Golden Ears Provincial Park is a

Provincial park Ischigualasto Provincial Park A provincial park (or territorial park) is a park administered by one of the provinces of a country, as opposed to a national park. They are similar to state parks in other countries. They are typically open to the ...

British Columbia British Columbia (commonly abbreviated as BC) is the westernmost province of Canada, situated between the Pacific Ocean and the Rocky Mountains. It has a diverse geography, with rugged landscapes that include rocky coastlines, sandy beaches, ...

Canada Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...

and is . It is named after the prominent twin peaks which are commonly referred to as Golden Ears ( Mount Blanshard) (elevation: ). The park was originally part of

Garibaldi Provincial Park Garibaldi Provincial Park, also called Garibaldi Park, is a wilderness park located on the coastal mainland of British Columbia, Canada, 70 kilometres (43.5 mi) north of Vancouver. It was established in 1920 and named a Class A Provincial ...

(established 1927) but was split off as a separate park in 1967. Golden Ears Provincial Park is situated in the unceded traditional territories of the

Coast Salish The Coast Salish is a group of ethnically and linguistically related Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast, living in the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. states of Washington and Oregon. They speak one of the Coas ...

people. The area was logged extensively in the 1920s by the Lougheed and Abernathy Logging Company. Many recreational attractions are found within the park. Golden Ears Provincial Park is a protected area that contains many endangered species of flora and fauna.

First Nations territory

The area encompassed by Golden Ears Provincial Park sits within the traditional territory of the

people. The following is a list of First Nations whose traditional territories include all or part of Golden Ears Provincial Park. *

Katzie First Nation The Katzie First Nation or Katzie Nation ( hur, q̓ic̓əy̓) is the band government of the Katzie people of the Lower Fraser Valley region of British Columbia, Canada. Indian Reserves The Katzie Nation manages the affairs of residents of fi ...

Kwantlen First Nation Kwantlen First Nation ( hur, qʼʷa:n̓ƛʼən̓) is a First Nations band government in British Columbia, Canada, located primarily on McMillan Island near Fort Langley. The Kwantlen people traditionally speak hən̓q̓əmin̓əm̓, the Downrive ...

Matsqui First Nation The Matsqui First Nation ( hur, Máthxwi) is the band government of the Matsqui people, a Sto:lo Aboriginal group located in the Central Fraser Valley region, at Matsqui, in the northern part of Abbotsford, British Columbia, Canada. They are ...

Sts'Ailes people The Sts'ailes (also known as Chehalis) are an indigenous people from the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada. Their band government is the Chehalis First Nation, formerly known as the Chehalis Indian Band. The band's name community i ...

Tsawwassen First Nation The Tsawwassen First Nation ( hur, sc̓əwaθən məsteyəxʷ, ) is a First Nations government whose lands are located in the Greater Vancouver area of the Lower Mainland of British Columbia, Canada, close to the South Arm of the Fraser River ...

* Stó꞉lō Nation *

In-SHUCK-ch Nation The In-SHUCK-ch Nation, also known as Lower Lillooet people, are a small First Nations Tribal Council on the lower Lillooet River south of Pemberton- Mount Currie in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The communities of the In-SHUCK-ch a ...

* St’at’imc/Lillooet Tribal Council

Traditional use

Historically, the area enclosed by the boundaries of Golden Ears Provincial Park provided an important source of sustenance and resources for the local First Nations. The

traditionally used the areas in what are now the southern and western sections of the park for

hunting Hunting is the human activity, human practice of seeking, pursuing, capturing, or killing wildlife or feral animals. The most common reasons for humans to hunt are to harvest food (i.e. meat) and useful animal products (fur/hide (skin), hide, ...

and

fishing Fishing is the activity of trying to catch fish. Fish are often caught as wildlife from the natural environment, but may also be caught from stocked bodies of water such as ponds, canals, park wetlands and reservoirs. Fishing techniques inclu ...

. Several sites of cultural importance to the

are also enclosed within the boundaries of the park. The St’at’imc/Lillooet people traditionally used the northern area of what is now Golden Ears Park as a trade corridor. The

traditionally used what is now the southeastern portion of the park for hunting and

trapping Animal trapping, or simply trapping or gin, is the use of a device to remotely catch an animal. Animals may be trapped for a variety of purposes, including food, the fur trade, hunting, pest control, and wildlife management. History Neolithic ...

. Some examples of animals that were traditionally hunted by the local First Nations include

mule deer The mule deer (''Odocoileus hemionus'') is a deer indigenous to western North America; it is named for its ears, which are large like those of the mule. Two subspecies of mule deer are grouped into the black-tailed deer. Unlike the related whit ...

Roosevelt elk The Roosevelt elk (''Cervus canadensis roosevelti)'', also known commonly as the Olympic elk and Roosevelt's wapiti, is the largest of the four surviving subspecies of elk (''Cervus canadensis'') in North America by body mass (although by antl ...

mountain goat The mountain goat (''Oreamnos americanus''), also known as the Rocky Mountain goat, is a hoofed mammal endemic to mountainous areas of western North America. A subalpine to alpine species, it is a sure-footed climber commonly seen on cliffs and ...

black bear Black bear or Blackbear may refer to: Animals * American black bear (''Ursus americanus''), a North American bear species * Asian black bear (''Ursus thibetanus''), an Asian bear species Music * Black Bear (band), a Canadian First Nations group ...

North American beaver The North American beaver (''Castor canadensis'') is one of two Extant taxon, extant beaver species, along with the Eurasian beaver (''Castor fiber''). It is native to North America and introduced in South America (Patagonia) and Europe (primari ...

, and American marten.

Archeological Archaeology or archeology is the scientific study of human activity through the recovery and analysis of material culture. The archaeological record consists of artifacts, architecture, biofacts or ecofacts, sites, and cultural landscape ...

studies of the area indicate that fishing around Alouette Lake has been taking place for several thousand years. Fish that were historically harvested in Alouette Lake and

Alouette River The Alouette River is a tributary of the Pitt River in the Canadian province of British Columbia. The Alouette River was known as the Lillooet River until 1914, at which time its name was changed to avoid confusion with the much larger Lillooet Ri ...

include five different species of

Pacific salmon ''Oncorhynchus'' is a genus of fish in the family Salmonidae; it contains the Pacific salmon and Pacific trout. The name of the genus is derived from the Greek ὄγκος (ónkos, “lump, bend”) + ῥύγχος (rhúnkhos, “snout”), in r ...

steelhead Steelhead, or occasionally steelhead trout, is the common name of the anadromous form of the coastal rainbow trout or redband trout (O. m. gairdneri). Steelhead are native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific basin in Northeast Asia and N ...

sturgeon Sturgeon is the common name for the 27 species of fish belonging to the family Acipenseridae. The earliest sturgeon fossils date to the Late Cretaceous The Late Cretaceous (100.5–66 Ma) is the younger of two epochs into which the Cretace ...

, and

trout Trout are species of freshwater fish belonging to the genera '' Oncorhynchus'', ''Salmo'' and ''Salvelinus'', all of the subfamily Salmoninae of the family Salmonidae. The word ''trout'' is also used as part of the name of some non-salmoni ...

. Many species of plants were historically gathered in the area, including but not limited to cedar bark, Wapato (''

Sagittaria latifolia ''Sagittaria latifolia'' is a plant found in shallow wetlands and is sometimes known as broadleaf arrowhead, duck-potato, Indian potato, katniss, or wapato. This plant produces edible tubers that have traditionally been extensively used by Nati ...

''),

cranberries Cranberries are a group of evergreen dwarf shrubs or trailing vines in the subgenus ''Oxycoccus'' of the genus ''Vaccinium''. In Britain, cranberry may refer to the native species ''Vaccinium oxycoccos'', while in North America, cranberry ...

, and other types of

berries A berry is a small, pulpy, and often edible fruit. Typically, berries are juicy, rounded, brightly colored, sweet, sour or tart, and do not have a stone or pit, although many pips or seeds may be present. Common examples are strawberries, raspb ...

Current use

The local First Nations whose territory is included within the park have retained their rights to gather resources within the park boundaries. Hunting and trapping are only permitted for individuals who belong to one of the local Nations. The Katzie Cultural Education Society provides some educational programs at the Outdoor Learning Centre in the park.

First Nations involvement in management decisions

The Order in Council that created Golden Ears Provincial Park as a separate entity from Garibaldi Park makes no mention of First Nations involvement in this decision.

BC Parks BC Parks is an agency of the British Columbia Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy that manages all of the, as of 2020, 1,035 provincial parks and other conservation and historical properties of various title designations within t ...

has made a commitment to include First Nations voices in the decision-making processes for management of Golden Ears Provincial Park. One core ideal outlined in the Golden Ears Park Management Plan is that the park must allow for the local First Nations to continue their traditional practices, such as hunting and gathering. Opportunities for park visitors to learn about First Nations culture relevant to the park area are also part of the core ideals of the Golden Ears Park Management Plan. The

has done significant work to ensure that their traditional territories are being managed according to their principles. The

has been involved in efforts to bring

spawning Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, ''to spawn'' refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquati ...

salmon to Alouette Lake, which was blocked by the creation of a dam on

in 1928; these efforts have been made in partnership with

BC Hydro The British Columbia Hydro and Power Authority, operating as BC Hydro, is a Canadian electric utility in the province of British Columbia. It is the main electricity distributor, serving more than 4 million customers in most areas, with the exce ...

and the Alouette River Management Society. The

has also been involved in a study of plant diversity and abundance in the Alouette Lake

riparian zone A riparian zone or riparian area is the interface between land and a river or stream. Riparian is also the proper nomenclature for one of the terrestrial biomes of the Earth. Plant habitats and communities along the river margins and banks ar ...

Industrial history

In 1897 a

copper Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...

mine Mine, mines, miners or mining may refer to: Extraction or digging * Miner, a person engaged in mining or digging *Mining, extraction of mineral resources from the ground through a mine Grammar *Mine, a first-person English possessive pronoun ...

was developed along the east side

Pitt Lake Pitt Lake is the second-largest lake in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia. About in area, it is about long and about wide at its widest. It is one of the world's relatively few tidal lakes, and among the largest. In Pitt Lake, there is o ...

in Golden Ears Park. The mine title changed hands many times prior to closure during the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

Pitt Lake's lost gold mine Pitt Lake's Lost Gold Mine is a legendary lost mine said to be near Pitt Lake, British Columbia, Canada, the supposed wealth of which has held the imagination of people worldwide for more than a century. Ever since the years of the Fraser Canyon G ...

is a

legend A legend is a Folklore genre, genre of folklore that consists of a narrative featuring human actions, believed or perceived, both by teller and listeners, to have taken place in human history. Narratives in this genre may demonstrate human valu ...

of an

Indigenous Indigenous may refer to: *Indigenous peoples *Indigenous (ecology), presence in a region as the result of only natural processes, with no human intervention *Indigenous (band), an American blues-rock band *Indigenous (horse), a Hong Kong racehorse ...

man named

Slumach Slumach was an elderly Katzie First Nations man hanged for murder in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada, in 1891. Baptized moments before his death he was given the first name "Peter", a name never used in his lifetime. His unmarked grave is ...

who was aware of a large gold deposit in the park.

The History Channel History (formerly The History Channel from January 1, 1995 to February 15, 2008, stylized as HISTORY) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by A&E Networks, a joint venture between Hearst Communications and the Disney ...

produced a show, Deadman's Curse, which aired in July 2022 documenting the search for the gold and research into Slumach. Timber harvest in the 1920s by the Lougheed and Abernathy Logging Company was extensive and at one point the largest in North America. In 1929, a large

forest fire A wildfire, forest fire, bushfire, wildland fire or rural fire is an unplanned, uncontrolled and unpredictable fire in an area of Combustibility and flammability, combustible vegetation. Depending on the type of vegetation present, a wildfire ...

consumed 60,000 hectares of forest and halted logging in the area. Most of the old growth cedar and hemlock was either logged or lost in the wildfire. In 1926,

constructed the Alouette Dam on Allouette Lake for power generation. The Alouette reservoir is connected to

Stave Lake Stave Lake is a lake and reservoir for the production of hydroelectricity in the Stave River system, located on the northern edge of the District of Mission, about east of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. The main arm of the lake is about ...

via a diversion tunnel.

History and creation of Golden Ears Provincial Park

The Golden Ears Provincial Park was named after the twin peaks of Mount Blanshard. In 1933, the area that is now Golden Ears Park was incorporated into

because of the scenic and recreational value of the area. Golden Ears Provincial Park is 62,539 hectares of protected area designated as separate from Garibaldi Provincial Park in 1967 primarily for the appreciation of the barrier between Golden Ears and Garibaldi areas. The creation of Golden Ears Provincial Park allowed more focus to be placed on the recreational elements available in the region surrounding Alouette Lake. The park is often used for

hiking Hiking is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century.AMATO, JOSEPH A. "Mind over Foot: Romantic Walking and Rambling." In ''On Foot: A Histor ...

horseback riding Equestrianism (from Latin , , , 'horseman', 'horse'), commonly known as horse riding (Commonwealth English) or horseback riding (American English), includes the disciplines of riding, driving, and vaulting. This broad description includes the ...

, and

boating Boating is the leisurely activity of travelling by boat, or the recreational use of a boat whether Motorboat, powerboats, Sailing, sailboats, or man-powered vessels (such as rowing and paddle boats), focused on the travel itself, as well as sp ...

. The expansion of highways increased the accessibility of Golden Ears Provincial Park, which led to the rise in popularity of camping in the area.

Golden Ears Park management plan

Golden_Ears_Provincial_Park_(49297607856)

Purpose and objectives

Golden Ears Park is one of the largest and most popular parks in British Columbia, attracting an average of 610,000 visitors every year. Following the park's heightened popularity and continued increase in foot traffic, the province of British Columbia enacted the official Golden Ears Park Management Plan in November of 2013, to preserve the natural beauty and ecological components of the park. The plan highlights the park's unique features and significant amenities, including its cultural, natural, and recreational values.

Protecting and maintaining wildlife populations

Ecological conservation initiatives have been put in place to preserve the park’s natural

ecosystem An ecosystem (or ecological system) consists of all the organisms and the physical environment with which they interact. These biotic and abiotic components are linked together through nutrient cycles and energy flows. Energy enters the syste ...

and protect the

wildlife Wildlife refers to domestication, undomesticated animal species (biology), species, but has come to include all organisms that grow or live wilderness, wild in an area without being species, introduced by humans. Wildlife was also synonymous ...

that inhabit Golden Ears from the impacts of repeated recreational activity.

Erosion Erosion is the action of surface processes (such as water flow or wind) that removes soil, rock, or dissolved material from one location on the Earth's crust, and then transports it to another location where it is deposited. Erosion is distin ...

is a common issue that the management plan addresses: erosion from hiking trails due to heavy foot traffic, and shoreline erosion caused by water sports and recreational boating. The province plans to collaborate with regulatory agencies to mitigate erosion concerns. There are also research plans in place to develop a deeper understanding of the park's wildlife populations, and supporting recovery initiatives for endangered species.

Species at risk

Over 85 BC Red listed species have been documented in Golden Ears Park. Some Red listed species that may be found in Golden Ears Park are '' Actaea elata,''

spotted owl The spotted owl (''Strix occidentalis'') is a species of true owl. It is a resident species of old-growth forests in western North America, where it nests in tree hollows, old bird of prey nests, or rock crevices. Nests can be between high a ...

monarch butterfly The monarch butterfly or simply monarch (''Danaus plexippus'') is a milkweed butterfly (subfamily Danainae) in the family Nymphalidae. Other common names, depending on region, include milkweed, common tiger, wanderer, and black-veined brown. It ...

, and the

sage thrasher The sage thrasher (''Oreoscoptes montanus'') is a medium-sized passerine bird from the family Mimidae, which also includes mockingbirds, tremblers, and New World catbirds. It is the only member of the genus ''Oreoscoptes''. This seems less clo ...

''.'' The aforementioned species are registered as endangered in Schedule 1 of the

Species at Risk Act The ''Species at Risk Act'' (SARA) (the ''Act'') is a piece of Canadian federal legislation which became law in Canada on December 12, 2002. It is designed to meet one of Canada's key commitments under the International Convention on Biological D ...

(SARA). Many other BC Red listed species can also be found in the park. The Government of British Columbia has documented 1824 Blue listed species in Golden Ears Park, such as

grizzly bears The grizzly bear (''Ursus arctos horribilis''), also known as the North American brown bear or simply grizzly, is a population or subspecies of the brown bear inhabiting North America. In addition to the mainland grizzly (''Ursus arctos horri ...

. Western population grizzly bears are registered as a species of special concern in Schedule 1 of SARA.

Vegetation in the park

Golden Ears Park is home to three eco-sections within its borders, Eastern Pacific Ranges, Southern Pacific Ranges, and the

Fraser Lowland The Fraser Lowland is a landform and physiographic region in the Pacific Northwest of North America, shared between the Canadian province of British Columbia and the U.S. state of Washington. The region includes much of the Lower Mainland region ...

s. Within the three eco-sections lies a large diversity of plants, including

fern A fern (Polypodiopsida or Polypodiophyta ) is a member of a group of vascular plants (plants with xylem and phloem) that reproduce via spores and have neither seeds nor flowers. The polypodiophytes include all living pteridophytes except t ...

tree In botany, a tree is a perennial plant with an elongated stem, or trunk, usually supporting branches and leaves. In some usages, the definition of a tree may be narrower, including only woody plants with secondary growth, plants that are ...

z, and

wildflower A wildflower (or wild flower) is a flower that grows in the wild, meaning it was not intentionally seeded or planted. The term implies that the plant probably is neither a hybrid nor a selected cultivar that is in any way different from the w ...

s. Ferns often observed include the Western sword fern, leathery grape fern, American parsley fern, and the common bracken.

Douglas fir The Douglas fir (''Pseudotsuga menziesii'') is an evergreen conifer species in the pine family, Pinaceae. It is native to western North America and is also known as Douglas-fir, Douglas spruce, Oregon pine, and Columbian pine. There are three va ...

are present in the higher elevations of Golden Ears Park. Other plant species that are often observed include the

Himalayan blackberry ''Rubus armeniacus'', the Himalayan blackberry or Armenian blackberry, is a species of ''Rubus'' in the blackberry group ''Rubus'' subgenus ''Rubus'' series ''Discolores'' (P.J. Müll.) Focke. It is native to Armenia and Northern Iran, and wide ...

salmonberry ''Rubus spectabilis'', the salmonberry, is a species of bramble in the rose family Rosaceae, native to the west coast of North America from west-central Alaska to California, inland as far as Idaho. Like many other species in the genus ''Rubus'' ...

, snow bramble,

skunk cabbage Skunk cabbage is a common name for several plants and may refer to: * the genus ''Lysichiton'' ** Asian skunk cabbage, ''Lysichiton camtschatcensis'', grows in eastern Asia ** Western skunk cabbage, '' Lysichiton americanus'', grows in western Nor ...

, and knotweed.

Invasive species

The Himalayan blackberry and the knotweed family are both

non-native species An introduced species, alien species, exotic species, adventive species, immigrant species, foreign species, non-indigenous species, or non-native species is a species living outside its native distributional range, but which has arrived there ...

to British Columbia. Himalayan blackberry are known to grow over top of low-growing plants, and become very dense to the point of limiting the movement of other animals in the area. The Golden Ears Management Plan was to outline a vision for the future use(s) of the park, and explains in detail goals that BC Parks has for managing of the spread and preventing the introductions of invasive species in the 56,000-hectare park.

Endemic species

With the multitude of ecology management plans currently underway and efforts being made by many sectors of the public, native species of plants found in British Columbia are able to live, grow and regain previously strained population numbers within the protected areas of

such as Golden Ears. Golden Ears Provincial Park lends itself to being a protected area for many endemic species of trees in Canada.

Sitka spruce ''Picea sitchensis'', the Sitka spruce, is a large, coniferous, evergreen tree growing to almost tall, with a trunk diameter at breast height that can exceed 5 m (16 ft). It is by far the largest species of spruce and the fifth-larg ...

western white pine Western white pine (''Pinus monticola''), also called silver pine and California mountain pine, is a species of pine in the family Pinaceae. It occurs in mountain ranges of northwestern North America. It is the state tree of Idaho. Description ...

, Douglas fir, and

mountain hemlock ''Tsuga mertensiana'', known as mountain hemlock, is a species of hemlock native to the west coast of North America, found between Southcentral Alaska and south-central California. Description ''Tsuga mertensiana'' is a large evergreen conifer ...

trees are all considered to be endemic to the

Pacific Northwest The Pacific Northwest (sometimes Cascadia, or simply abbreviated as PNW) is a geographic region in western North America bounded by its coastal waters of the Pacific Ocean to the west and, loosely, by the Rocky Mountains to the east. Though ...

, and are protected within the park boundary in order to preserve the habitat that these red and blue listed species live in. Thimbleberry_Rubus_parviflorus_1

Aside from the tree populations found within the park, there are many endangered plant species that are native to British Columbia that can be found thriving in Golden Ears Provincial Park, species such as coastal wood ferns, Menzies' Burnet, and snow bramble.

Camping

There are three main campgrounds at Golden Ears Park, with a total capacity of 409 vehicle accessible

campsites A campsite, also known as a campground or camping pitch, is a place used for overnight stay in an outdoor area. In British English, a ''campsite'' is an area, usually divided into a number of pitches, where people can camp overnight using ten ...

. There are also backcountry campsites available at the park, also known as "Walk-In/Wilderness Camping". These Campsites are available at Alder Flats on the West Canyon Trail and Panorama Ridge on the Golden Ears Trail, but no facilities are provided. Finally, there are two group campgrounds available for reservation, by any group booking a minimum of 15 adults, with a maximum total of 50 persons.

Alouette Campground

The Alouette campground is the largest of the three main campgrounds in the park, with 206 campsites on it. During the summer season, park operators host security patrols. Only during the summer months the park provides drinking water that is regularly monitored, water is not available during the winter or fall season. The summer season is considered to be between June 19 - September 7, and reservations can be made between June 19 - September 6. There are 83 reserveable campsites in Alouette. In the campground, there are amenities such as: * Visitor parking (1) * Pit toilets (7) * Flush toilets (4) * Self guided trails (1) * Playgrounds (1) * Shower buildings (2) * Drinking water taps (23)

Gold Creek Campground

Gold Creek campground is the second largest of the three main campgrounds in the park, with 148 campsites on it. During the summer season, park operators host security patrols. Only during the summer months the park provides drinking water that is regularly monitored, water is not available during the winter or fall season. Gold Creek is the only campground of the three that is open year-round, however like the other campgrounds, amenities are restricted during the winter months. The summer season is considered to be between April 1 - October 12, and reservations can be made between May 8 - September 6. There are 74 reserveable campsites in Gold Creek. The winter months are considered to be between October 12 - March 31. In the campground, there are amenities such as: * Visitor parking (1) * Pit toilets (8) * Self guided trails (1) * Shower buildings (2) * Drinking water taps (15)

North Beach Campground

North Beach campground is the smallest of the three main campgrounds in the park, with 55 campsites on it. During the summer season, park operators host security patrols. Only during the summer months the park provides drinking water that is regularly monitored, water is not available during the winter or fall season. The summer season is considered to be between June 19 - September 7, and reservations can be made between June 19 - September 6. There are 53 reserveable campsites in North Beach. In the campground, there are amenities such as: * Visitor parking (1) * Pit toilets (3) * Drinking water taps (1)

Walk-in/wilderness camping

Wilderness/walk-in camping is permitted at Alder Flats on the West Canyon Trail and Panorama Ridge on the Golden Ears Trail, with pit toilets at both sites. The distance from parking to the walk-in sites at Alder Flats is approximately five kilometres; and to Panorama Ridge is approximately nine kilometres. Camping is on individual gravel pads in wooded area at Alder Flats and in an undeveloped wooded area on Panorama Ridge. There are no campfires are allowed in Wilderness/walk-in camping, only portable camp stoves are permitted. In addition, you must pack out what you pack in, as there are no garbage removal services. Because of the very remote location of these campsites, park operators are not able to provide current information on the sites.

Rustic Marine Campsites

Rustic marine campsites are located on Alouette Lake at Moyer Creek, The Narrows and Alouette River (north end of the lake). There are no campfires are allowed in Wilderness/walk-in camping, only portable camp stoves are permitted. In addition, you must pack out what you pack in, as there are no garbage removal services. Because of the very remote location of these campsites, park operators are not able to provide current information on the sites.

Hiking

There is an extensive network of hiking trails in the park ranging from short walks to strenuous backcountry trips.

Golden Ears Trail

This trail takes you to the Northern summit of the Golden Ears

massif In geology, a massif ( or ) is a section of a planet's crust that is demarcated by faults or flexures. In the movement of the crust, a massif tends to retain its internal structure while being displaced as a whole. The term also refers to a ...

. The trail is approximately 12 km one-way from the west canyon parking lot with an elevation gain of 1,500 metres. This is mostly a wilderness trail after the Alder Flats campsite, which is located a few kilometres from the parking lot. There are plenty of great camping spots along the ridge, however there is no permanent source of water. In 2017 Parks BC build six tent platforms near the summit of Golden Ears. Depending on the season, water can be melted from the snow fields that remain in the northern shadow of the peak and there is often freshwater flowing from a creek near the top. Views from the top are panoramic, overlooking the

Fraser Valley The Fraser Valley is a geographical region in southwestern British Columbia, Canada and northwestern Washington State. It starts just west of Hope in a narrow valley encompassing the Fraser River and ends at the Pacific Ocean stretching from the ...

to the south and surrounding peaks.

Canoeing

Canoeing Canoeing is an activity which involves paddling a canoe with a single-bladed paddle. Common meanings of the term are limited to when the canoeing is the central purpose of the activity. Broader meanings include when it is combined with other acti ...

is very popular on Alouette Lake. Canoe/kayak/pedal boat rentals are available for rent in the Alouette (South Beach) day-use area on weekends only from May long weekend to late June and daily from late June to Labour Day (weather permitting).

Climbing

There are no recommended technical climbing opportunities in Golden Ears Park. There are two mountains accessible by official trails that require intermediate skills to reach the peaks. Both are long strenuous hikes requiring proper equipment and experience.

Horseback riding

There is an extensive network of over of gravel/dirt horse trails in the park. Check the park map for horse specific trails. Horses are not permitted on trails other than those designated on the park map. A permit is only required for commercial use of the horse trails. No camping with horses is allowed in park front-country (parking lots, day-use areas, or any area less than from a park road), or in the vehicle accessible campgrounds. Day-use stopover is permitted at the South Beach corral area, but horses must remain within the corral or on a designated horse trail. Camping with horses is permitted in the designated camping area on the East Canyon Trail, approximately north of Gold Creek parking lot. This park provides trails only; horseback riding lesson/rentals, stables etc. are not available within the park.

Incidents

Some incidents have resulted in the injury to or death of park patrons. For example, in July 2018, police received a call from BC Ambulance that a 21 year old man had been swept away by the current from Gold Creek in Golden Ears Provincial Park. A second man tried to help, and both were carried over the falls. The second man was found downstream with non-life-threatening injuries and was transported to hospital. Ridge Meadows Search and Rescue (RMSAR) was deployed, and though an initial search did not find the first man, when the search continued the following morning, a body was found and recovered. The previous year, in April 2017, emergency services were called to Golden Ears Provincial Park after receiving a report of a man being swept away by swift water in Gold Creek. In September 2015, Ridge Meadows RCMP were called to Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Provincial Park after a boat capsized on the lake. Four friends had experienced engine troubles with their 15-foot craft, and after pulling in to North Beach to check it out, were later swamped by a large wave. The boat took on water and sunk. Two of the boaters made it to shore and found campers at Gold Creek, while a third made it to shore and headed into the Alouette campground. The three survivors were treated for hypothermia, and released from a hospital a day later. Members of the Maple Ridge Fire Department, Ridge Meadows RCMP, British Columbia Ambulance Service, Ridge Meadows SAR, RCMP Air 1, British Columbia Ambulance Service's Air Ambulance searched for the fourth missing boater. The woman was never found and presumed deceased. In July 2013, a 21-year-old man drowned in what appeared to have been a swimming accident in the park.

Filming location

*The 2022 series Deadman's Curse *The 2022 movie The Adam Project *The 2014 movie

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes ''Dawn of the Planet of the Apes'' is a 2014 American science fiction film directed by Matt Reeves from a screenplay by Mark Bomback, Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. It is the sequel to ''Rise of the Planet of the Apes'' (2011), and the second in ...

credits being shot in Golden Ears Provincial Park. *The 2014 movie

Godzilla is a fictional monster, or '' kaiju'', originating from a series of Japanese films. The character first appeared in the 1954 film ''Godzilla'' and became a worldwide pop culture icon, appearing in various media, including 32 films produc ...

shot a scene on North Beach in the park. *The 2010 movie

The Lightning Thief ''The Lightning Thief'' is a 2005 American fantasy-adventure novel based on Greek mythology, the first young adult novel written by Rick Riordan in the ''Percy Jackson & the Olympians'' series. It won the Adult Library Services Association Be ...

shot scenes in the park. *The 2008 movie

Twilight Twilight is light produced by sunlight scattering in the upper atmosphere, when the Sun is below the horizon, which illuminates the lower atmosphere and the Earth's surface. The word twilight can also refer to the periods of time when this il ...

(starring

Robert Pattinson Robert Douglas Thomas Pattinson (born 13 May 1986) is an English actor. Known for starring in both big-budget and independent films, Pattinson has ranked among the world's highest-paid actors. In 2010, ''Time'' magazine named him one of the 1 ...

and

Kristen Stewart Kristen Jaymes Stewart (born April 9, 1990) is an American actress. The world's highest-paid actress in 2012, she has received various accolades, including a British Academy Film Award and a César Award, in addition to nominations for an Acad ...

) shot some of its outdoor forest scenes in the park. *The 1982 movie

First Blood ''First Blood'' (also known as ''Rambo: First Blood'') is a 1982 American action film directed by Ted Kotcheff, and co-written by Sylvester Stallone, who also stars as Vietnam War veteran John Rambo. It co-stars Richard Crenna as Rambo's mentor ...

(starring

Sylvester Stallone Sylvester Enzio Stallone (; born Michael Sylvester Gardenzio Stallone, ) is an American actor and filmmaker. After his beginnings as a struggling actor for a number of years upon arriving to New York City in 1969 and later Hollywood in 1974, h ...

Rambo Rambo is a surname with Norwegian (Vestfold) and Swedish origins. It possibly originated with '' ramn'' + '' bo'', meaning "raven's nest". It has variants in French (''Rambeau'', ''Rambaut'', and ''Rimbaud'') and German (''Rambow''). It is now best ...

) was shot in Golden Ears Provincial Park. *Annanna & Kristina's Grocery Bag, a documentary shot a scene in the park.

References

External links

Official site with camping and hiking information, several maps, etc.Golden Ears Provincial Park
at the ''Canadian Mountain Encyclopedia''
short film clip of Alouette Lake in 1959Gold Creek Falls hiking information
{{Authority control Lower Mainland Provincial parks of British Columbia 1967 establishments in British Columbia Protected areas established in 1967

First Nations territory

Traditional use

Current use

First Nations involvement in management decisions

Industrial history

History and creation of Golden Ears Provincial Park

Golden Ears Park management plan

Purpose and objectives

Protecting and maintaining wildlife populations

Species at risk

Vegetation in the park

Invasive species

Endemic species

Camping

Alouette Campground

Gold Creek Campground

North Beach Campground

Walk-in/wilderness camping

Rustic Marine Campsites

Hiking

Golden Ears Trail

Canoeing

Climbing

Horseback riding

Incidents

Filming location

See also

References

External links