Gladstone (Texas Creek) Provincial Park

Gladstone (Texas Creek)

Formally known as Texas Creek, Gladstone Provincial Park is a 32,000-hectare park in the foothills of the magnificent Selkirk Mountains in southwestern British Columbia. It includes one of the clearest, yet warmest, lakes in all of Canada, a place of incomparable beauty for summertime fun and recreation. Christina Lake is rimmed by mountains and offers many fine beaches, many of which are secluded and perfect for boat-accessed picnicking. There are many trails in the park, with everything from gentle walks near campgrounds to backcountry, multi-day excursions into the wilderness.

Activities include wildlife viewing, canoeing, motor boating, water-skiing, fishing (for Rainbow Trout, Small-mouth Bass and Kokanee – a species of landlocked sockeye salmon) hiking and camping, mountain-biking and even diving. Of special interest are the First Nation’s pictographs on the east shore of Christina Lake.

Winter brings opportunities for cross-country and backcountry skiing, as well as ice skating and ice-fishing. Wildlife values are significant. The Selkirk foothills ecosystem represented in the park provides excellent elk, deer, black bear and grizzly habitat, and numerous other species large and small thrive in the relatively untouched wilderness. With several important Kokanee spawning beds, and wonderful stands of old-growth cedar and hemlock, visitors will revel in the rivers, lakes and mountains of this beautiful park.

There are vehicle access campsites at several locations including Xenia Lake campground and Texas Creek Campground, as well as unique boat-accessed sites on beaches at Ole Johnson site, Peter Lake, Xenia Lake, Troy Creek, Parson Creek, Treadmill Creek and Axel Johnson. Fees are collected at many of the sites. Backcountry camping is permitted, but many trails are not well marked and hikers should be well prepared and self-sufficient. Access points to mountain hikes include Mt. Gladstone trailhead from Highway 3 and the abandoned CPR railway at Paulson, the Mt. Faith trailhead from the Burrell Forest Service Road, and Peter Lake from Dog Creek Road.

Location and access:
Gladstone Provincial Park is located 20 km northeast of Grand Forks on Highway 3 at the north end of Christina Lake.  The campsite is located a further 10km from the park boundary by following East Lake Road.