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Blanket
Creek
Provincial Park
Blanket Creek Provincial Park is located on Hwy 23, approximately
30 km (19 miles) south of Revelstoke
and 82 km (51 miles) north of Nakusp.
It involves a ferry crossing from Galena Bay to Shelter Bay across
Arrow Lake.
Domke
Homestead
Blanket Creek is on the site of the old Domke homestead and farm,
an early fruit-producing orchard pioneered in the 1940s. The area
was later developed as a park and campground with the creation of
a reservoir caused by the damming of the Columbia River near Castlegar.
You can view signs of the heritage homestead, including rock walls
and abandoned fruit trees, on a 2 km (1.3 mile) nature trail found
near the campground.
Campground
The camping found at Blanket Creek Provincial Park includes a 63-site,
vehicle-accessible campground of which 51 sites are reservable.
The campground offers a mixture of campsites situated in treed areas,
making them fairly private, and sunnier, less-private sites that
are more in the open grassland. For people with large RVs, there
are no drive-through campsites.
Park
Facilities
The facilities at the campsites include a picnic table, a gravel
area for tents, a fire-ring, and a combination of flush and pit-toilets.
Drinking water is available and firewood can be purchased from the
park operator. Dogs and other animals must be kept on a leash. There
is a dog-walk trail near the day-use area that goes towards the
reservoir on the Columbia River. For a small fee during the season,
there is an RV dump/sani-station open near the entrance to the park.
Sutherland
Falls
A short hike in the park takes you along Old South Road to a rocky
outcrop and the 12-metre (40 feet) high Sutherland Falls. About
a 5-minute walk from the parking lot, the falls are formed by Blanket
Creek flowing over a rock shelf. Along the walk to the falls, there
are some nice scenic views. A word of caution, there are signs posted
warning people not to attempt hiking down to the small pool below
the falls or to try kayaking, swimming, diving, or jumping in it;
it can be extremely dangerous and many people in the past have been
hurt trying to attempt these things.
Swimming
Lagoon
The park features a man-made lagoon that warms up nicely during
the summer months and serves as a very popular swimming hole for
kids to play in during the summer. The lagoon is about 60 metres
(198 feet) in diameter, surrounded by a sandy beach, and is situated
near the day-use area. There is also a children's adventure playground
with monkey bars, swings, and a slide right next to the swimming
lagoon. As with all BC Provincial Parks, there are no lifeguards
present.
Revelstoke
If you require provisions, the closest and best place to go is into
Revelstoke. Here you can find two large grocery stores, the Southside
Market, a Save-On-Foods, a Pharmasave drug store, restaurants, fuel
stations, and liquor stores. Revelstoke also has a hospital if you
require medical attention. Just off Hwy 23, in the small community
of Big Eddy, you can also find fuel, a convenience store, a neighbourhood
pub, and, if required, an RV Park.
Bear
Country
Just remember if you are enjoying the provincial parks and the countryside
around British Columbia, please remember this is bear country. Try
to avoid the rivers during heavy salmon spawning times unless you
feel comfortable with bears around and take the usual precautions.
There is also the possibilities of encounters with wolves or cougars
so please play it safe.
BC
Parks
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Blanket Creek
Provincial Park
Arrow Lake Reservoir
Campground
Sutherland Falls
Swimming Lagoon
Blanket Creek
Campground
Homestead Trail
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