Economy Falls

A visit to Economy Falls has been on my agenda for nearly four years. Between washed out, nearly impassable roads, a crazy schedule and lack of interest from hiking friends it took this much time to finally get to the long anticipated destination.

Currently the River Philip Road is a well-maintained gravel logging road. It branches off Hwy#2 on Economy and quickly leads uphill. It’s an easy drive with few rough spots. I am driving a Nissan Pathfinder in 2-wheel mode.

These images give you an idea of what to expect. It seems a long drive through wooded and clear-cut terrain. But, don’t give up: the parking area is well defined once to reach the trailhead.

I opted for the falls which rushing sound was hard to ignore once I travelled another 50 meters or so.

It’s a beautiful sound and sight. The narrow bridge is sturdy and safe. The canyon crest path on the opposite side is closed due to hurricane damage.

A small picnic rest area is found just off the path. However, there is no real view over the rushing water. I searched for the stairs to the bottom of the falls because I read that 182 steps lead down to the pool in the valley.

Once I backtracked my steps I realized that the stairs leading to the pool at the bottom were labelled as Kenomee Canyon Trail.

I followed the steps down wishing my legs were longer. Any tall person won’t have trouble but those of us blessed with a shorter stature will find this challenging, especially since each step was blanketed in leaves. This made some steps even steeper. My hiking poles helped with keeping the balance.

It wasn’t a long trek down. Once at the bottom the river beckoned.

Time to soak up some negative ions. Several deep breaths did the trick to restore my energy, shed some accumulated stress and reenergize my whole being. (Side note: did you know that the highest negative ions activity can only be found at the bottom of a waterfall? It’s a fact: Sylvotherapists regularly harness the positive energy found in the vicinity of waterfalls!)

The climb uphill to the main trail was easier than the descent earlier.

The return to the parking lot was swift and I soon found myself at the wheel navigating my way back to Economy.

Reflecting on this hike: if you are passionate about waterfalls, put it on your list. Consider the long gravel road approach, especially if it is wet. 8 km felt more like 16 km. The trail to the bridge spanning across the upper section of the falls is well maintained. If you are planning to explore the canyon and the pool ensure you are wearing sturdy footwear. Guiding a group down these inconsistent steps is not on my agenda. Difficulty balancing and the potential of twisted ankles offer too great a risk to make this an enjoyable event.

Here are the views on my way back to the highway. The mighty Bay of Fundy Minas Basin never disappoints! What a view despite the gray and gloomy day!

I hope you enjoyed my recap of visiting Economy Falls in late fall. Let me know if you found the information helpful. Wishing everyone a great weekend!