Reinecker Creek | A Long Hike With History
Wooden trail post at a main junction of Reinecker Creek and Upper Margaret Falls
Shuswap Adventure Girl
Our Experience…
“Better hike next time!” …. Was the funny comment coming from Jen when we finally made it back to our vehicles. It was Jen’s first time out hiking with us in a while and boy, did we show her! At least we can make some funny jokes and some good memories. Reinecker Creek Trail has been on our to-hike list for a few seasons. After finally getting to it, I’m not really sure why! It was a very pretty forest and we did get some good exercise, and the mushroom selection was actually quite impressive. The trail is also very well maintained and the history of nearby Herald Provincial Park is so interesting. But we felt our journey on the trail was soooooo long and it didn’t really have any great moments or views or excitement. It felt like it just went on and on and on.
I was secretly hoping we would see a bear just to jazz it up a little. The dogs jolted off after a squirrel which was kind of exciting. Ok, I didn’t really want to see a bear but we also didn’t see the real point of this trail for us. Perhaps it would be better as a mountain bike trail? Or perhaps we should have just continued on with the Upper Canyon Loop and enjoyed that beautiful hike instead! Now we know.
We set out after we dropped the kids off at school and did the East Reinecker Creek Trail which was about 12.6 km all said and done. It took us nearly 4 hours going at a moderate pace with a few shortstops. For 3 of those hours, my two-year-old was not happy at all, lots of crying. She also wouldn’t ride in the pack so I carried her most of the way in my arms which were burning with pain and about to fall off! Thank goodness for good friends and fellow mommas because they also carried her, giving my arms a breather.
The trail basically rambled through a nice diverse forest. You could hear Reinecker Creek below but couldn’t really see it or interact with it much. There were a couple of little bridges and boardwalks with one decent creek crossing that was a highlight for the two-year-old.
We took the first crossing which is called the south crossing. You could also choose to take the longer upper north crossing route adding approximately another 10km, however, we read that the crossing bridge was closed. Thank goodness it was closed and we didn’t ramble further! You can also continue on through to White Lake. What an adventure that would be! Apparently, that is an unmarked trail so way-finding skills would be of necessity.
Once we finally made it back to the vehicles we had a laugh and invited Jen to please give us another chance so we could bring her on a little more enjoyable and exciting hike next time!
At the South Crossing of the trail, ready to make the long loop back
Shuswap Adventure Girls
One of the well-maintained boardwalks on the Reinecker Creek trail
Shuswap Adventure Girl
Reinecker to Margaret Falls
Reinecker Creek flows through a deep and narrow canyon made of limestone before thundering over, forming Margaret Falls. This is an extremely impressive sight in the springtime when run-off is at its peak! Margaret Falls is a beautiful and renowned canyon walk through an impressive and fairytale-like old-growth forest, covered in the rich greens of mosses and ferns. It is certainly a favorite place to frequent and a must-do for visitors!
A Brief History Of The Reinecker & Herald Family
As quoted from BC Parks website:
“Shuswap Homestead Life: In the late 1800’s, Dr. Herald, a young Vancouver physician, realized his health was suffering from the wet coastal weather and decided to settle in the Shuswap area. In the fall of 1905, he bought this farm from the Reinecker family. The Herald family grew tomatoes, potatoes, onions, raspberries and apples. They also grew grains to feed ten Jersey cows. One year spoiled milk was dumped on the vegetable garden, and the result was a 360-pound pumpkin! The Heralds sold any surplus produce in the town of Canoe, a short trip across the lake (a good road did not reach the farm until 1954). They shipped some produce, like raspberries, by rail to Calgary.
Family Life: Dundas and Edith Herald prospered and raised three children: Jessie, James and Arthur. They were educated at home and took piano lessons. (A piano was brought in from Alberta, shipped by rail to Canoe and across the lake by scow, then hauled up the hill). Jessie, the oldest child, lived here all her life. She loved animals and compiled a list of over 70 species of birds that she saw on the farm. The Herald family sold the 66 hectare farm to the government of British Columbia in 1975 and it became Herald Provincial Park.”
Herald Provincial Park, BC Parks, date accessed Nov 18, 2020 http://bcparks.ca/explore/parkpgs/herald/hiking.html
*Please note: this blog entry was meant to be humorous and my personal views and opinions of the trail! I never have the intention of implying that the work of volunteers and trail developers/maintenance is not extremely important or appreciated. Nor that the significance of a trail in our area isn’t worth exploring. We all said we would do it again.
Category: long loop
Kid-friendly: Yes but long
Distance: 10-20 km, 4-8 hours
Directions from Salmon Arm: Travel west on the Trans- Canada for about 15 km, turn right on Sunnybrae-Canoe Point Rd and follow for approx. 11 km to the Margaret Falls parking lot on the left.
Hikers: leave the parking lot and head down the trail towards the Margaret falls trail and continue past to the wooden stairs. Take the wooden stairs upwards and start your journey here. Follow the trail for 1.4km to East Reinecker Creek Trail junction.
