Five walks along the rivers in Prince George

Two big rivers meet in the middle of Prince George, and the city has done a good job of keeping their banks open to everyone. The Heritage River Trail System strings together about 9.2 km of mostly flat paths along the Fraser and Nechako, with parks, wetlands and history along the way. Here are five walks, from a 20-minute stroll to a half-day ramble.

A quick safety note before you go: both rivers are cold and fast, and the banks can be undercut. Stay on the trails, keep dogs leashed and check the rivers dashboard in spring, when high water can close low-lying sections. Portions of the trail along the Nechako have been closed at times, so check the city’s trail page first.

1. Cottonwood Island loop

Distance: about 2.2 km loop · Surface: paved, dirt and gravel · Good for: families, big trees

Cottonwood Island Park is a 32-hectare floodplain forest on the Nechako, close to where it meets the Fraser. The loop crosses footbridges and weaves among towering black cottonwoods; in late spring their fluffy seeds drift through the air like summer snow. Keep an eye out for the wood carvings tucked into the trees, and for views across the water to the Nechako cutbanks, the pale cliffs that are the city’s signature landmark.

Add-on: the Central BC Railway and Forestry Museum is right beside the park.

2. Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park riverside

Distance: 1 to 3 km, as you like · Surface: paved paths and lawns · Good for: history, picnics, views

This is the site of the Lheidli T’enneh village and the 1807 Fort George trading post. Walk the paths along the Fraser and look across the river at the silt bluffs: layers of ice-age gravel topped by a pale band of fine sediment from the bottom of a vanished glacial lake. Our explainer Why Prince George sits in a bowl tells that story.

The park has gardens, playgrounds, picnic spots and The Exploration Place museum. Please walk respectfully near the Lheidli T’enneh cemetery within the park.

3. The Heritage River Trail, end to end

Distance: about 9.2 km · Elevation change: under 10 m · Good for: a longer walk or easy bike ride

For the full experience, walk the whole system. It links Cottonwood Island Park, Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park, the Hudson’s Bay Wetland and Carrie Jane Gray Park, following the Nechako and then the Fraser. Along the way you will find interpretive signs, benches, picnic tables, canoe launches and seasonal washrooms.

Tips:

• Park at one end and plan a return route, or split the trail into two shorter walks.
• It is almost entirely flat, which makes it one of the most accessible long walks in the city.
• Early morning and evening bring the best light and the most birds.

4. Hudson’s Bay Wetland

Distance: about 1.8 km · Good for: birdwatching, a quiet half hour

Tucked beside the Fraser, this small nature park protects a riverside wetland rich in birds and plants. Interpretive signs explain what you are seeing. Spring and fall migration are especially good, when ducks, songbirds and raptors pass through the river corridor. Bring binoculars.

5. The Centennial Trail connection

Distance: your choice · Good for: linking the river to the rest of the city

The Centennial Trail loops around the bowl, connecting Lheidli T’enneh Memorial Park and the Heritage River Trail with Moore’s Meadow, the UNBC connector trails, Carrie Jane Gray Park and the Hudson’s Bay Wetland. Walk a section from the river toward the west side of the city and you will climb gently from the floodplain onto the old river benches that most of Prince George is built on. It is a great way to understand the city’s layout on foot.

Seasonal notes

• Spring: high water in May and June. Some low sections may flood; check first.
• Summer: long evenings, with daylight past 10 p.m. around the solstice. Bring bug spray.
• Fall: late September is peak colour, when the cottonwoods, aspens and birches turn gold.
• Winter: many paths are walkable with good boots or ice cleats; some sections are not cleared.

More to explore

• Parks and trails in Prince George
• Geography and rivers
• Glacial Lake Prince George