Cultus Lake/Maple Bay/Harrison Hot Springs – While most provincial parks are fully open, recent wildfires, extreme heat and flooding caused significant damage to trails, campgrounds and facilities in more than a dozen provincial parks in 2021. Repairs have been made at several parks so they can open for the coming season, but some remain temporarily closed. People are encouraged to visit individual park web pages for the latest updates before heading out.
Some of the hardest-hit parks are in and around the Lower Mainland and the Fraser Valley, such as Cultus Lake Provincial Park near Chilliwack. At Cultus Lake Park, floods moved rock and debris through the entire Maple Bay day-use area, covering picnic tables, the amphitheatre, grassy areas and the beach. Crews have been removing damaged picnic tables and contouring the day-use area at Maple Bay, which is expected to open this summer with a reduced number of picnic tables and smaller area for picnicking. Restoration of all Cultus Lake Park campgrounds at Entrance Bay and Clear Creek is now finished.
“I’ve seen first-hand the recovery effort going on at Maple Bay day-use area at Cultus Lake, and it has improved leaps and bounds since November,” said Kelli Paddon, MLA for Chilliwack-Kent. “It will look a little different than we’re used to when it’s ready, but I have no doubt that families will enjoy visiting just the same when it opens again early this summer. Until then, the rest of Cultus Lake Provincial Park’s public areas are open for the season. I am grateful to all the crews who have been working to clean up, repair and rejuvenate our parks and beaches from last year’s extreme weather that caused devastating floods, landslides and fires.”
At the popular Sasquatch Provincial Park near Harrison Hot Springs, all roads have been repaired. All affected campgrounds at E.C. Manning Provincial Park will be ready to open in time for the summer season, though some trails remain damaged and will be assessed and repaired once snow cover melts.
Parks that remain fully closed include Skagit Valley Park, Nahatlatch Park, Coquihalla Canyon Park and Skihist Park. Some parks have partial closures due to damaged backcountry trails or other circumstances.
