Big Hill Springs Provincial Park
For some time now we have passed signs for this park as we travelled along highway 1a, so today we decided to make the short 20km trip to the park and see what we were missing. Immediately in from the car park is a lovely little picnic area with paddling for the kids and a small waterfall on a crystal clear stream.
There is a well maintained path that meanders alongside the stream in the dappled shade of a natural forest, with a good number of deciduous trees it should be quite a spectacle in autumn. Where stream crossing is required there are small bridges.
There are some lovely little falls along the way and a long exposure really brings them to life.
There are even a few posing areas dotted along the trail and although I didn't make the best of this shot I still like it.
Along the way there's no shortage of opportunity to use long exposures on the ever present stream.
There are the usual squirrels darting around the place and some beautiful birds, we did find the nest of a swallow complete with 4 chicks but I didn't want to mess around trying to get a photo and disturb the mother who was circling us at the time. I did get a shot of a Bohemian Waxwing in the forest and a short video of a Garter snake too.
All through the lower level of the forest the stream dances alongside with small waterfalls every few metres
A nice little circular hike takes us around a 2.5km trail with wild flowers everywhere
We did climb up and out of the trees at one point and walked along a ridge that skirts the park, it was nice to look over the entire valley but hot in the midday sun......'mad dogs and englishmen' and all that.
I could go on posting these waterfall shots indefinitely I think, I took so many. I must have been at it some time as my feet were freezing paddling up the stream even though it's 26 degrees today
all in all I think it's safe to say we'll be back to this little gem.......perhaps quite often.