People soaking in the natural beauty of Lakelse Lake Provincial Park can enjoy significant upgrades to the scenic Twin Spruce Trail.

“We know the millions of people who visit BC Parks each year to connect with family, friends and nature care deeply about provincial parks and want them stewarded effectively,” said George Heyman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Strategy. “Investing in park infrastructure, like trails and day-use facilities, makes the BC Parks experience even better. From my years living in Terrace, I know this park and its beauty well, and I know what a special place it is for residents and visitors alike.”

Surrounded by the mountains of the Kitimat Range, the 350-hectare park preserves stands of old-growth forests and is a popular destination for camping, fishing, swimming and boating. The Twin Spruce Trail takes hikers through coastal old-growth forests and passes salmon-bearing streams.

Two kilometres of trail surface has been upgraded to be more accessible and resilient to extreme weather. The most popular 800 metres of the trail from the campground to the sandy beach is fully accessible and a further 1.2 kilometres is barrier-free. Three bridges along the trail have also been upgraded and one bridge has been replaced.

“We are fortunate to live in a province that has plenty of beautiful parks for people to connect with nature and learn about Indigenous Peoples’ history and culture,” said Aman Singh, Parliamentary Secretary for Environment. “For many communities across B.C., provincial parks are a big draw for tourism. As more people visit provincial parks, we want to ensure they are inclusive, accessible and welcoming for everyone to enjoy.”

The Twin Spruce Trail upgrades cost approximately $185,000 and are part of a $21.5-million investment to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout B.C. The upgrades include new campsites and trails, and improvements to existing facilities. Many upgrades will also improve accessibility for people who use wheelchairs, strollers or have other accessibility challenges.

To enhance the visitor experience, upgrades have also been made at three other BC Parks: McDonald Creek Provincial Park, Ellison Provincial Park and Mount Robson Provincial Park. The estimated cost of all four projects combined (including Lakelse Lake) is $2.2 million. More projects are scheduled for completion in fall 2023.

During the next three years, the BC Parks and Recreation Sites and Trails BC operating and capital budgets combined will increase by $71 million to support facility and trail maintenance.

Quick Facts:

• The name Lakelse is an anglicised version of the Tsimshian language word “LaxGyels” for freshwater mussel, which are found on the bottom of both the lake and river.
• B.C.’s provincial parks receive more than 23 million visits each year.
• One of the largest park systems in North America, B.C. has more than 1,000 provincial parks, recreation areas, conservancies, ecological reserves and protected areas covering approximately 14.4% of the provincial land base.
• Since 2017, more than 1,700 campsites have been added to BC Parks and recreation sites.
• New campsites are in regions with the highest demand: the Lower Mainland, Thompson-Okanagan, Kootenay Rockies and Mount Robson.

Learn More:

For information about Lakelse Lake Provincial Park, visit: https://bcparks.ca/lakelse-lake-park/

For information about BC Parks, visit: https://bcparks.ca/