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Birgit Sharman photos
Brooks Falls, Monkman Cascades
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Birgit Sharman photos
Dinosaur track
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Birgit Sharman photos
Kinuseo Falls
DCIM\100MEDIA
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Birgit Sharman photos
Shipyard Titanic
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Birgit Sharman photos
Tarns and Towers
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Birgit Sharman photos
Triassic fish Albertonia
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Birgit Sharman photos
Whatley Range
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Birgit Sharman photos
Windfall Lake
Story by Trent Ernst, Photos by Birgit Sharman
It’s hard to believe that, in this day and age, there are still places that have not been explored here in North America. Sure, there may be some tiny island in the middle of the South Pacific that has never seen a human before, but here? Yes, and Tumbler Ridge, BC is one such place. Just an hour’s drive from the start of the Alaska Highway, you can still find places that few, if any, people have ever been to before. One such place is known as Triple Jump Falls, a trio of 6 to 10 m (20-30 ft) cascades, on an unnamed creek northwest of Tumbler Ridge. It’s just one of a dozen new waterfalls, caves and other geological features that have been discovered in the last few years within the boundaries of the newly designated Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark, and like many places in the Tumbler Ridge region, access is still by bushwhacking.
But that is changing, as more people discover the region, and as a dedicated group of locals build trails and interpretive signage to the many destinations in Tumbler Ridge. Ranging from easy hikes to dinosaur trackways, to epic week-long hiking trips through some of the most spectacular scenery the area has to offer. But it’s not just hiking. Within the boundaries of the Geopark, you’ll find mountain biking, fishing, jet boating, ATVing and, in the winter, snowmobiling and skiing. Wait. ATVing and snowmobiling? Yes. While most national and provincial parks are closed to motorized recreation, Geoparks celebrate the geological significance of an area without inhibiting people’s ability to get out and explore the area however they want, and Tumbler Ridge is considered one of BC’s top snowmobiling destinations.
While the idea of Geoparks is popular internationally, in North America they are relatively unknown. There’s only one other in North America, Stonehammer, found in New Brunswick. Elsewhere in the world, there are 111 Geoparks in 32 different countries, from England to Australia to China. The designation is given to areas with globally significant geological heritage and history. This includes both the natural history — the mountains, waterfalls, caves, and rock formations — and also how humans have impacted the land, and the sustainable use and need for natural resources, like coal, something else Tumbler Ridge is known for.
One of the most impressive features to be found here—or anywhere—is Kinuseo Falls, an impressive torrential cliff of water, which is (locals will proudly point out) taller than Niagara Falls. Access to the falls is via a rough gravel road (leave your RV’s in town) or by jet boat (tours can be set up at the local Visitor’s Centre). If you drive, the viewing platform for the falls is a few hundred meters down an easy gravel trail. There are dozens of other waterfalls in the Tumbler Ridge area. Hikes to these falls range from a few hundred meters to a few kilometers.
If waterfalls aren’t your geological cup of tea, then perhaps you’d be more interested in the area’s paleontological history. In the last decade, the area in the Tumbler Ridge Global Geopark has seen some of the most important Dinosaur discoveries in Canada, from the world’s first Tyrannosaurus trackway, to a wealth of other fossils and dino footprints. And while some areas feature fossils from one historical epoch, the fossils around Tumbler Ridge span a broad range of history. This has led to the creation of the Dinosaur Discovery Gallery. Here you can see tracks, fossils, re-creations, and for the more adventurous, a guided tour to visit an existing trackway by lantern light (1 km return easy).
Other popular hiking destinations include: the Flatbed Pools dinosaur tracks (4 km return), Teepee Falls Trail (6 km return, easy), the Boulder Gardens (various, moderate) and many, many more.
If your preferred mode of off-road travel has four wheels, an engine and requires a helmet, Tumbler Ridge is an ATV’ers paradise, including the ever-popular route to Onion Lake. The newly formed Grizzly Valley ATV club is working with the Geopark committee to create maps and signage. In the meantime the local Visitor Centre can give you directions to places like Mount Clifford and the Redwillow area.
If you are into paddling, the Tumbler Ridge area offers everything from easy paddles around the local lakes (Gwillim, Bearhole, and more) to some challenging whitewater. One of the most popular paddles is a grade II/III float down the Murray River from below Kinuseo Falls to the townsite (which can be done in one long day) or from the townsite to where the Murray flows into the Pine near Chetwynd.
Whether you travel by foot, by water or by ATV, the Tumbler Ridge area is an explorer’s paradise.