Visitors to Ellison Provincial Park in Vernon have a new trail and campground improvements to enjoy.
A new three-kilometre trail has been created in the park for hikers and mountain bikers to explore. The trail is called the Loopy Campers Trail and is a beginner trail connecting the campground to the upper parking lot. The downhill portion of the trail is now open and the uphill section is expected to open in mid-July.
There are also 30 new parking spaces and a bike pump track that have been added to the upper parking lot.
Several upgrades to the campground have been made in recent years, including accessible campsite furniture, new fire rings, water-line improvements, repaved road and accessible furniture at the beach.
The upgrades at Ellison Park cost about $635,000.
“Ellison Provincial Park is one of B.C.’s natural treasures. We know people care deeply about provincial parks and want them stewarded effectively. Investing in our parks makes the BC Parks experience even better,” said Environment Minister George Heyman.
Located along Okanagan Lake, Ellison Provincial Park spans 220 hectares of forested bench lands above a rocky shoreline of scenic headlands and sheltered coves. It’s a popular destination for those who enjoy hiking, climbing, swimming, camping, boating and fishing.
“Too often, people miss out on spending time outdoors due to challenges to accessibility and availability,” said Harwinder Sandhu, MLA for Vernon-Monashee. “Ellison Provincial Park is a favourite in Vernon-Monashee for campers, mountain bikers, hikers, beach-goers, and families, including my own. Thanks to funding for Ellison Provincial Park, more people can get out to enjoy what the park has to offer through a new trail, and improvements to the campground and parking that will make this area more welcoming to people.”
The funding for Ellison is part of a $21.5 million investment by the province to expand and enhance opportunities for outdoor recreation throughout B.C.
Upgrades have also been made at McDonald Creek Provincial Park south of Nakusp, Mount Robson Provincial Park in the Rockies and Lakelse Lake Provincial Park south of Terrace. The cost for all four projects including Ellison Park is $2.2 million.
More projects are scheduled for completion this fall.
READ MORE: Vernon’s Becker Bike Park getting $500k boost
READ MORE: Plethora of trails earn Vernon provincial honour
