Monck Park Trails - Kamloops Trails

Monck Park Trails – Kamloops Trails

Doug Smith  October 10, 2020 at 9:00 am

There are several sections of hiking trails that can be combined for a loop route of about 5 km in Monck Provincial Park on Nicola Lake.     We hiked southwest from the campground and climbed the hills to a crossing of the Monck Road, then looped back on higher trails on a sunny day.

From a viewpoint on the trail, we could see up the lake to the north.   Grasslands surround the east side of the lake.  We also had good views down the lake to the south, although we were looking into the sun in the morning.

The trails were well-maintained.    Dirt tracks wound through an open ponderosa pine forest and around rocky bluffs.

We arrived at a junction and puzzled over the sign.      The trails are oriented mostly north – south, not east – west, but the East Trail goes northeast from the junction and the West Trail goes southwest from that junction.      We have sometimes found BC Parks trail signs often have been a bit sloppy with correct Canadian geographic nomclemature (and spelling).

The “East Trail” wound past a number of large boulders and across open slopes back to the junction.

Kinnikinick was abundant on the dry slopes of the hillside.

We hiked the 5 km loop, then dropped down to the shoreline for a swim, a great combination for a summer day.

The Monck Park Trails are great for a 1.5 hour hike, not as a destination, but as a companion opportunity with a visit to the shores of Nicola Lake.

Directions:

  • On Highway 5A South turn at the south end of Nicola Lake, watching for a sign for Monck Provincial Park.   Follow the road and the signage to Monck Park.
  • Park at the Day Use area use the posted maps to hike the trails.

 

 

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Doug Smith

Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).

Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.

The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/

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