“I knew that whatever I did in life had to incorporate three things:
canoeing, art and, most of all, personal freedom.”
The Search for Sanctuary…
Drawn to its remote and vast nature, Hap found what he was looking for in Temagami. Here was a place he could roam free, preserve the beauty of nature through his art, and traverse the thousands of kilometers of intersecting canoe routes Temagami offered. It was a land where all his dreams came together. A land, rich in pine forests, clear-water lakes, fast flowing rivers, mystery and adventure. Hap spent years exploring its wonders, learning its lore, and fighting for its preservation.
While on one of his many canoe trips in the region, Hap discovered an old cabin overlooking a sheer cataract on the Lady Evelyn River. Originally built by a doctor lured, like Hap, to Temagami in pursuit of adventure and personal sanctuary, it had remained unused for decades. Although showing its age, Hap recognized its potential.
This, he knew, was where he was meant to be. His search for sanctuary was over.
It took years from first sighting, but Hap finally took full ownership in 2000. Then, in 2010, the real work began with Hap and his wife, Andrea, turning the simple 1930s cabin into one of the most unique wilderness eco-lodge retreats in Canada.
Cabin falls Today:
Today, Cabin Falls is a picture-perfect sanctuary, a wilderness oasis owned and managed by well-known Canadian adventurers, Hap and Andrea Wilson. These two expert guides have decades of wilderness tripping experience and have shared a love and passion for Temagami since their first meeting many years ago. That passion is evident at Cabin Falls Ecolodge.
Accessible only by float plane and canoe, this small-scale, hand-crafted lodge sits nestled in the rock and forest atop a 30 –foot waterfall, surrounded by nearly 40,00 hectares of protected wilderness.
Built in harmony with nature, almost all work at the Lodge is done by hand – from skinning logs with a draw-knife to crafting the Lodge’s artisanal furniture. All materials and supplies must be flown in, paddled down river (through several rapids, canoes lashed together) and portaged in. Conservation is key; a smaller footprint a must.
Open from snow melt to snow fall, May through October, this historic Ecolodge offers a blending of nature and rustic elegance. It’s here you can discover a renewed sense of freedom and adventure within the matchless beauty of Canada’s northern wilderness.
“We like to share our life at Cabin Falls Ecolodge with others, introducing them to
the importance of conservation and helping them re-connect to the natural world. To
see people transition to a healthier physical and mental state is rewarding for us”
Hap and Andrea Wilson
Cabin Falls
“No roads. No boundaries. No limits.
Only nature at its very best”
“Words seem woefully inadequate to describe your wonderful sanctuary and the hospitality you have provided us. Congratulations on creating what is certainly the most representative spot of true Canadiana that we have seen and will likely ever see!” - Rick and Nancy
Hap Wilson has an uncanny blend of wilderness acuity and emotional intelligence. These traits set Hap at the high watermark for explorers and guides, enabling him to create pathways for the feet and soul of all of us that have followed his trails or paddled alongside him. - Jonathan Behar
"It's rare you find a team like Hap and Andrea Wilson of Ecotrailbuilders. Extremely talented, detailed and trustworthy, they have far exceeded our expectations." Brian and Leah Root, Chicago, Illinois
“In River of Fire, Wilson captures the power, humour, adventure and intrigue…the very essence of adventure on a northern river. In a manner of storytelling worthy of Aldo Leopold and John Muir, Hap Wilson’s River of Fire will indeed light your soul on fire and instill a yearning for still possible wilderness adventure”. Les Stroud, aka Survivorman
"The art work in that book is one of a kind and outstanding. Magical book." Doug Hamilton. "Proud to own both in early editions! Thanks". Ed Doadt