NORTHERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 650

Summit Lake
This intensely blue lake 140 kilometers (87 miles) west of Fort Nelson is a popular stopping
point for travelers. It lies at the north end of 25,691-hectare (63,480-acre) Stone Moun-
tain Provincial Park, a vast wilderness at the northern reaches of the Rocky Mountains.
Named for the predominantly stony nature of mountains that have been folded and faul-
ted by massive forces deep below the Earth's surface, the park is predominantly above the
tree line. For super-fit hikers, the best way to appreciate the landscape is by hiking the
2.6-kilometer (1.6-mile) Summit Peak Trail, which ends in a treeless alpine area a strenu-
ous 1,000 vertical meters (3,300 feet) above the trailhead; allow at least two hours each way.
The trailhead is on the north side of the highway, across from the campground. Much easier
is the 2.5-kilometer (1.5-mile) trail to Flower Springs Lake, nestled in alpine peaks south
of the highway. Allow one hour each way. The trailhead is three kilometers (1.9 miles)
along Microwave Tower Road, which turns south at the café.
The park extends to the highway at Summit Lake's eastern end, and here you'll find
an exposed campground (no reservations, May-mid-Sept., $16) with pit toilets and picnic
tables.
Muncho Lake Provincial Park
Lying among mountains and forested valleys at the north end of the Rocky Mountains, this
86,079-hectare (212,700-acre) park surrounds stunning Muncho Lake, one of the scen-
ic highlights of the Alaska Highway. The magnificent, 12-kilometer-long (7.7-mile-long)
body of water is encircled by a dense spruce forest, which gives way to barren rocky slopes
at higher elevations. Around three kilometers (1.9 miles) beyond the north end of the lake,
natural mineral licks attract Stone sheep and woodland caribou to a roadside quarry. In the
vicinity, a hiking trail leads to an escarpment above the Trout River; allow 20 minutes to
walk the 1.5-kilometer (0.9-mile) loop.
At around Mile 463 of the Alaska Highway, the small community of Muncho Lake
spreads out along the eastern banks of the lake, providing services for park visitors.
Spread along the lakeshore, M Northern Rockies Lodge (250/776-3481 or 800/663-5269,
www.northernrockieslodge.com , $159-199 s or d) has a variety of accommodations, while
a huge common room with a stone fireplace and towering cathedral ceiling brings it all to-
gether. Choose from rustic cabins or more comfortable rooms in the main lodge, or park
your rig at a lakeside campsite ($42-58).