June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Parks
What better way to spend a sunny weekend afternoon than sitting by the beautiful Nechako River, enjoying good food and a good book?!
Last weekend my husband and myself decided to take advantage of the great weather Prince George has been having lately and check out a local site we weren't too familiar with, Wilkins Regional Park. Located north-west of the city, just 13 km down Otway Rd (which turns into Miworth Rd), this park is a short drive from Prince George down a nice scenic road. Sidenote: this is also a really fun road for a bike ride, as there aren't any big hills! Many locals use this park as a launch site to float down the Nechako River, but there is also a great river-side picnic site.
There were a few other groups out enjoying the park as well, but we found ourselves a picnic table near a nicely treed area and settled in for the afternoon. Being a self-proclaimed "bird nerd", I was excited to see a Rufous Hummingbird zipping back and forth over our heads and a couple of Downy Woodpeckers exploring trees just a few metres away. The river here is really shallow, so it's great for anyone looking to take a safe dip in one of BC's rivers - there was one guy half way across the river and the water was hardly up to his waist!
There are fire pits beside each picnic table (bring your own wood, I believe), but we had brought out a little campstove, so we enjoyed some good ol' hot dogs before stretching out in the sun with our books.
Whether you're looking for a lazy afternoon in a scenic park or a place to swim and play frisbee or soccer with friends, there's lots of room for everyone at Wilkins Park! This is a great park, and we'll definitely be spending more time there this summer!
June 09, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Parks
View a larger image on flickr.com
Connaught Hill Park is the highest point in the downtown Prince George area and offers visitors a pleasant 360-degree panorama of the downtown area. In the summer, the park bursts into bloom with well-manicured flower beds and is always a popular spot with visitors. I visited with some guests from overseas and they enjoyed the opportunity to take a stroll amid the flowers and take in the panorama of Prince George without having to leave the downtown area. Whether you go for 10 minutes or an hour, Connaught Hill Park makes for a nice stroll and a great photo opportunity.
Roam plenty and roam safely,
Your Traveller13
Photo credit: Flickr
June 07, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Parks
Have you ever wanted to gain an overview of Canada's diverse flora without having to travel through the entire country? Now you can! Goodsir Nature Park, located just north of Prince George, offers you the opportunity to experience over 200 kinds of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers from all over the country - all within about 3kms of nature trails.
The park was designed and developed by Jim Good, who has had a lifelong interest in trees and flowers and developed the park on his own property. When we arrived, we were greeted by Jim himself, who first showed us around his plant museum.
Covered floor to ceiling (no exaggeration) with exhibits and pictures, this small museum was a great introduction to the various ecological zones and biological diversity of Canada. We then went on a guided tour of the park, seeing all kinds of trees, shrubs and flowers on our way. During the summer the view changes almost daily as different flowers bloom, and with a bit of luck one might also see bears, moose or deer along the way. And for those interested, the park also includes a small gift shop where one can purchase recordings of the natural environment or beautiful photographs of the plants in the park.
Goodsir Nature Park is a quite unique experience, and anyone interested in flowers and trees would most certainly enjoy a visit there.