Around the Rim of the Peterson Creek Canyon
On a windy spring day we hiked a loop route through Peterson Creek Park, staying as close to the canyon rim as we could. We crossed the creek on a side trail and followed a single track on the east side of the canyon that we call the East Rim Trail. There are a few interesting trees on the slopes above the canyon, like this ponderosa Pine. The single track winds down to the narrowest part of the canyon (the falls). From the area above the falls we have views north to the highway bridge, Kamloops, and the North Thompson River Valley. The best viewpoint of Bridalveil Falls is along the lower part of the trail as it heads down to the bottom of the gorge. We hiked all the way to the bottom, then back up the other side. Arrow-leaved balsamroot was flowering on the side slopes by April 9th. More wind-shaped trees grow on the western slopes of the canyon on the way back up. This up and down route is only 4.4 km, but is a scenic route, one we do twice a year (and have been doing it for 45 years). We will be back again in the fall.