About this waterfall.

About McGraw Falls Lower

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There are three steep cascades at McGraw Falls. Since the upper and middle cascades are close to one another, I've lumped them together as the upper falls. The uppermost falls is associated with a very low dam and is the largest of the three. The second falls is about 150 m downstream. Both are very close to the road, which really is more of a wide trail at this point.

The lower falls is about 500 m downstream, and located a few hundred metres east of the road. A weak path will take you to the lower falls. The total fall here along the Matawin river is just over 10 m.

This waterfall is coded yellow because this is a challenging site to reach. Most people can do it if they are cautious. The last few kilometres of the road to the falls is poor, even though it is marked on Google Maps.

During wet periods, there may been deep ruts and puddles that are impassible without a winch. For this reason, I have been advised that the safest option is to park your car at the railway crossing and hike the rest of the way in. At most, this is about 3 km hiking. Depending on the conditions you may be able to drive a bit further. Trucks and jeeps can drive most of the way.

For a unique experience, why not visit the site on horseback? Whispered Dreams Ranch is located just a few km back and offers horseback trips around the area.

Some Key Facts
Region Northwest
County Thunder Bay
Near Shabaqua
Watercourse Matawin River
Watershed / % Lakes 3 / 27%
Ownership Crown Land
Landscape Wilderness
Size unknown
Type Cascade
Modification Natural
Access Challenging
Top / Bottom Moderate to view / Moderate to view
Trail conditions Dirt
Hiking Time 40 min
Coordinates 48.5499,-89.9152
Parking
48.5686,-89.9075
Site ID WOO.THU.072
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Finding McGraw Falls Lower

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Visiting McGraw Falls Lower


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Waterfalls of Ontario Project

This project has been online since 1999, in print since 2003, and on social since 2011. (See archives: 2003, 2012, 2018). It was the first to inventory and map Ontario's waterfalls for recreational purposes. With your continued help, it grows. Learn more...
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This page last updated on April 20, 2024. Earlier versions can be examined on Archive.org, dating back to 2003.