A good trail leads from the end of the Clearwater River Road up to Sylvia and Goodwin Falls and beyond to Mahood Lake (article on this route).   In July of 2015, we started from the other end and hiked down from Mahood Lake.   There are two trails – a fisherman’s trail down the north side of the river from the North Campsite to various pools on the Mahood River and the main trail from the South Campsite that goes up and over the hill, then down to Sylvia and Goodwin Falls.

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This second trail starts at the South Mahood River campsite (N51 55.697 W120 14.999) and winds east climbing several hills before dropping down to the falls (3km each way).   The reward is Sylvia and Goodwin Falls.

This view of the falls can only be found by taking a side trail off a side trail, but there are other view spots like the one from the foot of Sylvia Falls.

The trail is mostly forested, but we spotted a number of mid-summer wildflowers along the route.

We paddled 0.5km over to the South Mahood Campsite and left our kayaks on the beach to do this hike.   The route was 6km return with some good hills to go over both ways.

A second trail starts at the North Mahood River site and winds through the forest to the edge of the river, then south below the lava cliffs past rapids and small falls to some deeper pools which invite fishing (or swimming) and back (2km return).

Both trails are rewarding but the best spot of all is the beach in front of the North Mahood Campsite, a perfect place to camp for 3 days.