A recent addition to the wonderful work that the Nature Conservancy of Canada does, the Napier Ranch Conservancy is a grasslands preserve on the bench above Trapp and Napier Lakes,  south of Kamloops.   Visitors on foot are welcome to explore the tract of land, “treading lightly” and respecting grazing cattle on the hillside.

• Napier Lake Ranch (NCC site)

Turn off the highway at the posted sign on Highway 5A and drive up the winding dirt road to the parking area.

Access gates have been provided to walk along the double track.   In spring, the grass was still growing up to its full height.

The old homestead is still standing just above the double track heading north.

The main route goes north, but the property also extends west.   There are sections of Crown land on the bordering west side and north sides, but check the map provided on the NCC page for land status.   A good route goes north, staying on the bench close to the highway, a 7km return hike.   There are a few trees in the gullies. and one gully had running water in it (from Brigade Lake?) in June.

The hillside to the west is a beautiful grassland slope.

On the east side, views extend down the highway to Napier Lake.

Where the grasses haven’t been grazed , they were chest-high in early June.

North of the property is some Crown land and across the valley are the East Trapp benchlands.

It is a great privilege to have access to this grassland environment and visitors are asked to go on foot and leave nothing but footprints.

Our thanks to the Jackson family and the Nature Conservancy of Canada for their stewardship of these lands.   I will be bringing my grandchildren out for a nature walk in the grasslands in years to come.