Skagit Valley Provincial Park

Skagit Valley

Skagit Valley Provincial Park (27,948 hectares) offers visitors a true Coast Mountain experience. Situated in the verdant mountains south of the famous Fraser Valley, the steep green mountains that rise from the Skagit Valley are inundated with heavy precipitation and surrounded by magnificent snow capped peaks.

The Skagit River is the main source of water for Ross Lake whose waters, passing through Ross Dam, provide much of the power for the city of Seattle. Numerous glacier and snowfield-fed streams also fill the valley and lake. The climate and flora provide wonderful fresh air for summertime hiking on one of the many trails within the park, and autumn brings flashes of orange and red in the sea of green conifers. North Cascades National Park in the United States is contiguous to Skagit Provincial Park and Manning Provincial Park, and the combined area offers a vast wilderness for exploration, recreation and retreat.

Activities include hiking, camping, trout fishing, wildlife viewing, and horse -back trail riding. There is no access in winter due to limited snow removal.

The area is home to wolves, black bear, grizzlies, lynx, moose, wolverines, and many other species.

Campsites:
There are three vehicle accessible campgrounds: Ross Lake, Silver Tipp and Whitworth Horse, and over 50 km of trails including the Skyline ll Trail (12.5km), a difficult but very lovely hike, Silver Daisy Trail (10 km-difficult), and Skagit River Trail (14.5 km-intermediate). Swimming is available in Ross Lake at a sandy beach and there is an eleven-unit horse camp near Whitworth Meadows near the Skyline II Trail head.

Location and access:
Access is by Skagit/Silver Creek Road, which leaves the Trans Canada Highway 3 km west of the town of Hope. Drive for 37 km to the park entrance. Another 23 km further south will bring you to Ross Lake and the US border. Be aware that the road is gravel, and will turn muddy during periods of rain. The road is also used by logging trucks and all vehicles should travel with their headlights on even during the day. Travel with food and fuel sufficient for your stay as there are no commercial facilities once you leave the highway.