Discover Manning Park

Wildflower meadows, forests and mountains

In the heart of the Cascade Mountains, Manning Park offers alpine wildflower meadows and plenty of ways to make the most of nature and outdoor activities on your vacation. E.C. Manning Park is home to 206 bird species and 63 mammal species. If you’d like to spot wildlife, head to Beaver Pond, one of the best places in the park for wildlife viewing. These numbers and this special viewing spot give your stay a clear connection to nature, alongside hiking and water activities.

The trails also vary considerably in length. Options range from 15-minute walks to six-day backcountry hikes. This lets you plan your days around the length of hike you have in mind. One specific option is the Lightning Lake Loop: this 9 km round-trip hike starts either at the Lightning Lake Day Use Area or at the Spruce Bay parking lot. Both trailheads are named, so you can factor your choice of starting point into your day’s plans.

For longer hikes, the Pacific Crest Trail runs through the park from the Windy Joe parking lot on Gibson Pass Road to the US border. If you’d rather get around by bike, North Gibson offers mountain biking. Dewdney is designated as a horse trail. These different ways to explore appeal to different interests, without making any one type of park visit the focus.

Lightning Lake and winter activities

You can canoe, kayak, swim and fish at Lightning Lake. Canoes, kayaks and small boats are available to rent in the day-use area. The lake offers several different ways to spend your time: head out on the water, go swimming or make a day of fishing. This can help you decide what matters most when looking for a vacation rental—for example, a vacation where time at the lake complements your hikes.

There are also a variety of activities for winter days. Trails in E.C. Manning Park lead into the backcountry for ski touring, and there are groomed cross-country ski trails as well. The Polar Coaster is a snow tubing park in Manning Park. Ski touring, cross-country skiing and snow tubing offer different ways to enjoy a winter stay. So if you’re looking for a vacation rental in Manning Park, you can start by considering whether your vacation will focus mainly on hiking, water activities or winter sports.

Educational evenings are held throughout the summer at the Lightning Lake Amphitheatre. The “Learn to Fish” programs also start there. These activities add opportunities to learn and explore to the outdoor recreation options. The trail on Windy Joe Mountain leads to an old fire lookout tower, while Hope Pass was the historic trade route from Hope to Princeton. Both places add a historical perspective to your visit, distinct from today’s recreational activities.

Finding your way around the vast park

E.C. Manning Park stretches 58 km from portal to portal, and Highway 3 runs through the entire park. This size is an important factor when planning your trip: consider each of the hikes, viewpoints and activities mentioned as a separate destination. A paved, winding road leads to Cascade Lookout. The E.C. Manning Park Visitor Centre is 1 km east of Manning Park Lodge and offers maps and information about camping and other activities.

The park map and information at the visitor centre can help you find your way around the park’s options. This lets you look for a vacation rental that suits your own ideas for a vacation, without assuming specific accommodation features based on the range of activities available.

More location pages

You can also explore the location pages for Oliver, Tulameen, Okanagan Falls, Kaleden, Hedley, Princeton, Cawston and Summerland.

For the broader travel overview: Okanagan-Similkameen.