monashee

Treks in Monashee Provincial Park

There are great day and overnight treks in and around Monashee Provincial Park. All hikers are encouraged to use extra caution when on the trails, due to frequent sightings of grizzlies and Black bears. The mountains are also home to Goats, Wolverines, Moose, Cariboo, Cougars and you never know, if your lucky enough, you might catch a glimpse of the ever so elusive Sasquatch.

Rainbow Falls

From the parking lot, a trail leads down to Rainbow Falls. This is the original trailhead to Spectrum Lake, but is now mostly used to view Rainbow Falls and the old growth cedar forests.

Spectrum Lake

From the parking lot look for the new alternate trail. Spectrum Lake is an easy one-hour hike. The first campsite you will reach at Spectrum Lake is approximately 6 km along the new alternate trail.

Little Peters Lake

12 km further along the alternate trail from Spectrum Lake you will reach Peters Lake. This is a difficult 3-and-a-half hour hike. Peters Lake makes a good base camp for many day hikes. You can continue onto other campsites at Margie, Mike and Fawn Lakes to name a few.

Kate Lake

On your way to Monashee Provincial Park, you may want to stop and hike to Kate Lake. This pristine lake is set in a mountain bowl, surrounded by forested hills.

To get there, just drive east from Lumby to Cherryville. Follow Sugar Lake Road approximately 15 kilometers, until you reach Kate Lake Forestry Service Road on your right hand side. Follow this road for approximately 2 kilometers, where you will take the right hand fork. At 2.5 km, 3.5 km, and 8.2 km keep left. At 11.2 km you will drive past the road to Sitkum Lake. Stay right at the following junction, then keep left for the next 3 junctions. Now you will cross Sugar Creek, and about 100 meters past the bridge you will turn right. This road is 4 x 4 only! It is possible that you will have to walk the 5.5 km to the trailhead, as this road is very rough. The trailhead is clearly marked on the left hand side.

From here it is a short 2.5 km hike to the lake.

Altogether this is an 8 km hike, which takes approximately 2 hours. your final altitude will be 1,500 meters, with a gain of 600 meters.

Monashee Provincial Park was established in 1962. The Park is situated east of Lumby and north of Cherryville, in the heart of the southeast central Monashee Mountains. To reach Monashee Provincial Park, follow Hwy. 6 east of Lumby to Cherryville. Turn left onto Sugar Lake Road (look for Frank's General Store) and proceed 48 kilometers until you reach the turnoff for the Park. Travel another 3 kilometers and you will have reached the parking lot.

The park is comprised of 7, 513 hectares, and has approximately 30 kilometers of well maintained trails, and offers a choice of 10 wilderness campsites and 6 overnight shelters, as well as, a group site at Spectrum Lake. Each of the campsites provide picnic tables and pit toilets.

Monashee Parks beautiful lakes are teeming with Rainbow Trout. The waters of Peters, Margie and Spectrum Lakes are a fisherman's paradise.

The highest of the parks peaks is Mt. Fosthall, reaching 2,679 meters, and overlooks the wilderness below. Monashee Park will appeal mainly to the experienced hiker, but still remains suited to the range and abilities of willing beginners. In certain places the terrain can be very steep and the going difficult. Some of the names given to the area are indicative of this; S.O.B. Gulch and Belly Up Canyon to name a couple. The park features some of the oldest rock formations in Western Canada.

Springtime transforms the high alpine meadows into a sea of wildflowers; lupine, daisies, fireweed, lilies, monkey flowers and columbine. The landscape becomes a living tapestry, rich with hues of blue, gold, crimson and green.

The park protects substantial stands of old growth cedar, spruce, hemlock and many untouched watersheds.

Wildlife is abundant and varied. Visitors regularly see deer, marmots, squirrels, rabbits and black bear. The higher elevations provide homes for some of the more elusive and threatened species, including woodland caribou, pika, mountain goats and of course the grizzly bears.

Spectacular vistas, clean mountain air and sparkling lakes are all yours to discover. The rewards are well worth it.

Because the park is home to the grizzly bears there are no dogs allowed inside the Park boundaries. Stop at the Lumby Info Centre to pick up a detailed map of the park.