 JF Bergeron photo Trail walk to the mouth of a rushing waterfall at Brandywine Falls Provincial Park. Listen for the call of birds and crash of water at Nairn Falls Provincial Park, set on the idyllic shores of Green Lake. Or cross the undeveloped backcountry of Garibaldi Mountain Provincial Park to view masses of wildflowers in full bloom.
A word or two on your excursion:
- Do not disturb the wildlife
- Please leave the area you visit undisturbed and be sure to carry out your garbage
A word or two on safety:
- Obey posted signs and keep to designated trails
Brandywine Falls Provincial Park
Brandywine Falls National Park is steeped in history. As the legend goes, two early surveyors made a wager on the height of the falls. One bet a bottle of wine, the other a bottle of brandy. The height was measured, the brandy won and the wine took a backseat in the name.
Today, Brandywine Falls Provincial Park is a popular spot for picnicking, fishing, hiking, camping and viewing the dramatic waterfall.
A short walking trail leads from the park parking lot to a platform at the top of Brandywine Falls. Here, you can watch the falls plunge a spectacular 70 m (230 ft) into a sculpted bowl. You can also take in views of Daisy Lake spreading out below Black Tusk and the surrounding mountains in Garibaldi Provincial Park.
Brandywine Falls National Park is located 11 km (7 mi) south of Whistler via Highway 99.
> Brandywine Falls Park website.
Nairn Falls Provincial Park
Nairn Falls has long been a spiritual site for the Lil'wat Nation, who once used the trail reach the falls and Mount Currie. Today the route offers a dramatic example of the erosive power of water.
The Green River flows through the park, carving its way through a mass of granite at the foot of Mount Currie. Emerging from a fracture in the granite, its thundering whitewaters drop 60 m (196 ft) at Nairn Falls. A viewing platform reached by a short 1.5-km (0.9-mi) hike from the parking lot provides stunning vistas.
The park's 171 ha (422 ac) protect forests of western hemlock, western redcedar and coastal Douglas-fir.
Park facilities include a day-use/picnic area and outhouses located in the nearby forested campground.
Nairn Falls is locate just 20 minutes north of Whistler via Highway 99.
> Nairn Falls Park website.
Garibaldi Provincial Park
Named after the famous 19th-century Italian patriot and soldier, Giuseppe Garibaldi, Garibaldi Mountain commands over 194,000 ha (almost 480,000 ac) of undeveloped backcountry, alpine meadows, lakes, rivers, mountain glaciers and volcanic terrain.
Visitors can hike or backpack on well-developed trails, which take anywhere from a few hours to several days. A popular day hike is to glacier-fed Garibaldi Lake, an 18-km (11-mi) roundtrip of approximately eight hours. The lake sits behind The Barrier, a natural 300-m (984-ft) dam, which was formed from the erupting lava of Clinker Peak. Backpackers often camp for the night at the lake's wilderness campground before continuing to the summit of Black Tusk, a volcanic cone remnant. The hike to Black Tusk from Garibaldi Lake is a 14-km (8.7-mi), six-hour roundtrip.
You'll share the park with mammals such as marmots, squirrels and chipmunks. Birders can watch for Canadian jays, flickers and even a golden eagle or ptarmigan.
Garibaldi Provincial Park can be accessed from five entrances along Highway 99 between Squamish (1 hour south of Whistler) and Pemberton (30 minutes north of Whistler). The trailheads are anywhere from 4 km (2.5 mi) to 16 km (9.9 mi) from Highway 99.
A word or two on safety:
Mountain weather is subject to sudden change - Garibaldi Park can receive snow 12 months of the year
> Garibaldi Park website.
>Show all Parks listings
|