British Columbia's provincial parks show-off
the spectacular scenery found in the province. Each
park is just a little different and they range is size
from as small as a hectare (2.47 acres) to as large
as 981,000 hectares (2.4 million acres), offering visitors
a diversity that's hard to beat.
More than half of the provincial parks have camping
facilities. Hook ups are not available. A campsite usually
consists of a parking space, a tent or trailer area,
a table and fireplace. A serviced campsite means there
are toilets, water and firewood, some parks have flush
toilets, showers and sani-stations. There are provincial
parks that feature visitor centres, hiking trails, boat
ramps and interpretive centres. A number of parks are
for picnicking and day-use only.
The wilderness parks have very few facilities and are
usually used by back packers and people who really want
to get away from it all.
B.C. provincial parks are located throughout the province,
and come in very handy when traveling in remote regions
(western and northern B.C.) as they are located in places,
where private campgrounds and sleeping accommodations
are few and far between.
There is a fee to camp at a provincial park, the price
depends on the facilities the park offers, and reservations
are accepted at some. These parks are managed by the
provincial government through the Ministry of Environment,
Lands and Parks and are for all to enjoy. For camping
reservations phone 1-800-689-9025 for the USA and Canada.
In Greater Vancouver, phone (604) 689-9025.
The six national parks within the boundaries
of B.C. are under federal jurisdiction and administered
by Parks Canada. Like provincial parks, national parks
are located in some of British Columbia's most spectacular
areas, that showcase the mountains, glaciers, waterfalls,
forests and wildlife.
The six national parks are Glacier, Gwaii Haanas/South
Moresby, Kootenay, Mount Revelstoke, Pacific Rim and
Yoho, and the two parks in Alberta that border B.C.
are Banff and Jasper.
All national parks in B.C., except Revelstoke feature
camping facilities, with sewage disposal, fireplaces
and firewood. Campground reservation service is available
at Kootenay and Pacific Rim. The reservation fee is
$6.00 a night, and GST. Campground reservations are
only available by phoning the Campground Reservation
service at 1-800-689-9025 from Canada and the USA, or
(604) 689-9025 in the Greater Vancouver area.
National Historic Sites
The province of B.C. has nine national historic sites
within its boundaries. Each of these sites depicts a
different era and all are of great historic importance
to British Columbia and Canada. These national historic
sites and locations are as follows:
Fort
Langley National Historic Site, located on the Fraser
River at Fort Langley, is a restored Hudson's Bay
Company trading post, that was built in 1827.
Fort
St. James National Historic Site, located in the
central interior town of Fort. St. James, dates
back too 1806, when Simon Fraser explored this region.
The fort has been restored to the 1896 period and
offers an authentic insight to this time and place.
Fort
Rodd Hill and Fisgard Lighthouse, located on Esquimalt
Harbour on Vancouver Island, features Canadian maritime
and military artifacts and historic sites.
Gulf
of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site, in Steveston,
was built in 1894 as a salmon cannery and in later
years used as a herring cannery.
Kitwanga
National Historic Site, is located at Kitwanga,
near the junction of Highways 16 & 37. This
Gitwangak fort that was destroyed during a battle
fought to defend their fishing sites and trade routes
from other clans. There are seven panels, along
the trail leading to Battle Hill, that tell the
story.
North
Pacific Cannery Museum, located at the mouth of
the Skeena River, in Port Edward, just south of
Prince Rupert, is Canada's oldest salmon cannery.
Point
Atkinson Lighthouse National Historic Site is located
in West Vancouver. The first lighthouse built on
this spot was in 1874, this was replaced in 1912
by a hexagon concrete tower that still stands.
S.S.
Moyie, now restored is open to public tours at Kaslo.
The S.S. Moyie built in 1897 served up and down
Kootenay Lake until her retirement in 1957.
St.
Roch National Historic Site, is part of the Vancouver
Maritime Museum located in Vanier Park. This Canadian
Mounted Police Arctic patrol boat was built in 1928
and was the first ship to make it through the Northwest
Passage from west to east and sail around the North
American continent.
UNESCO
World Heritage Sites
British Columbia is fortunate to be home to three World
Heritage Sites. They are:
The
Haida village of Ninstints, on Anthony Island that's
part of Gwaii Haanas/South Moresby Island, with
the largest number of original totem poles in the
world.
Burgess
Shale, located in Yoho National Park, is a very
important fossil site. This 530 million year old
site contains the remains from an ancient sea and
holds more than 140 different fossil species.
The
Tatshenshini-Alsek watershed, located in the north
western corner of British Columbia, is a pristine
wildlife area filled with glaciers and grizzlies.
The Tat is rated as one of the best white water
rafting rivers in the world.
Planning
a British Columbia vacation?
Book
direct from our large selection of accommodations,
resorts, tours and adventure companies. . . more
info
