Haig
Brown Provincial Park is a 1076 hectare park established
in 1977 to protect the salmon spawning beds located on the Adams
River north of the community of Chase,
BC and west of the community of Sorrento,
BC. The river flows 11 kilometres down the centre of the elongated
park while resting in a quiet river valley surrounded by cedar,
pine, birch, hemlock, Douglas-fir, cottonwood and alder trees.
From 1908 to 1976 Roderick
Haig-Brown played an important role in protecting British
Columbia's wilderness regions. It is because of these efforts
that the parkland was dedicated to Roderick and his wife Ann in
1977. Just recently, Huihill Creek was added to the park.
The big draw to the park is in October on the Adams River. It
is here, in this Shuswap park, where people gather along the edge
of the river, every year, to watch the sockeye salmon spawning
run. The Adams River consists of sockeye, chinook, coho and pink
salmon spawning beds. This is not any salmon run, it is one of
the largest salmon runs in North America.
Throughout the summer months the park is a popular destination
for many activities including hiking, picnicking, river rafting,
wildlife viewing, kayaking, fishing, birdwatching and mountain
biking. A short trail from the parking lot leads to some viewpoints,
pit toilets and a wheelchair accessible interpretive viewing platform.
Haig-Brown Park also includes an easy-grade 26 km river trail
system popular for hiking and mountain biking in the summer and
cross-country skiing & snow-shoeing in the winter. The recreation
trail system is divided into three sections - the Lower, Upper
and Flume Trails.
The Lower Trail System consists of the Cottonwood, Island Loop
and Phil Rexin Trails. The Cottonwood Trail links the parking
lot with the river mouth via a 3.5 kilometre trail. This is a
good trail to view spawning salmon. By the river channel is the
Island Loop Trail which is a 1.5 kilometre loop hike around a
small island. Again another spawning salmon viewing area. The
forested hike along the Phil Rexin Memorial Trail is about 1.5
kilometres long and leads to the river mouth parking area or the
groundwater spawning channel.
The Upper Trail System consists of the Packer and Adams Trails.
The Packer Trail traverses high up on a ridge following the same
path once taken by pioneer horse packers. The Adams Trail follows
the river and connects to the Packers Trail creating a loop route.
A popular destination on Adams Trail is the canyon pool with a
small sandy beach. The Flume Trail travels over seven bridges
and leads to Bear Creek Falls. The trail original was used to
follow a historic log flume.
When exploring in the Haig-Brown Park please be reminded that
the lands of the park were once home to the Shuswap First Nation
people. Throughout the park there are pictographs, pit houses
and artifacts which are all protected and should never be disturbed,
but only admired and cherished from a distance.
Being such a large park with a protecting river, it is very likely
during your visit to the area that you will have an opportunity
to view some wildlife including birds like Bald Eagles and other
wildlife like beavers, Black Bears, otters and mule deers.
How to Get to Haig Brown
Provincial Park: The Provincial Park is located
on both sides of the Adams River connecting Shuswap Lake with
Adams Lake. . The park is located closest to the communities of Chase BC and Sorrento
BC. In between the communities along Highway #1 is the Squilax
turn off. Take the turn off and travel 5 kilometres along a paved
road to the park.
Contact information for
the local Shuswap Lake community accommodations, tours,
guides, campgrounds, golf courses, attractions, realtors,
etc. are posted under the community links listed to your
right. >>> |
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