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
- Closed for the 2026 season after October 12; the operator says it reopens May 1, 2027. When open, buy admission at the entrance (online and advance sales are not offered). Leashed dogs are allowed. Paths are natural gravel and dirt, with narrow and steep sections; the Nature Walk and treehouse are not wheelchair accessible. Last admission is 30 minutes before closing, and the Nature Walk closes 90 minutes before the park.
- Admission
- 2026 posted rates, in Canadian dollars plus 5% GST: C$16 ages 16+, C$13 ages 65+, C$11 ages 3–15, and free ages 0–2. Group rates apply to groups of 18 or more. Confirm 2027 prices before visiting.
- Time needed
- The operator estimates about 45 minutes for the main attraction trail and about 1 hour for the separate 2 km Nature Walk. Add time for stops. The Nature Walk closes 90 minutes before the park.
- Best season
- The operator names no preferred season. The 2026 season ended October 12, and its home page says it returns May 1, 2027. Check the operator for 2027 dates and hours before travel.
- Opening hours
- Closed for the 2026 season. In 2026 the park ran May 1–June 26 and September 1–October 12, 09:00–17:00; June 27–August 31, 09:00–19:00. The operator says it reopens May 1, 2027; next-season hours are not yet posted. Last admission was 30 minutes before closing; the Nature Walk closed 90 minutes before park closing.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-22
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-28
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