Pinecone Burke Provincial Park is a vast expanse of untamed wilderness that includes part of the traditional territory of the Katzie First Nations people. This 38,000-hectare park is the largest of the Lower Mainland Nature Legacy Parks, situated south of Garibaldi Provincial Park and west of Pitt Lake, the largest fresh water tidal lake in North America.
There are many interesting features in the park, including Widgeon Slough, the largest freshwater marsh in southwestern B.C., Widgeon Lake, the largest hanging lake in the North Shore Mountains, and Meslillooet Icefield, Vancouver’s closest glacier. The park’s landscape consists of old-growth forests, several alpine lakes and rugged mountain terrain.
Pinecone Burke is an important protected habitat for many animals, including endangered tailed frogs, great blue herons, Vaux’s swifts, Huttons’ vireos, shrew moles and Pacific jumping mice. The park is also home to the black-tailed deer, mountain goat and grizzly bear.
Even though the park is underdeveloped and access is difficult, people recognize the park’s recreational potential and are drawn to the area. The park offers hiking, back-country camping, rock climbing, fishing, swimming, skiing and snowshoeing. Visitors should be well prepared and experienced in navigating though rugged wilderness. There are only a few established hiking trails throughout the park.
There are three main camping areas:
Burke Mountain
Wilderness, backcountry or walk-in camping is allowed, but no facilities are provided. Several of the Burke Mountain trails climb up the ridge on to the Burke Mountain plateau where there are several lakes.
Widgeon Creek
Widgeon Slough and Widgeon Valley are accessible by canoe. Canoes or kayaks can be launched from Grant Narrows at the south end of Pitt Lake, and paddled through Widgeon Slough. Paddling time is approximately 2hrs to reach the Widgeon Creek Camp site. There are about six designated sites. Overflow camping is available on the grassy areas around the camping area. Pit toilets and Garbage facilities are currently provided.
Pitt Lake
Camping facilities are provided at Defrauder Falls on the West shore of Pitt Lake, and Osprey Creek, and Raven creek camping areas are located on the East coast of Pitt Lake.
The Five Fingers alpine area north of Widgeon Lake has been a popular destination for rock climbing enthusiasts since the early 1920s. Fishing the park’s numerous lakes is possible, as the lakes contain salmon, cutthroat trout, steelhead trout and Dolly Varden.
Access to Pinecone Burke Provincial Park is difficult, as there is no main central entrance point into the park. Burke Mountain can be accessed via old logging roads and trails from Port Coquitlam. Access is at the end of Harper Road to Munro and Dennett Lakes and Burke Ridge. This area is also accessible via Coast Meridian Road, Apel Drive (which becomes Victoria Drive), and Quarry Road. Widgeon Slough and Widgeon Valley are accessible by boat only. Canoes or kayaks can be launched from Grant Narrows at the south end of Pitt Lake and paddled through Widgeon Slough. From here an old logging road leads up the valley to where a trail branches off for Widgeon Lake.
West Pitt Lake, including DeBeck Valley is accessible by boat. An old logging road extends from the mouth of the creek to a point approximately one quarter of the way up the valley. An intermittent trail leads over the pass to Boise Valley. Boise Valley and Pinecone Lake are accessible by boat via the north end of Pitt Lake where a logging road leads to a trailhead. This area can also be accessed from the west via logging roads in the Mamquam and Indian River Valleys.
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