Manning Park Resort has officially resumed operations!

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.

May Long Weekend Operations

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 Boathouse opens 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.

Happy May Long Weekend!

(May 13, 2019)

Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

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Top 5 Things to Do in Fall at Manning Park

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:

Bed & Breakfast Package

Romance Package

6 Ways to Beat the Heat

Looking for some respite from the 30+ degree weather? Find some solace in the cooler alpine temperatures at Manning Park! We’ve got lots of adventurous ways to cool off and cold treats for every taste!

  1. Can you possibly get a more refreshing lake to swim in than Lightning Lake? This alpine lake is fed by snow run-off which means it stays cool and refreshing through the summer. We are not kidding – it’s cold! If you can’t take the dip, just getting out on the water by canoe, kayak, stand-up paddleboard or rowboat will cool you down!
  2. Chill your taste buds with ice cream. We sell ice cream treats at the Boathouse all day long, or get your favourite ice cream scooped at the Bistro. We also have iced coffee and milkshakes available at the Bistro.
  3. We are cooler just because of where we are! By virtue of being at a higher elevation, the temperatures are cooler than in the valleys, and the breeze is fresh. Our day temperatures are forecast to range between a comfortable 26-29 degrees in the next few days. Night temperatures drop down to a pleasant 13 degrees tonight. Ahhhhhhh. Enjoy!
  4. Hike to find the last patches of snow on Mt. Frosty. Climb the highest peak in Manning Park to get astounding views of the area, where snow still lies on the ground. You may get really hot on the way up, but once you find the snow, a snowball fight will cool you down!
  5. Embrace the sunshine and have an ice cold beer on the patio at the Pinewoods Dining Room. Relax under the shade of the umbrellas with a selection of your favourite brews from Old Yale Brewing, and great eats to accompany it!
  6. Take a cruise on the newly paved Highway #3! Whether you’re in a sportscar, on a motorcycle or using “4WD a/c” (Four windows down air conditioning), the smooth pavement is a delightful way to blow your hair back.

Air quality in the park is looking good and clear – check the Boathouse webcam to see what the conditions are like on the lake: http://summer.manningpark.com/webcam/ 

Tell us – what’s your favourite way to cool down in the heat?

Wherever you are at this weekend, travel safe, stay hydrated, don’t forget the sunscreen and have fun! 

 

“My Manning Memory” Photo + Story Contest

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What’s Your Manning Memory?

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.

See full contest details here: http://summer.manningpark.com/my-manning-memory/