The Enchanted Forest: British Columbia’s Magical Woods
If you dream of encountering a fairy, a dragon, or a white rabbit every time you journey into the woods, you must visit the The Enchanted Forest in Malakwa, British Columbia. In the 1950s, Doris and Ernest Needham slowly began to fill a lovely stretch of forest with sculptures of mermaids, pirates, and artifacts such as a magical mirror that would tell the onlooker if they were the fairest of them all.
By the 1960s, the Needham’s Enchanted Forest began to attract a great deal of attention. The Enchanted Forest has been open to visitors ever since. Visitors can wander among castles, dungeons, and giant mushrooms. Characters from countless timeless fairy tales, nursey rhymes, and children’s stories line the woods. Mary and her little lamb, the cow that jumped over the moon, and Snow White and the seven dwarves are just a few of the fantastical characters that visitors see as they stroll beneath a breathtaking canopy of trees in a luscious fern-filled forest.
The Enchanted Forest features a nature walk and paddle boat tour for visitors who wish to enjoy the natural splendor of the woods. Onlookers regularly see beavers, salmon, frogs and even a giant moose or two peaking out from behind the trees. The Enchanted Forest allows visitors to wander unstuck in time in the company of a powerful wizard, Humpty Dumpty, and a tea-drinking turtle. The sheer beauty of the woods is all the enchantment that the Enchanted Forest truly needs. Spying Winnie the Pooh and his friends on the horizon is simply an added bonus. Many visitors say that the multilevel treehouse that guests can folic in is the grand highlight of the Enchanted Forest. After a joyful afternoon spent wandering in fairytale land, you may find it difficult to break the spell and leave the enchantment behind.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- The Enchanted Forest, 7060 Trans-Canada Highway, Malakwa, British Columbia, Canada
- Coordinates
- 50.97216, -118.56554
- Access
- Buy admission at the entrance; the operator does not sell admission online or in advance. Well-behaved dogs are allowed on leash. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing; the interpretive Nature Walk closes 90 minutes before the park.
- Admission
- 2026 regular admission, in Canadian dollars plus 5% GST: C$16 ages 16+, C$13 ages 65+, C$11 ages 3–15, free ages 0–2. Group prices differ for groups of 18 or more. Confirm next season’s rates before travel.
- Time needed
- The operator gives no fixed visit duration. Visitor reports range from under an hour to a few hours depending on stops, play areas and whether the 2 km Nature Walk is included; plan flexibly and arrive early enough for the Nature Walk cutoff.
- Best season
- Seasonal attraction. Its published 2026 season ran May 1–October 12; exact dates and hours for the next season should be checked with the operator. The longer summer schedule provides more time for the Nature Walk.
- Opening hours
- 2026: May 1–June 26 and September 1–October 12, 09:00–17:00; June 27–August 31, 09:00–19:00. Last admission 30 minutes before closing; Nature Walk closes 90 minutes before park closing. Confirm future-season dates.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-22
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-11
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