Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area is northwest of Kamloops, rising from the Thompson valleys through grassland communities to forested hills. BC Parks says nowhere else in western North America are these grassland communities found in such close proximity.
The protected area was established in 1996.
Lac du Bois Grasslands is a major grassland, canyon, cliff, pond, and wildlife landscape close to Kamloops. Spring comes early on the lower hot, dry slopes, while upper grasslands and forests reach full bloom later, with balsamroot and brown-eyed susans washing the hillsides.
Visitors can hike everything from easy grassland strolls to strenuous hill routes. Most trails are unsigned, so BC Parks says a good map is essential. The Dewdrop Range trail rewards effort with views over Kamloops Lake, the Thompson Valley, and distant mountains, while the Mara Trail is an interpretive 3.5-kilometre loop overlooking Kamloops Lake and the Thompson River.
Wildlife viewing may include California bighorn sheep and mule deer at Dewdrop cliffs, waterfowl around potholes, lakes, and ponds, and more secretive species such as rattlesnakes, sharp-tailed grouse, and flammulated owls.
Plan around hiking, Mara Trail interpretation, Dewdrop Range viewpoints, grassland wildflowers, wildlife viewing, cycling on established trails or roads, hunting in season, snowshoeing, and careful photography.
Bring drinking water and tread lightly on fragile grasslands. Wood ticks are abundant in the grasslands in spring. ATVs and four-wheel drives are prohibited inside the protected area, and parking is limited on roads.
