| Spipiyus Provincial
Park, on the Sechelt Peninsula of the BC Sunshine Coast, is documented
as the oldest closed-canopy temperate rain forest in Canada. The park
protects pockets of old-growth Douglas-fir stands, and contains groves
of the oldest living Yellow Cedars, Mountain and Western Hemlocks
in the world. Most of the ecologically isolated park extends from
about 700 metres to 1,200 metres above sea level.
Also known
as the Caren Range Old Growth Forest,
the 2,979-hectare Spipiyus park also protects prime habitat for
the Marbled Murrelet, which was found breeding close to the many
lakes and in the ancient forests of the Caren Range above Pender
Harbour.
Spipiyus is
the local Sechelt Indian Band’s name for the Marbled Murrelet, after
which nearby Spipiyus Point and Spipiyus Peak are named. The Sechelt
Band and the Friends of Caren Range are co-stewards of the park.
Wildlife in
Spipiyus Park includes black bear, Roosevelt elk, cougar, bobcat,
black tailed deer, snowshoe hares, and river otters, and birdlife
includes marbled murrelets, Mew gulls, and Barrows goldeneyes. Bald
eagles, ospreys and belted Kingfishers can be seen regularly around
the upland lakes.
There are a
number of deactivated logging roads suitable for hiking and walking,
and hiking trails lead to Mount Hallowell, with views of the islands
and fjords of Pender Harbour, the Strait of Georgia, and Vancouver
Island. An excellent viewpoint is provided by a restored fire tower
on Mt. Hallowell that is one of the last remaining fire lookouts
in British Columbia.
There are no
day-use or picnic facilities in the park, and motorized access (vehicles,
dirt bikes, snowmobiles, etc) is only permitted on the existing
logging roads.
Spipiyus Provincial
Park is located on the Sechelt Peninsula the BC Sunshine Coast,
north of Halfmoon Bay. Access to the park is off Highway 101, 11
kilometres north of Sechelt and just south of Halfmoon Bay. Turn
north on Trout Lake Road and proceed up this logging road to the
main junction at kilometre 12. Take the left fork, continue to kilometre
19.5, and park at the trailhead.
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