falls is classified as plunge waterfall, and it does exhibit that type of development. However, two prominent ledges of sedimentary rock break the profile near the top of the drop. A good sized plunge pool has developed at the base of the falls, and seems somewhat overgrown when compared to the pools associated with other such falls along the Niagara Escarpment to the south.

The stream approaching the top of falls is a poorly defined channel, and actually spreads across the flat bedrock as a wide pool. An ugly chain link fence borders one side of the falls, and while necessary for safety, it would have been nice to see something a little more natural in place.

There are bathrooms/outhouses located at the parking lot beside the falls. For the best view of the waterfall, continue south on Hwy 6 for about 500 m to the first road on the left. Turn left, and follow this dirt road back north to a very small gravel lot beside the river. If you are careful, you can scramble down the valley walls to the base of the waterfall to explore the gorge bottom. Please don't wander too far downstream, as the land becomes private property (posted).