Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
Othello Tunnels and river
Map showing the location of Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
Map showing the location of Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
Location in British Columbia
Map showing the location of Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
Map showing the location of Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
LocationHope, British Columbia, Canada
Coordinates49°22′13″N 121°22′07″W / 49.37028°N 121.36861°W / 49.37028; -121.36861
Area159 ha (390 acres)
EstablishedMay 15, 1986
Governing bodyBC Parks
Websitebcparks.ca/coquihalla-canyon-park/

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, popularly called the Othello Tunnels is a provincial park located near Hope, British Columbia focused on the canyon of the Coquihalla River and a decommissioned railway grade, now a walking trail, leading eventually to Coquihalla Pass. Originally part of the Kettle Valley Railway, five tunnels and a series of bridges follow a relatively straight line through the gorge, which is lined with sheer, flat rock cliffs.

History

The park was established by Order-in-Council as the Coquihalla Canyon Recreation Area, then upgraded and renamed with full provincial park status in 1997, at 151.3 hectares (374 acres) in size. It was expanded to its current 159 hectares (390 acres) in 2004.

As of May 2015, the tunnels were reopened after having been closed for over a year due to rockfall concerns.[2]

During the 2021 Southern British Columbia floods, the rising waters of the Coquihalla river combined with debris to cause flooding in at least one tunnel section, and destruction of much of the approach trail from the park’s main access point.[3]

In the media

The park's rock cliffs and relatively close distance to Vancouver has resulted in many popular movies being filmed there. First Blood, Shoot to Kill, Far from Home: The Adventures of Yellow Dog, Cabin in the Woods and War for the Planet of the Apes were all filmed in Coquihalla Canyon.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Protected Planet | Coquihalla Canyon Park". Protected Planet. Retrieved 2020-10-27.
  2. ↑ "Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park". BC Parks. Retrieved 2015-05-14.
  3. ↑ "What remains of the Othello Tunnels after the B.C. storms?". Pique Newsmagazine. Retrieved 2021-12-03.
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