Ice Falls Hike Two O'clock Creek David Thompson Country

The Ice Falls trailhead is located in the Two O'clock Creek Campground next to the David Thompson Highway (#11) 210km west of Rocky Mountain House. 4.5 hour drive from Edmonton, 3.6 hours from Calgary. If you're traveling from Calgary the route through the National Parks is shorter then heading through Rocky Mountain House. This is more of an easy walk then hike. Allow 1.5 hours return. Approximate elevation gain is 60m with a total return trip of approximately 4km. Park in the Two O'clock Creek Campground near the water pump and tents only site. The frozen waterfall can be viewed above and towards the group campground late into the month of July. If you can't see it from the campground then it has melted. Follow the trail that leads from the back of the Group camp site towards the frozen waterfall. This trail is called the Sundance Loop and runs behind a short ridge through an Aspen forest. The entire area is a local Stoney Native Indian Vision Quest and Sundance Ceremonial site. Touch and leave nothing here. These Vision Quest sites have several strips of cloth tied to trees in a ceremonial fashion that certainly deserve our respect. I cant help but think that our youth could learn from the Stoney Indians and this noble tradition. Keep the Ice Falls in sight and head up the trail on either side. If you want to reach the top of the falls you can scramble up the sides to the top however extreme caution is needed to prevent a serious fall. The Ice Fall is fed by a very small under ground stream that flows all year round. You can also access the top of the falls by hiking up the ridge trail from the highway near the west end of the group campground. There are several hiking trails located in this area. To mention a few, Alexander Henry's Trail, Siffleur Falls Hike, Crescent Falls Hike, Hoodoo Creek Hike, Kinglet Lake Hike, Loudon Creek Hike, Two O'clock Ridge Hike, Tuff Puff, Vision Quest Hike, Windy Point Ridge, Allstones Creek Hike, Allstones Lake Hike, Coral Ridge Hike, Big Whirlpool & Whirlpool Ridge, Owen Creek, Cline and Coral Canyons are all located near here. You are in bear country.