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!