Kimberley
Nature Park is one of the largest
multi-use municipal parks in Canada that falls within the city
limits of a community. The large 800 hectare (1800 acres) nature
park is located in the community Kimberley, BC in the Kootenay
region of British Columbia, Canada.
It is a very popular park full of recreation
trails and elevation gains and losses. The nature park starts
from an elevation of 975 metres along the shores of St.
Mary Lake to a high of 1600 metres on the slopes of Northstar
Mountain.
During the summer months, the trails in the
Kimberley Nature Park are popular for hiking, mountain biking,
dog walking, jogging, birdwatching and sightseeing. During the
winter, after the snow has fallen, the trails become snowshoeing
and cross country ski routes.
The nature park consists of a large network
of man-made trails, spur roads and gravel access roads once
used by the logging and mining industries. The recreation trails
crisscross, loop and connect providing an opportunity to visit
many different eco systems.
Today, there are over 100 kilometres of multi-use
trails exploring forested hillsides, leading to small ponds,
flowering meadows and mountain viewpoints. Trails range from
2 kilometres to 25 kilometres depending on the routes taken
and starting points.
Wildlife also live and thrive in the Kimberley
Nature Park. Most noticeably songbirds. They dominate the air
waves in the park. There has also been sightings of Black Bear
and moose in the park.
The park is an opportunity to view many species
of trees growing in the Kootenay region. Some of the trees to
look for include lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine, douglas fir,
engelman spruce, western red cedar, western larch, western hemlock,
rocky mountain juniper, white pine, cottonwood, mountain alder,
water birch.
Some of the hiking and biking routes in the
park include the Trapline, Spruce, Centennial, Rockslide, Shannon,
Elmer Lake, Duck Pond and Dipper Lake Trails. The trail network
in the park is extensive so it is advisable that all new adventurers
purchase a trail map when venturing into the Kimberley Nature
Park.
How to Get to Kimberley
Nature Park:
Travel to the west side of the community of
Kimberley, BC, Canada. Once in the community the park has 5
official trailheads. There is a trailhead located at the Kimberley
Nordic Ski Area and Kimberley Riverside Campground. Trailheads
are on Swan Avenue and Higgins Street in Kimberley. And at the
Jimmy Russel Road pullout located on St Mary Road near Marysville. |