Nairn Falls Provincial Park will remain open for winter, thanks to funding from the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) and Tourism Pemberton.
At the SLRD's Nov. 9 electoral area directors meeting, directors approved $4,000 from the SLRD Area C select funds to cover some of the costs for plowing the popular provincial park's parking lot, located just south of Pemberton on HIghway 99.
Tourism Pemberton will cover the remaining $2,000 of the estimated $6,000 needed to keep the parking lot clear during the season.
Nairn Falls staying open during the winter for day use was first successfully piloted in the 2020-21 winter season. The pilot came as the number of people illegally parking on the side of the highway to access the park became an increasing safety concern.
The provincial park staying open through the winter also enables local cross-country ski programs to continue operating in the area.
“Tourism Pemberton has been working with BC Parks since 2021 to provide safe access to Nairn Falls Provincial Park, a wonderful community amenity,” said Tourism Pemberton vice president Mark Mendonca, in an email, adding that BC Parks has declared the project is no longer a pilot program.
“During the winter season, snow in the main parking area caused locals and visitors alike to park on the highway in order to access this beautiful park. This was a dangerous situation reminding us of the problems we had at Joffre [Lakes Provincial Park],” Mendonca said.
“This year, we would like to thank the SLRD and area director Russell Mack for their contribution. Tourism Pemberton now shares the financial responsibility with the SLRD to provide snow clearing, safe access to the park, and, of course, to the groomed cross-country trail.”
The park will follow the same rules and hours as last year’s pilot project. There will not be any overnight parking allowed in the day-use area, and if overnight parking occurs, BC Parks will return to a closed-gate operational model.
The public is welcome to access the groomed ski tracks in the provincial park for cross-country skiing only, and the walking trail to Nairn Falls will also remain open.
Walkers are requested to stay off the groomed ski tracks at all times, follow signage, and stay on designated recreational access trails to avoid damaging the Nordic trails.
Highway parking continues to be a problem for nearby provincial parks closed for the winter season.
One example is Brandywine Falls Provincial Park, south of Whistler, where more than a dozen automobiles regularly park in front of the park's closed gate. Currently, BC Parks has not announced any additional plowed parking pilots.
"Brandywine Falls Park remains open during the winter months, but parking or vehicle access into the park is not provided," a spokesperson with the provincial Ministry of Environment and Climate Change Strategy said in an emailed statement.
"The two primary locations for pick up and drop off are along Highway 99 and via the CalCheak Forest Service Road. People can also access the park via the Sea to Sky Trail system. Due to public safety concerns, the Ministry of Transportation prohibits parking outside the gate and will be enforcing this throughout the winter months."
At Joffre, meanwhile, the province is conducting snow clearing as part of the Visitor Use Management Strategy in collaboration with Lil’wat and N’Quatqua Nations, the spokesperson added.
Nairn Falls Provincial Park is a popular attraction 20 minutes north of Whistler, within the boundaries of the Village of Pemberton. The provincial government created the 170-hectare park in 1966.
The park is connected to Pemberton via the One Mile Lake Trail and will soon be fully connected to the rest of the Sea to Sky Trail to Whistler.
Learn more about the provincial park here.
