Muncho Lake Provincial Park

IUCN Category II - National Park

Muncho Lake from the north

The Muncho Lake Provincial Park is a nature reserve in the north of the province of British Columbia. The park is located approximately 240 kilometers west of Fort Nelson.

Plant

The Alaska Highway from here the Highway 97, crossed Provincial Park extends into the northern Rocky Mountains. It covers an area of ​​approximately 861 km of the upper Toad River and the valley of Trout River around the Muncho Lake ² the valley.

The valleys are of about 2,000 m high on average peaks of the Terminal Range ( to the west) and the Sentinel Range surrounded characteristic is the Peterson Mountain ( 2057 m). North of the Toad River rises the Folded Mountain, which marked folds and faults shows. The up to 223 m deep, 12 km long and 0.5 to 6 km wide Muncho Lake is located at about 820 m, the transition between the valleys of the Trout River and the Toad River about 12 km on the south shore at Muncho Pass is about 1130 m high.

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

Flora and Fauna

Within the ecosystem of British Columbia parkland is divided into three different zones. The Undifferentiated subzone within the Alpine Tundra zone, the Moist Warm subzone within the Boreal White and Black Spruce zone and the Moist Cool subzone within the Spruce - Willow - Birch zone. The assignment to three different zone shows the big differences within the park in terms of landscape texture.

Particular attention is paid to the protection of wildflowers, characteristic of the fauna are Dall sheep, mountain goat, elk, mule deer, white-tailed deer, moose, caribou and wood bison. In addition, the predators by Wolf, coyote, fox, lynx, grizzly, black bear and wolverine are represented.

Activities

The lake allows for all kinds of water, where the summer temperature of the lake rarely exceed 10 ° C. In addition, mountain biking is possible and the park is a paradise for hikers, for which there are trails of varying length and difficulty:

  • The " Cut" Trail ( 6 km; 2-3 h); Start and end point: Mile 377/km 610 Alaska Highway; a piece of the original Alaska Highway from a narrow path leads to "cut " through the rocks for the new Alaska Highway, on the other side of Dall sheep are often observed
  • Baba Canyon (5.5 km to the first lookout point and back; 2-3 h and 11 km to the second lookout point and back; 6-7 h); Start and end point: Mile 378/km 612; through narrow canyon in the mountains
  • Petersen Canyon ( 12 km; 3.5-5 h); Start and end point: Mile 432/km 695 Alaska Highway; easy way without large differences in height on a piece of the original Alaska Highway
  • Red Rock Canyon ( 6 km; 3-4 h); Start and end point: Mile 436/km 703 Alaska Highway; multiple crossing a creek and hiking through the rocky creek bed to a small waterfall
  • Old Alaska Highway Viewpoint Trail (4 km; 2-3 h); Start and end point: Mile 438/km 705 Alaska Highway; short but very steep climb to a lookout point over the Muncho Lake
  • Stone's Sheep Trail (4.2 km, 3 h for the northern creek bed and 5.1 km, 3.5 hours for the southern creek bed ); Start and end point: Mile 440/km 707 Alaska Highway; narrow canyons with waterfalls that you can continue to climb
  • Boulder Canyon (4.6 km; 2-3 h); Start and end point: Mile 448/km 726 Alaska Highway; relatively easy hike through a wide canyon
  • Mineral licks Trail (1.3 km, 0.5-1 h); Start and end point: Mile 454/km 731 Alaska Highway; short hike with declarations on a mineral lick with beautiful views of the Trout River

The park has 30 non reservable sites for campers and tents and has simple sanitation. In addition to the campgrounds located within the park even more rest stops on the way there to eat to refuel and spend the night.

Fort Nelson (British Columbia) British Columbia Highway 97 Trout River (British Columbia) List of water sports BC Geographical Names
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