Monkman Provincial Park is a provincial park in British Columbia, southwest of Tumbler Ridge and northeast of Hansard. Like Monkman Pass, Monkman Lake, Monkman Creek and Monkman Falls, it was named after Alexander Monkman.
| Monkman Provincial Park | |
|---|---|
  | |
| Coordinates | 54°36′00″N 121°11′00″W / 54.60000°N 121.18333°W |
| Area | 62,867 ha (242.73 sq mi) |
| Established | July 30, 1981 |
| Governing body | BC Parks |
| Website | Monkman Provincial Park |
 | |
History
editBy the early 1960s, a strong local interest emerged to create a national park,[2] with a proposed name of Canada Centennial Park.[3] Covering approximately a 100-mile long and 30-mile wide section of the Monkman area, a 1970 report proposed a freeze on further land leases for resources extraction, and the formation of a wilderness park.[4] The Regional District of Fraser-Fort George opposed the plan because of its impact on resource development.[5] In due course, the government banned all off-road vehicular access to prevent ground cover damage.[6] Established in 1981, the park covers 62,867 hectares.
The washed out logging road, formerly accessible only by all-terrain vehicles and four-wheel-drive trucks with winches, was upgraded during 1991 to a gravel road suitable for regular vehicles.[7] The grand opening occurred the following August, with a new 42-unit campground.[8] The 75-passenger BC Rail Prince George-Tumbler Ridge-Chetwynd circle tour for the ceremony sold out within days.[9] A further 22,000 hectares were added to the park in 1999 to protect the Limestone Lakes and Upper Fontiniko Creek Valley areas.[10]
Features
edit
Monkman Pass
editThe discovery is unclear, and railway officials and legislators ignored the pass’s value, but the combined efforts of hundreds of volunteers attempted to conquer it with a highway. Only a few sections of the former road/packhorse trail are visible along the Monkman Lake Trail and Monkman Pass Memorial Trail. For the history of the wider Monkman Pass area see:
Kinuseo Falls
editLocated 2 km. north of the campground at the northern tip of the park, the 60-metre (197-foot) waterfall is slightly taller than Niagara Falls, but with a fraction of the water.
The Green Bowl
editThe gorge is southeast of Kinuseo Falls and immediately south of the entrance road on the Stone Corral Interpretive Hiking Trail.[11]
The Stone Corral
editIdentified in 1999, it comprises a crystal-clear doline surrounded by 100-metre vertical limestone cliffs. Immediately south of the Green Bowl, the four-kilometre interpretive trail also includes ponds, falls and caves that contain stalactites, moonsmilk and other limestone formations.[12]
Monkman Lake Trail
editThe trail follows the east bank of the Murray River for seven kilometres before crossing a suspension bridge. About 10 km. farther are branches to the Cascades.[13]
The Cascades
editThe Cascades are a series of 10 waterfalls along Monkman Creek including Lower Moore Falls, Upper Falls, Brooks Falls, Shire Falls, Monkman Falls, McGinnis Falls and Chambers Falls. Located about 4 km. before Monkman Lake, and 1 km. west of the Memorial Trail, four bear names of original highway trailblazers: Brooks, Moore, Monkman and McGinnis.[14]
Monkman Lake
editLocated near the centre of the northern half of the park, the original 25-km. trail ended at the serene lake. Surrounded by precipitous mountains, it is the largest body of water in the park.
Monkman Pass Memorial Trail
editOfficially opened July 17, 2008, the route is an extension of the Monkman Lake Trail. The 63-km. hike takes five to six days to complete, and follows part of the former road/trail. South of Monkman Lake, the trail deviates from the original route into subalpine meadows with a series of tarns. Descending the western slopes, the terminus is Hobi’s Cabin, at the confluence of Fontiniko and Herrick Creeks, a destination accessible only by boat.[15]
Footnotes
edit- ^ "Protected Planet | Monkman Park". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2020-10-19.
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 19 Jul 1961
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 15 Sep 1961
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 18 Feb 1972
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 9 Feb 1973
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 7 Sep 1976
- ^ Prince George Citizen: 23 Sep 1991 & 20 Jul 1992
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 14 May 1992
- ^ Prince George Citizen: 11 & 15 Jul 1992
- ^ "Monkman Provincial Park - BC Parks".
- ^ http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/monkman/stone_corral_trail_brochure.pdf [bare URL PDF]
- ^ Prince George Citizen, 10 May 2001
- ^ http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/monkman/downloads/MonkmanPassMemorialTrail-HikingRoute.pdf. p. 4
- ^ http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/monkman/downloads/MonkmanPassMemorialTrail-HikingRoute.pdf. pp. 4-5
- ^ http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/monkman/downloads/MonkmanPassMemorialTrail-HikingRoute.pdf. pp. 1, 4-7
References
edit- "Monkman Park". BC Geographical Names.
- "Monkman Lake". BC Geographical Names.
- "Monkman Creek". BC Geographical Names.
- "Monkman Falls". BC Geographical Names.
- "Limestone Lakes". BC Geographical Names.
- "Fontiniko Creek". BC Geographical Names.
- "Herrick Creek". BC Geographical Names.
- http://pgnewspapers.pgpl.ca/fedora/repository
Further reading
edit- Helm, Charles. Tumbler Ridge: Enjoying its History, Trails, and Wilderness MCA Publishing (2001).
External links
edit
- https://tumblerridge.ca/discover/id/39/monkman-provincial-park
- http://www.discoverthepeacecountry.com/htmlpages/monkmanparkbc.html Kinuseo Falls as featured on DiscoverThePeaceCountry.com
- http://southpeacearchives.org/monkman-pass-highway-association/ Monkman Pass Highway Association