Salmon work their way upstream at Adams River.
(JENNIFER STAHN / iNFOnews.ca)
August 14, 2014 - 8:19 AM
KAMLOOPS - People are already making plans for the return of millions of sockeye salmon to Adams River this fall, including the Adams River Salmon Society, B.C. Parks and Tourism Kamloops.
Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park is undergoing upgrades, forcing the closure of the day-use area and main parking lot adjacent to the entrance at the intersection with Eva Road as well as the lower hiking trails below the Squilax-Anglemont Road bridge until further notice. The park entrance and Raft Pullout parking lot at the Adams River bridge remain open to the public.
The improvements are expected to be complete in time for the salmon run festival Oct 3-26, at which point the Raft Pullout parking area is closed to vehicle use. Roadside vehicle parking will also not be permitted during the festival.
The Salute to the Sockeye festival will see vendors, displays and information booths set up throughout the three week event with an opening ceremony set for Oct. 5. The new viewing platform will also be open in time for the festival.
Meanwhile Tourism Kamloops is reporting more than 6,000 website visits specific to the salmon run as well as inquiries at the visitor centre. Tour operators from the Asia Pacific region has also been inquiring about the salmon run. About 30 million sockeye made it to the area during the last dominant year in 2010 and there could be even more this time around.
The Upper Flume Trail is also closed because of poor bridge conditions. Plans are being hammered out to repair or replace the damaged parts in the near future but there are currently no plans to have it reopened in time for the festival.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Jennifer Stahn at jstahn@infonews.ca or call 250-819-3723. To contact an editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.
News from © iNFOnews, 2014