Minnekhada Regional Park

Minnekhada Regional Park is a peaceful nature sanctuary located near the Pitt - Addington Marsh Wildlife Management Area.

Before starting your walk, take a look at the board next to the parking lot and feel free to grab a map of the park if they are available.

Walk along the path a short distance towards the first fork and take the trail on the right called the Lodge Trail. Five minutes later, continue right at the next fork and the first views of the lower marsh can be seen. A few more steps and the trail emerges from the trees along a dike that offers a scenic view of the area. Watch for Wood Ducks, beavers, and other wildlife that make their homes in this protected marshland.

Continue along the trail as it circles around the southwestern edge of the marsh before reaching a picnic area. The viewing platform offers another vantage point of the entire area.

From the picnic area, take the Fern Trail as it heads back into the forest and gradually uphill for the next 2.7km. Approximately 25 minutes later, you reach a sign which points to Addington Lookout to the right. If you have time, this is a nice viewpoint, however, if you are short on time, save your energy for the High Knoll viewpoint.

Turn left at the fork and walk up a few short switchbacks before continuing through the forest. After another 15 minutes, a sign points to the Low Knoll on your left. Take this detour for a beautiful view of the marsh below.

Retrace your footsteps back to the main trail and turn left at the sign. At the bottom of a short hill, the trail forks. Go right and continue your walk as you make your way towards the High Knoll. 15 minutes later, you come to the fork that points to the High Knoll off to the right. The High Knoll is only a short distance from here, however, the trail is much steeper than any sections you have passed thus far.

Follow the trail as it makes its way uphill before eventually flattening out and ending at an amazing viewpoint. Facing south, the view from the High Knoll overlooks the Lower Marsh and the Pitt River as it flows past farmland below. On a clear day, Mount Baker in Washington is visible.

After soaking in the view, retrace your steps back downhill towards the fork and turn left, heading in the same direction you came. Watch for a fork in the trail a short distance later on your right and follow that.

Continue downhill through the forest of Cedars and turn right onto the Mid-Marsh Trail after the bridge. This trail weaves around rocky outcrops in sections as it descends towards the marsh. 15 minutes or so later, you exit the trees and cross the dike dividing the upper and lower marsh areas.

Cross the dike and head back into the forest on the other side to a fork in the trail. Go left a short distance and then take the Meadow Trail on the right as it weaves through the trees and eventually exits back onto a main trail. A few more steps and you are back at the parking lot where you began.