In late summer or early fall, head to the park’s Stamp Falls. Watch as thousands of Pacific salmon circle in the pool below the falls before ascending fish ladders on their way to spawning beds. Just 20 minutes from Port Alberni, this provincial park is also a great place for family day trips or summer camp-outs. Take time to hike through the lush forest and river rapids of this wonderful park.
Relax by the waterfall at this peaceful riverside park or explore the area by foot on hiking trails that weave their way through the lush forest, past waterfalls and river rapids. Named for the pioneer who built Port Alberni’s earliest sawmill, this park is an amalgamation of Stamp Falls and Money’s Pool provincial parks.
One of the park’s main attractions is the annual run of thousands of Pacific salmon circling in the pool below Stamp Falls before ascending the fish ladders on their way to spawning beds. Lookout points along the river offer excellent views of the salmon fighting their way up the falls and fish ladders. This natural phenomenon occurs every year, starting in late August with sockeye and continuing with coho and Chinook right into December.
The salmon are a draw for black bear as well, who head to the river for an easy meal. As always when in wilderness areas, safety precautions should be taken. While fishing within the park boundaries is not permitted, this park is a popular base camp for anglers fishing other parts of the Stamp River, as well as visitors traveling to and from the Pacific Rim.
