Parks and Trails
Cariboo-Chilcotin-Coast Region, British Columbia, Canada

Parks and Trails: The Cariboo - Chilcotin - Coast region is a mixture of wilderness landscapes ranging from desert hills, forests, lakes, river valleys, estuaries, marshes, wetlands, grasslands, ranchlands, alpine meadows and mountain ranges. Some of the more sensitive wildlife and ecological wilderness areas are protected within parks and reserves.

In many cases the gravel roads lead into these parks. The hiking trails in the parks continue deeper into the wilderness leading to viewpoints, waterfalls, bird sanctuaries, hoo doos, wilderness campsites and more. Near the entrance to some parks are campgrounds, boat launches, washrooms, BBQ pits and day use picnic areas.

Outside of the protected parks in the wilderness backcountry is an even larger series of gravel roads and dirt trails leading to remote lakes, rivers and mountain tops. Many trails in the wilderness and in the parks are marked with a sign indicating the trail name and 'permitted use' when exploring the route.

Trails are, sometimes, shared with other recreational users. It is not uncommon to be sharing a trail with mountain bikers and horseback riders during the spring, summer and fall. During the winter months some of the trails and many of the gravel roads are routes used by snowmobilers, cross country skiers and/or snowshoers.

During the sunshine months many of the trails in the wilderness backcountry are hiking and backpacking only trails. Some are day hikes taking 2- 8 hours while others are multi day backpacking adventures with wilderness camping opportunities. Some of the hiking trails are loop routes while others are one-way. Note the trail routes for parking and time of return.

The community parks vary also. Many of the parks that fall within the city limits are maintained by the city or by some body operating business in the city. There are interpretive forest parks and ecological reserves, bird estuaries, flower gardens, demonstration forests, recreational and picnic parks.

A few of the communities have paved and/or gravel walking paths connecting local parks, trails and neighbourhoods. The paths explore river valleys, mountain ridges and sand dunes. Each community is different. But each community path has one thing in common.. it is a great way to explore a community while walking, running, rollerbladding and/or biking.