Peterson Creek Park

Parks, Gardens, Trails

Welcome
This is a great family hiking and picnicking area located just off Columbia Street, near 6th Avenue. (Watch for signs to the Park) There are plenty of grassy areas, picnic tables and great hiking trails leading to the caves and the falls.

Peterson Creek has been used for drinking water, an irrigation source and as a drainage channel since the European settlers colonized the Kamloops area. The creek generally ran as an open natural channel of permanently running water until residential subdivisions were developed in what is now part of the downtown core community. The majority of the creek within the park is now buried in culverts and channelled in concrete waterways from Columbia Street to the Thompson River.

Peterson Creek Nature Park encompasses 423 hectares from Columbia Street to Highway 5A. The park offers a unique and natural creek corridor along with its surrounding terrain which is similar to that of Kenna Cartwright Nature Park. Some exciting attractions in Peterson creek include the Bridal Veil falls and a panoramic view of the park from some of the higher elevated trails.

The park offers a range of different landscapes from unique riparian areas to fragile dry interior grasslands. Some of the vegetation includes Arrow-leaved balsamroot, Wild rose, Horsetails and the Mariposa lily. The remaining area of the park is comprised of Black cottonwood, Trembling aspen, Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine.

Peterson Creek Facilities
Parking is available at the main entrance on Columbia Street, at Glenfair Drive. Secondary entrances are accessible through Summit Drive, Whiteshield Drive and Chancellor Drive.

Park information and a detailed park map are available at the Columbia Street and Summit Drive locations. Bear-proof garbage receptacles are available at the main and Summit Drive entrances.

Over 30 kilometres of gentle nature trails meander through the park. Trail difficulty ratings (largely influenced by elevation change) are indicated on the park map and at trail junctions in the park. Designated trails are indicated on the park map and in the field with trail markers at each junction. Aside from the Bridal Veil Falls Trail area, there are no technical or extreme trails found in the park.

Due to the large size of the park and exposure to the elements, come prepared with ample drinking water, sunscreen, good footwear, and proper attire for your trip. Trail distances are indicated on the park map. Distances are shown in meters from each trail junction. The average hiker can expect to cover about 2.5 km (2500 meters) in an hour. It is always a good idea to let someone know how long you plan to be in the park and notify them upon your return home.

Planning a class outing group, group hike, orienteering session of bicycle training course in the Park?

Commercial activities, group activities or sporting events held within the park are welcome but require advanced booking as well as a park use permit.

Logo Contact
Parks Operations
955 Concordia Way
Phone 250 828 3551
email parks@kamloops.ca

Note: All correspondence is entered into our system, and will be dealt with in due process. Please allow several working days for a response. Thank you.