Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park |
|
---|---|
IUCN Category II (National Park)
|
|
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park
|
|
Location | Central Kootenay, British Columbia, Canada |
Nearest city | Nelson, British Columbia |
Area | 32,035 ha (123.69 sq mi) |
Governing body | BC Parks |
Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park is a very old park in British Columbia, Canada. It was created in 1922 to protect its amazing natural beauty. The park covers a large area of about 320 square kilometers (124 square miles). You can find it in the Selkirk Mountains in the West Kootenays area of BC.
This park is special because it has three main glaciers: Kokanee, Caribou, and Woodbury. These huge ice formations feed more than 30 high-mountain lakes. These lakes are the starting points for many creeks that flow through the region.
You can get into the park using five different roads. These roads were first built for mining and logging. The closest towns are Nelson, Ainsworth, Kaslo, and Slocan City. Most visitors come from Nelson and Kaslo.
Protecting Kokanee Glacier Park
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a global group that works to protect nature. They have given Kokanee Glacier Park a special status called "Category II protected area." This means it is managed like a national park, even though the provincial government of British Columbia runs it. This category helps make sure the park's wild nature is kept safe for the future.
Grays Peak: A Famous Mountain
Grays Peak is a very noticeable mountain inside the park. It was named after two brothers, Robert Hampton Gray and John Balfour Gray. Robert Hampton Gray was a hero who received a special medal called the Victoria Cross. Grays Peak is also famous because its picture is on the label of Kokanee beer.