South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park

South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park is a provincial park located in British Columbia, Canada. The park spans 140,346 acres of mid-elevation grasslands, alpine meadows, alpine lakes, and mountain ridges. There are 19 named mountains in South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park. The highest and the most prominent mountain is Trail Ridge at 9,341 feet.

The South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park was established back in 2010 and was created out of a section of the Spruce Lake Protected Area. Throughout the park there is an interconnected trail system that totals over 125 miles of trails. The park is used for hiking, horseback riding as well as trail running and mountain biking. Within the park lies the complete watershed of both the Lizard and Leckie Creeks. The trails in the park are quite rugged and not regularly maintained.

Major Trails and Hiking Areas

Spruce Lake

The Spruce Lake Trail takes you around the lake and across Tyax Creek. The trail totals 6.2-miles with 500 feet of elevation gain. The lake is a great place to swim or fish during the summer months. From the trailhead there are multiple other hikes, all totaling between 5-8 miles.

Pearson Pond

Located near the Carpenter Lake Reservoir, Pearson Pond is a hub for hiking within the park. From the pond are trails and paved paths that lead to Mowsen Pond, Pearson Ride, Tyax Lake, as well as views of Carpenter Lake below.

Taylor Basin

Taylor Basin is full of hikes ranging from easy to difficult. Stroll along Cinnabar Creek and Mud Creek or climb the steep trail 3,000 feet leading to the top of Eldorado Mountain. Follow an old mine exploration road to the peak and look over the basin below.

Major Cities

Lillooet

A small mountain town located in the British Columbia; Lillooet has a population of under 3,000 full time residents. The town is located at the intersection of deep gorges formed by the Coast Mountains, making for a dry climate. Over 50 percent of the residents in Lillooet are St’at’imc, a First Nations community. Though a very small community, Lillooet is just 90 minutes east of the South Chilcotin Mountains Provincial Park. Between the town and the park sits Carpenter Lake, a 30-mile-long lake.

Whistler

Located 90 minutes north of Vancouver, Whistler is a resort town located in the mountains. It is home to Whistler Blackcomb which is one of the largest ski resorts in North America. The town only has 13,000 residents but is busy year-round with tourists. Despite being known for the ski resort, the town is almost equally as popular in the summer months for hiking and mountain biking. Take the gondola to the top of the mountain and hike from there, or explore the numerous nearby glacier lakes.

Vancouver

Vancouver is the third largest city in Canada and the largest city in the entire province. While the city population is 603,000, the Vancouver metro area has a population of over 2,500,000. The city is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse cities in Canada. The mild climate of the city, along with its abundant access to lakes, trails, and mountains, makes it a popular destination for outdoor recreation. The city is close to three ski resorts, and an abundance of hiking, running, and mountain biking trails.