Keremeos Columns Provincial Park, Provincial park in Similkameen Valley, Canada
Keremeos Columns Provincial Park is a 20-hectare backcountry park about 10 km north-northwest of Keremeos, in a side valley of the Similkameen Valley near Highway 3A. No official roads enter it. The mainly hexagonal basalt columns it is named for stand on a high cliff just outside the park boundary, visible from within the park. Douglas-fir and bitterroot grow in the park.
The park was established on 31 July 1931, among the ten oldest provincial parks in British Columbia. Long before European settlement, the Lower Similkameen, part of the Okanagan peoples, used the area for hunting and fishing. The basalt columns themselves cooled from lava more than thirty million years ago and stand on a cliff just outside the park boundary.
The park lies in the traditional hunting and fishing grounds of the Lower Similkameen, a division of the Okanagan (Syilx) peoples, who used this side valley of the Similkameen Valley long before European settlement. The park's name comes from the basalt columns on the cliff just outside its boundary.
The park is accessible via Highway 3A and requires preparation for hiking on steep, dry terrain. Bringing plenty of water is essential, as shade and water sources are limited throughout the area.
The park contains seven distinct habitats within a small area, including grasslands, riparian zones, and rocky outcrops. This diversity makes it an important refuge for species that struggle to survive in surrounding landscapes.
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