Valhalla Provincial Park

The park exists largely because of a long conservation campaign. The Valhalla Wilderness Society, founded in 1975 and led by Colleen McCrory, campaigned for protection for about eight years by the Society's own account, while other writers describe a longer decade-long struggle with forestry interests in the Slocan Valley; the Kootenay Mountaineering Club also advocated for the park. The result was one of the best-known grassroots park campaigns in British Columbia. The park is classed as IUCN category Ib, a wilderness area. Published area figures vary slightly between sources, at roughly 49,900 to 50,100 hectares.

The terrain climbs from the lake to high, jagged peaks, so a single day's hike can pass from low-elevation forest of western red cedar and western hemlock through subalpine forest to alpine terrain. BC Parks notes that Evans Lake and Beatrice Lake are unusually large for high-elevation lakes in the province. Evans Lake Ecological Reserve lies inside the park. Wildlife includes grizzly and black bears, mountain goats, mule and white-tailed deer, cougars, golden eagles and alpine ptarmigan.

BC Parks notes pictographs that point to early Indigenous presence along Slocan Lake, and the land lies within the traditional territories of several First Nations. Prospectors and surveyors arrived in the 1850s, and Slocan Lake later became a commercial route linking early Kootenay towns; remnants of logging flumes can still be found. The nearest community is Slocan, reached by Highway 6, with other lakeshore villages at Silverton and New Denver.

There are no through roads into the park interior. BC Parks describes access by water, forest industrial roads or trail, with public boat launches at Slocan, Silverton and New Denver giving access to trailheads and lakeside sites. Hiking trails range from short walks to wilderness treks and mountain climbing, and the area around Gimli Peak is popular with climbers. Camping is only permitted at designated sites along the Slocan Lake beaches and trails. Swimming is allowed but there are no lifeguards, and higher-elevation lakes are stocked, with a BC fishing licence required.

In the Gimli area, mountain goats are habituated to people and drawn to urine, so BC Parks asks visitors to use the backcountry toilet and the food cache. Pets are restricted to a few lakefront sites and trails and must be leashed. Trails are under snow in winter.

• Conditions here change quickly, and BC Parks has posted closures of campsites and trails along Slocan Lake after wildfire, so check the BC Parks page, closure orders and the trail conditions report before planning any visit.
• Services are in the lakeshore villages rather than inside the park.
• For a private tour, Voyzo provides a private vehicle and driver with door-to-door pickup, which suits a drive up Slocan Lake and a visit to a lakeshore access point; backcountry hiking and camping are done on your own account and depend on current conditions.