We just received a fresh dump of snow, and now have over 30cm’s up top (see picture above). We are gearing up and excited for our best season ever, and can’t wait to see you on the hill!
OPENING DAY IS DECEMBER 10th, 2022
SO MUCH NEWS COMING YOUR WAY! Did you know?
Highway 3 has been repaved and had extensive improvements. It will be a smooth and safe drive out for all of our guests.
The Gibson’s Pass Road has now been paved from Highway 3 all the way up to the ski hill.
Our Alpine T-Bar has been repaired and is back in operation.
We have also done repairs on our Alpine slope and water system.
Lobby upgrades in the works!
Look no further for your ticket to Fresh Powder and Winter Adventures. At Manning Park, you can carve your way down the slopes, glide across 60km’s of Nordic trails, snowshoe the majestic and tranquil beauty of the Cascade Mountains, or soak in a hot tub and wind down for the evening at our Rustic Retreat. Your Adventure Starts Here…
We are your Winter Camping Destination, offering 60 full service winterized sites at:
Skyview Campground
An authentic Canadian Outdoor Experience. Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature, and the magic winter brings. Skyview campground is connected to the Manning Park trail network, offering you all the facilities you need for an unforgettable stay.
Manning Park Resort has officially resumed operations! The Resort, as well as many of the Provincial campgrounds are ready to welcome guests back, with increased precautions, cleaning and protocols surrounding COVID-19.
The Resort’s accommodations with its newest Premium cabins, lodge rooms, Standard cabins and chalets are open for reservations. Food service is available at the Pinewoods Dining Room and the outdoor patio for dine-in and take-out; as well as the Country Store.
Open for Family Getaways
“We think our guests are going to be really excited to get out and explore their local area this spring and summer,” says General Manager, Vern Schram, “Manning Park Resort offers a great opportunity to get some exercise and fresh air while staying comfortably either in the Resort or camping. Our cabin facilities are perfect for a family getaway, and we have a lot more availability for this summer, as most of our group and wedding reservations have postponed their events into the future.”
To comply with stringent housekeeping processes, some availability in the Resort is altered, and the Loon Lagoon Pool and Last Resort group facility are not open. We are hoping to resume operations in the Bear’s Den July 1.
“We hope that guests will see the increased precautions for COVID-19 in place and feel confident that we’re making our guest and staff safety our priority,” says Schram.
Provincial Park is Open
The trails are open for hiking and mountain biking and the boathouse has opened seven days a week for canoe, kayak and stand-up paddleboard rentals. With over 300km of hiking trails, it’s easy to stay naturally socially distant, while finding space to connect with your family. More trail information can be found at the Visitor Centre which is open weekends in June.
Interpretive programs are scheduled to go ahead as planned, with some minor changes to group size and schedule. These free programs that introduce people of all ages to the flora and fauna in the park, will begin in July.
The EC Manning Provincial campgrounds are starting to open in the park, with Coldspring and Mule Deer campgrounds open for reservations, and for first come, first serve walk-ins. Lightning Lake and the first loop of Hampton campgrounds are scheduled to open later this month. Parts of Hampton will remain closed for the foreseeable future due to an excessive amount of hazard trees.
Who’s ready for the May Long Weekend?! Here’s what we’ve got going on:
Campgrounds: Not only will Mule Deer, Hampton & Coldspring Campgrounds be open for business, but it looks like we are on track to open Lightning Lake Campground too! If Lightning Lake opens early, it will be first come, first serve until June 7th, after which it will be 100% reservable through Discover Camping. For more info on all our campgrounds, see our Camping page.
The Boathouseopens from 9am-6pm for canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard and rowboats. The Boathouse is open weekends until June 29th, when it will be daily. Boat rentals are available from the Front Desk outside of these times.
The first Interpretive programs start! These free programs are for kids of all ages to learn about the amazing flora and fauna in the park in fun and interesting ways. They run weekends from May 18-June 23, and daily from June 29-Sept. 1. Look for weekly posted schedules (& online) to know when and where to meet for talks.
Manning Park Visitor Centre is open May 17th. Open 9am-6pm on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until June 15 then daily during the summer months. Stop off here for information on camping, hiking, mountain biking, backcountry camping fees, fishing licenses and much more.
Camping season is already upon us! Mule Deer is open, Coldspring Campground opened today, and we’re hoping to have Hampton open soon. See the full details at: http://summer.manningpark.com/camping/
There will also be canoe and kayak rentals available from the Front Desk this weekend to get you out on the water!
Don’t miss the Mother’s Day Brunch on May 12th in the Pinewoods Dining Room and treat mom to a trip to some Manning Park sunshine!
The ground squirrels may have gone to bed, and you may be heading back to the daily grind after a long, luxurious summer away, but don’t count out a few cheeky weekend trips away, and some great activities to do in fall at Manning Park.
My favourite things about fall in Manning Park – less bugs, no campfire bans, incredible colours and quiet hikes!
The vine maples have been changing colour already and are showing their full display of autumn foliage.
Here’s our top 5 for your list this Fall:
1. Larch Trees
On Mt. Frosty, we have a forest of the only coniferous, deciduous trees – the larch. This means the needles on this tree change colour seasonally and fall off. At the end of September – early October, they turn electric yellow and are truly a sight to behold! Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website, we will let you know when they start changing.
Mt. Frosty is a solid hike: 22.2 km from Lightning Lake to summit and return, 1150m elevation gain & 9-11 hours. See more info here: http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/ecmanning/frosty.html
2. Biking
Cooler weather means those uphills don’t make you sweat so bad! We recommend Poland Lake or Windy Joe for a longer trip and the more adventurous, although cruising North Gibson and South Gibson are always worth the ride. See our updated mountain bike info on our webpage here.
3. Canoeing or kayaking
The Boathouse stays open weekends until Thanksgiving, but boat rentals are available throughout the week as well from our Front Desk. Pop by to pick up your paddles, life jacket and the key to a canoe, kayak or a SUP (if you’re not too scared of the cooler waters!)
4. Sample some vino.
Have you checked out our wine menu lately? We are proud to offer all local wines from the Similkameen Valley and Okanagan areas. Wine tastes great no matter what the weather is doing outside!
5. Stargazing
Our newest fall activity has been here the whole time – just look up! The cool, crisp days of autumn are a great time for stargazing. See more information about stargazing on our Manning Park Dark Sky page. Learn about our fall Dark Sky Discount by signing up for our mailing list, and don’t miss our first Astronomy Weekend from October 12-14th.
It’s just a quick weekend away in your backyard, with great accommodation rates and some great activities to do. Book your accommodation now!
Check out our new packages available with your lodge room:
The sunshine in the past few days have melted a ton of snow at Manning Park and that gets us excited for camping season! Are you itching to get outside?
We are busy getting the campgrounds ready for the season and are expecting that we will be able to open Mule Deer next weekend (May 5th-6th). We will advise if there’s any changes to this opening date. Please note that a boil water advisory will be in effect upon opening.
We are assessing the snow at Hampton and Coldspring and are hoping to open it later in May.There is still lots of snow in the Lightning Lake campground. Stay tuned for updates on Hampton campground!
Please note that Rhododendron Flats roadside attraction is now open. Some bridge maintenance at West Gate means that the opening will be delayed.
Thanks for your enthusiasm for the camping season and see you soon!
Campground reservation dates are as follows. If the campground opens earlier, sites are First Come, First Serve. Book your campsite at by calling 1-800-689-9025 or visit discovercamping.ca
There are some exciting updates from BC Parks planned for this year in E.C. Manning Provincial Park. We are happy to share some of the great news that BC Parks has announced:
Hampton Campground continues to get some incredible upgrades to complement the new wash houses that were installed last year. This May, plans are in motion to build a kid’s bike park as well as a playground. Now with expanded views, wash house and more sites, Hampton is proving to be a coveted camping spot!
Lone Duck group facility now has two beautiful, brand new shelters that were built last spring, as well as large wash sinks installed. The final touches will be completed this spring completing this project.
Buckhorn backcountry camp is being looked at for an expansion, with an upgraded shelter, similar to that of the Lone Duck campsite.
BC Parks has also unrolled their Student Ranger Program. This program will bring 6 student rangers to Manning Park to assist with trail maintenance.
Lots of plans are in place for maintaining and renovating trails. We are excited and supportive of the great efforts of BC Parks, as well as the Friends of Manning Park group that volunteers an incredible amount of work in the park!
If you want to get involved and help out with some of the work bees planned for this summer, contact the Friends of Manning Park Facebook page for more information.
Left to right: Murray Phillips, Michael of Canadian Ski Patrol, Kelley Cook, Tom Moore, Mark Weston (BC Parks), Heather MacDonald, Michele Drummond, Roger Bean, Mike Barker (Manning Park Resort)
This past Saturday, July 16th marked Canada’s Parks Day, and was the date chosen to celebrate the 75th anniversary of EC Manning Provincial Park.
Despite being in the middle of summer, the weather resembled the initial ceremony that was held on an overcast, chilly September 12, 1941.
An enthusiastic crowd turned out to visit the community booths, which held excellent displays of Manning history, local hiking and conservation groups and represented the Hope, Princeton and Chilliwack communities. Many past and present staff from BC Parks were at the event. To the delight of kids, Jerry the Moose also made an appearance.
Dignitaries who spoke of the heritage and continuing conservation of the park included Mark Weston, BC Parks and Protected Areas Section Head of the Okanagan, Kevin Demers, owner of Manning Park Resort, and Tom Moore, former BC Parks District Manager from 1963-1973.
Mayors of Princeton, Hope and Chilliwack graced the ceremony. The honourable Frank Armitage (Princeton), Wilfried Vicktor (Hope), and Sharon Gaetz (Chilliwack) spoke of the influence of the Park on their communities, as well as their personal experiences and memories.
The Honourable Mayor Frank Armitage presented Manning Park with a special photo of the band that played at the opening ceremony in 1941. It will hang in a place of honour in Manning Park.
A number of volunteers were recognized for their ongoing commitment to maintain trails in the park, as well as supporting the programs and activities that make Manning a special place. They were given the gift of the 75th commemorative painting for their efforts.
Those recognized for their volunteer efforts:
Tom Moore, former BC Parks District Manager and longtime Friends of Manning Park
Kelley Cook, Friends of Manning Park and Heritage Trails
Rose Schroeder, Backcountry Horsemen of BC (not pictured)
Heather MacDonald, Fat Dog 120 organizer
Roger Bean, longtime Friend of Manning Park
Jim Hilton, longtime BC Parks employee with 3 generations (his dad, Joe, then son, Jamie) working in Manning Park (not pictured)
Kelly Pearce & Hope Mountain Centre (represented by Michele Drummond)
Canadian Ski Patrol – Manning Park Team
Jo Hughes, Park interpreter and Manning Park Resort employee (not pictured)
There are many more that could and should be recognized for their continuing dedication to make Manning Park the incredible place that it is. Thank you to these individuals and all those they represent within their organizations and others who work to conserve and protect EC Manning Provincial Park.
Murray Phillips unveiled his commemorative painting – “On the Way to Three Brothers – Manning Park.” He spoke lovingly of the park that he grew up in, and of his honour to memorialize it with his beautiful painting depicting the Heather Trail, looking towards the Three Brothers ridge in the alpine meadows of Manning Park.
All who attended were welcome to get a poster of his painting, and he signed over 250 copies.
Posters are available from Manning Park Visitor Centre. The 75th commemorative painting is also available as art prints and giclée canvas for purchase in the Country Store. Profits go towards the interpretive programs that run in the park throughout the summer.
Thank you for joining us to celebrate this remarkable milestone! Here’s to another 75 years!
As Manning Park turns 75 this year, we want to celebrate by sharing stories of My Manning Memory. There is a huge amount of nostalgia and love for Manning that we want to draw out and to showcase your stories.
Let’s reminisce about that time you saw a bear munching grass on your hike, or when you were camping and thought you heard a wolf, your family (mis)adventures of canoeing, or your historical knowledge of the area!
Share 1 photo + 1 story (300 words or less) of your favourite Manning Memory, and get entered into the contest for great prizes!
Prizes generously donated by our sponsors include:
Valhalla Pure-Abbotsford -two awesome backpacks to give away- a Tempest and a Talon backpack from Osprey
Leave a Leaf -Maple leaf shaped hiking baskets (We love these!)
Coleman -Coleman inflatable 1 person kayak
Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning – One-day program for one lucky person
Mt. Waddington’s -gift card
Manning Park Resort – 1 night queen room lodge accommodation + groomer ride (Redeemable Winter 2016/17)
BC Parks -75th commemorative painting, t-shirts & more swag
Contest runs from May 21 to September 4th. Winners will be announced at the Final Interpretive program for summer season – September 4th.
You can see a list of winners after September 4th by visiting summer.manningpark.com/my-manning-memory or check our Facebook.
Manning Park Resort has officially resumed operations! The Resort, as well as many of the Provincial campgrounds are ready to welcome guests back, with increased precautions, cleaning and protocols surrounding COVID-19.
