E. C. Manning Provincial Park

IUCN Category II - National Park

Valley of the Similkameen River in Manning Provincial Park

The Manning Provincial Park - officially E. C. Manning Provincial Park - is a protected area in the Cascade Mountains of southern British Columbia.

Plant

The Manning Provincial Park extends directly north of the border to Washington State and together with the North Cascades National Park, Ross Lake National Recreation Area, Lake Chelan National Recreation Area, the Skagit Valley Provincial Park, the Cascade Provincial Recreation Area and Chilliwack Lake Provincial Park is a closed reserve in the north of the cascade Mountains.

The area of the park includes the headwaters of the Similkameen River and Skagit River. The Crowsnest Highway (BC Highway 3 ) through the park through the valleys of Sumallo River, the Skagit River and the Similkameen and overcomes the Allison Pass ( 1341 m) the highest point in the Cascade chain. A paved side road leads to the Lightning Lake Campground, unpaved roads lead to a parking lot near the Shadowfall ( Gibson Pass Road ) and Blackwall Peak ( 2063 m - Blackwall Peak Road ).

The highest point of the park is the northern summit of Frosty Mountain, which reaches an altitude of 2423 m.

In the park is a protected area category II ( Nature Park ).

History

The first sanctuary on the territory of modern EC Manning Provincial Park, which was named after Ernest C. Manning, chief of the Forest Service of British Columbia 1936-1941, was the Three Brothers Preserve, on which 6,440 hectares protected the flora of the alpine meadows in today's north-east of the park. In 1936 the area of ​​the projected nature area was doubled and the Three Brothers Wildlife Reserve established.

The establishment of the provincial parks came in 1941, with completion of the Crowsnest Highway between Princeton and Hope in 1949 turned the park popular as a recreational area of the metropolitan area of Vancouver. After a change in October 1999, the area of the park was recently expanded in May 2012 to its present size.

Flora and Fauna

Within the ecosystem of British Columbia, the Park area different zones and subzones is assigned. These are the Engelmann Spruce - Subalpine Fir zone with subzones Dry Cold and Moist hot, the Interior Douglas - fir zone with subzones Dry Cool and Wet hot, the Coastal Western Hemlock zone with the Moist Submaritime subzone, the Montane Spruce zone with the Mild Dry subzone and the Alpine tundra zone.

Since the park area includes many different habitats, 63 species of mammals and 206 bird species in it. Besides the typical habitats for the species it some rare animal species has a home. Thus, the stocks of the badger, the stubby tail squirrel, the Golden-mantled Ziesels and the glutton are significant beyond the park is important for the reintroduction of grizzly bears in the area of ​​the northern Kadkadengebirges.

In the park there are significant holdings of the spotted owl, which is considered threatened in British Columbia, a program for the conservation of this species within the park is operated.

The occurrence of Rhododendron macrophyllum in the Rhododendron Flats is one of the northernmost of this type, this species is a standing only three protected species of plants in British Columbia.

Activities

Due to its easy accessibility from the Greater Vancouver and the Okanagan Valley of Manning Park is a recreational area of ​​great importance, which is also reflected in the tourist infrastructure.

The park has four campgrounds which are located in the corridor formed by the Crowsnest Highway, which is Manning Park Lodge on the north bank of the Similkameen River about 6 km east of Allison Pass near the entrance to the Shadow Falls or to Blackwell Peak.

The park has three nature trails, which in nature - particularly the Flora - introduce the park:

  • Beaver Pond Nature Trail (near the visitor center, length: 500 meters; beaver ponds with bird watching in May and June)
  • Pure Orchid Nature Trail (near the lodge at the Gibson Pass Road, length: 500 meters; orchids in June and July, and marsh flora )
  • Sumallo Grove Nature Trail ( Sumallo Grove picnic area, length: 700 meters; stocks of giant trees of life and Douglas )

Some of the many hiking trails can be explored in the winter with the help of cross-country skiing:

  • Bonnevier Trail (difficult, 25 km, 950 m altitude)
  • Canyon Trail ( moderate, 2 km)
  • Castle Creek / Monument 78 Trail ( moderate, 12 km)
  • Dewdney Trail ( moderate, 36 km, 1130 m altitude)
  • Dry Ridge Trail ( moderate, 2 km, 75 m altitude)
  • Engineers Loop Trail ( moderate, 1 km, 200 m altitude)
  • Frosty Mountain Loop Trail (heavy, 28 or 30 km, 1150 m altitude)
  • Grainger Creek Trail (difficult, 18 km, 950 m altitude)
  • Heather Trail ( moderate, 21 km, 292 m altitude)
  • Hope Pass Trail ( moderate, 24 km, 1000 m altitude)
  • Lightning Lake Loop Trail ( easy 9 km)
  • Lightning Lake Chain Trail (easy, 10 or 12 km)
  • Monument 83 Trail (difficult, 16 km, 850 m altitude)
  • Pacific Crest Trail (difficult, 13 km, 450 m altitude difference)
  • Paintbrush Trail ( moderate, 1 km, flower of the mountain meadows usually mid-July to mid-August)
  • Poland Lake Trail (difficult, 8 km, 435 m altitude)
  • Rhododendron Flats Trail (easy, 1 km heyday of Rhododendron usually 1 to 15 June )
  • Skagit Bluffs Trail ( moderate, 6 km, 225 m altitude)
  • Skyline Trail I (difficult, 20 km, 775 m altitude)
  • Skyline Trail II (heavy, 13 km, 470 m altitude)
  • Strawberry Flats / Three Falls Trail ( moderate, 9 km, 125 altitude)
  • WhatcomTrail (difficult, 13 km, 1080 m altitude)
  • Windy Joe Mountain Trail (difficult, 16 km, 525 altitude)
Washington (state) North-Cascades-Nationalpark Princeton (British Columbia) Hope (British Columbia) Biotope European badger Golden-mantled ground squirrel BC Geographical Names
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