Last Camping of the Season

We planned to go to Bridge Lake Provincial Park for our last camping trip this season, but the weather forecast was for rain and then our friends came down with covid.  So we decided to head for drier country. We snagged the best campsite in Steelhead Provincial Park (overlooking the lake and the end of the row).

We walked down to the river; the water was very low.  We'd never seen so much beach.

There were lots of gaillardia blooming on the beach.  Some with the typical brown-eyed Susan coloring but more that were pure yellow.

There were not many birds around but we did see lots of yellow-rumped warblers and a few common mergansers in the river.

The next morning we drove into Kamloops and hiked in Kenna Cartwright Park.

The rabbitbrush is blooming!

We had great views over the city and the 2 bridges across the Thompson.

In this closeup you can see the remains of the old red bridge which just burnt down a few days earlier.

Our friends Rick and Margaret stopped by on their way home from Summerland and snagged the site next to us.

We had a great fire for roasting hotdogs and a great view down Kamloops Lake.

And there was a spectacular sunset.

The next day we drove back to Kamloops and hiked in Kenna Cartwright Park again, this time starting at the trailhead by Home Depot.

We like the trails on this side better.  

Great view of the pulpmill.

After Iour hike we stopped for lunch at the Noodle Box.

 

Back in Savona at sunset we went for a walk at the campsite and discovered that the park extends to the other side of the highway and follows down the Thompson River.

The road is blocked off and appears to lead to an traditional fishing area for the local First Nation.  They put up many signs encouraging us not to continue any further.  There's also a trail that leads up to the mountain on the left of this photo.

We turned back; it was getting dark anyway.