A small hidden gem on Koura Road just west of Highway 305, Meigs Park is one of my favorite places for private walks. This 120-acre wetland park contains a complex system of ponds, bogs, and old-growth spruce, big leaf maple, fir, and alder, as well as invasive scotch broom and blackberry. Beavers, owls, hawks, and water birds live in this delicate water habitat that runs along and below the highway. The park contains a short network of relatively undeveloped dirt and grassy trails, but future plans include construction of a boardwalk and interpretive viewing area. Walking gets muddy in winter, and the highway traffic noise can be intrusive, but the complex wetland topography and occasional wildlife sitings make Meigs Park a worthwhile place to visit. Look for trees gnawed by beavers, which leave tell-tale wood chips on the ground.
Check out the large old rusted gate in the shape of an owl catching a mouse along the main path. One lucky New Year’s day evening at dusk I had the good fortune of seeing a real barred owl swivel its head 280 degrees to watch me pass by. Dogs are welcome but are best kept on leash to protect wildlife.
Trailhead: A parking area is located on the south side of Koura Road, next to Highway 305.
Photos by Julie Hall, 2011.
I think there’s something wrong with the RSS feed here. Seems like a missing link to me?
Does anyone know anything about the shacks at the south end of the Meigs Park trail? Are they occupied? Am I trespassing if I walk this far?
There was someone living in one of them for a while this winter. But I think they are vacant now.