Among British Columbia’s outstanding parks, I have chosen these three for their stunning beauty, their ease of access to the wilderness, and the wide choice of accommodation that will fit most budgets. All three parks have an extensive range of hiking trails from walks to mountaineering and supply transport to the core area. Backpacking in is an option. Mount Assiniboine and Lake O’Hara are both open for winter adventures. All three required five days for me to be satisfied.
Cathedral Provincial Park
Cathedral Provincial Park is situated in southwestern BC, sandwiched between the wet Cascades and the semi-arid Okanagan Valley. Cathedral Lake Lodge supplies transport in by 4×4. Once there, you may accommodate yourself in the rustic lodge, a cabin, or set up your tent in one of the campgrounds.
Cathedral is unique with remarkable scenery, fascinating rock formations and friendly animals that call this park home – there are few predators within the park. Birds abound, mountain goats parade through the campground and you may share your campsite with deer. Squirrels, chipmunks and gray jays vie for food scraps and grouse may scamper around your boots on the plateau. Marmots pose on rocks along the trails.
Descriptive names invite one to explore the rocky formations – Devil’s Woodpile, the Stone City, Smokey the Bear, the Giant Cleft and the Ramparts. Enticing jewel-coloured lakes bask in their granite settings, each with their own charming, unique features. My favourites are Ladyslipper and Pyramid. Heavenly wildflower displays add to the intrigue while pinnacle peaks soar over the lakes and valleys. With 60 kms of trails, it is a hiker’s paradise.
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park
Mount Assiniboine Provincial Park is situated in the Rocky Mountain corridor and is often referred to as the Matterhorn of the Rockies. The park is accessed by helicopter from Spray Lakes, Alberta. The choices of accommodation are varied: the Naiset Cabins and the Alpine Club’s Hind Hut (both dorm-style accommodation), campgrounds, and Mount Assiniboine Lodge.
One’s first thought when arriving is why has it taken me so long to get here and when can I come back. Swooping down in the helicopter, Mount Assiniboine’s snow-capped spire dominates the scenery and reflects in the shimmering waters of Lake Magog. But the park is much more than a dominant mountain.
A stupendous hiking area contains the most prolific and grand display of wildflowers I have ever seen. Add to that shimmering mountain lakes, glistening glaciers and fascinating rock formations. Witty names like Og, Gog and Magog Lakes and the Nub and the Nublet invite one to explore. Visiting Mount Assiniboine means your hiker’s heart will never be satisfied until you return. It is a place of magical wonder.
Lake O’Hara – part of Yoho National Park
Known as the Crown Jewel of the Canadian Rockies, enchanting Lake O’Hara is situated just off Highway #1, east of Field and is a distinct location within Yoho National Park. Transport in is by a Parks Canada bus. Accommodation includes the campground, the Alpine Club’s Elizabeth Parker Hut and the Lodge with rooms and cabins by the lake.
Lake O’Hara is one of my favourite places to hike; the sightseeing unparalleled. The colours of the lakes – O’Hara, Oesa, McArthur and Opabin are mesmerizing, ranging from brilliant greens, blues and violets. Towering mountains are superb with hanging glaciers.
There are trails for most levels of fitness at Lake O’Hara from a gentle stroll to challenging high alpine climbs. Wiwaxy Gap and Opabin Plateau provide incredible views of serene alpine beauty, but all the trails provide premier hikes. Wild flowers proliferate in the alpine meadows. Lake O’Hara on a sunny day is pure magic! The down side of Lake O’Hara is its popularity. Make sure to book this park early.
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