Virginia Falls, Waterfall in Nahanni National Park Reserve, Northwest Territories, Canada
Virginia Falls is a single 96 m drop on the South Nahanni River in Nahanni National Park Reserve, with an average width of 259 m. A dark, layered rock pillar called Mason's Rock stands upright in the falling water, splitting it into a broad mass on the left and a narrower stream on the right. Above the brink lie bare gray rock faces and dark green conifer forest.
Fenley Hunter, an American adventurer and businessman from Long Island, New York, explored the region in summer 1928 while employed by the Geological Survey of Canada. He named the waterfall after his daughter, Virginia. The falls lie on the South Nahanni River in Nahanni National Park Reserve, 120 km from the Yukon border.
The Dene people call the falls Na'ili Cho, meaning 'big water falling down' in their language. This name reflects how Indigenous communities understood and connected with this natural landmark.
You can reach the falls only by chartered float plane from Fort Simpson or Fort Liard, landing at a waterdrome. A short hike follows the landing, and weather conditions should be considered since access depends on flying visibility.
Mason's Rock, the pillar splitting the flow, honours Bill Mason, the Canadian canoeist, author and filmmaker. The whitewater zone below the drop covers roughly 4 hectares. The falls lie 120 km from the Yukon border, and a water aerodrome sits nearby.
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