E. C. Manning Provincial Park

Monument 78/Castle Creek Trail

Rating: Moderate

Length: 12 km one way

Elevation Change: 200 m

Time: 4 hours

Starting of Trail: Monument 78/83 parking lot.

Upon leaving the parking lot the fire access road remains level for the first 1 km. After crossing the first bridge, which spans the Similkameen River, you reach a fork in the road. The Monument 78 trail is to the right.

By taking the left fork a short side trip can be made to Boyd's Meadow. Keeping to your right and shortly after crossing the Similkameen River the trail crosses the Chuwanten River. From this point the trail gently climbs through a beautiful Lodgepole Pine forest. At 3 km you come to the Monument 78/83 junction, stay right for Monument 78.

From this point you will travel on a new trail constructed in 1996. This construction was a project funded by Forest Renewal BC, a program initiated to provide training to unemployed forestry workers. At 4 km the old trail is rejoined and is followed for the rest of the hike to the monument.

Further along at 5 km, looking to the left you can see where areas of the hillside were logged in 1972. These logging licences were granted prior to the parks creation. As the trail follows Castle Creek up through the valley bottom you will see Windy Joe Mountain. and Frosty Mountain to your right and Mt. Winthrop, in the United States, to the left. Looking ahead Castle Peak can be seen in the distance and at 8360 ft it is a prominent summit in the Cascade range.

Once the camp is reached Castle Creek provides a refreshing break. If you are looping back on the Pacific Crest/Windy Joe trails this is where you cross Castle Creek. If you are camping here, leave your packs for the .5 km walk to the monument. Just out of camp you will witness what enormous destructive potential an avalanche has. The snow slide occurred during the winter of 1996/97. The monument is reached shortly after crossing the slide area. Monuments are erected at locations along the Canada/United States boundary to indicate the boundary crossing.

From here the Pacific Crest Trail continues over 4000 km through the United States to the Mexican border. Inside the monument you will find hikers notes telling of adventures and experiences along this magnificent trail.

E. C. Manning Provincial Park - Driving Tour Page.

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