At the end of the Wells Gray corridor, the road ends at Clearwater Lake.   Progress beyond this point requires a boat.   Two campgrounds along the shores of the Clearwater River bring hikers to the area and there are a number of hiking trails nearby.   The main hiking trail is the Chain Meadows Trail, but there are also a number of shorter trails too.   An interesting option is the Dragons Tongue – Sticta Falls trails.

The trailhead starts between the two campgrounds.   The sign says, “Chain Lakes Trail.”   Follow this trail as it winds up the hill.   At the junction, take the right fork.   Descend down toward a bridge across Falls Creek.   A sign points the hiker down a steep side trail to the Sticta Falls Viewpoint.   The falls tumbles down through a gorge so it can’t be seen from above.   Follow the side trail to the lowest point.   This is a wet spot with mists from the falls coating every surface, but the falls are impressive and the layered cliffs above contrast with the eroded gorge.   Falls Creek starts high in the Cariboo Mountains follows the Dragons Tongue southwest and finally cuts through the lava flow on its way to Clearwater River.

Sticta Falls (Windows media player video)

Return back to the trail, cross the bridge and start to climb the hill.   Right away you will see a rock wall.   This is part of the Dragons Tongue that the creek has eroded and undermined leaving a ragged and colorful lava flow rock face.

The Dragon Cone was the most recent eruption in the park.   When the volcano erupted 7000 years ago, an outflow of lava spread 15km from east of Ray Lake all the way tyo the Clearwater River Valley.   The flow blocked the river and formed Clearwater Lake, now backed up for 23 km north.   The lake outflows at Opsrey Falls, cresting over the Dragons Tongue at the upper campground.

The trail follows the Dragons Tongue for many miles, but the whole route would be long, overgrown, and difficult.   It goes all the way to Kostral Lake, following the lava flow for much of the route.   The lava is rough and sharp edged.   Instead proceed to the Dragons Tongue loop and do the short loop through an open area before returning back.

The Kostal Lake route is without views, buggy, rough, overgrown, and long.   It is on our planned routes for a future backpack, but it will be after the bug season.    Kostal Cone and the clear waters of Kostal Lake are an attractive final destination, but this route is seldom hiked for good reason.  Stevens Lakes is a similar hike – long and arduous, but the destination is worth the effort (once).

For most hikers, a short hike out to Dragons Tongue and Stitca Falls, then a side route up to the Osprey Falls lookout is reward enough for one day.