Hemer Provincial Park - Nanaimo
Date: Sunday, January 29
Meet: parking lot at east end of Hemer Rd - parking limited, easily room for about eight cars, suggest car pooling - A car pool is available from the Duncan Library parking lot, leaving at 9:20 am sharp.
Time: 10am
Costs: None
Washrooms: Sani-Can units about 100 meters inside gate
Walking Conditions: There are approx 11 km of good wide walking trails (14-16 ft wide) for the majority of the park, trail rises 20 to 30 ft in elevation from parking lot, with other slight elevation changes through out the park
Directions: driving time from Duncan approx 40 minutes, distance approx 46 km. Head north from Duncan on Trans Canada Hwy for approx 35 km. Turn right Cedar Rd just before 2nd light north of Ladysmith. Travel approx 10 km on Cedar Rd and watch for Hemer Park sign. Turn right onto Hemer Rd and continue to the end of the road and the Hemer Park parking lot approx 1.2 km.
Cautions: wind; if it is a windy day we will not enter the park, we will proceed to Maffeo-Sutton Park in Nanaimo
Features: an old forest with lots of decaying trees, some larger trees (cedar and fir); large pond/marsh plus large lake (Holden Lake); large viewing platform at marsh edge; old farm buildings can be accessed and are in a state of disrepair, no real trails around buildings
Photo Opportunities: possible ducks, geese, herons (many can be seen at once if not overly disturbed), trumpeter swans, bald eagles, turkey vultures, otters, beaver, tiny brown birds and more; ferns, moss, lichen
Post Trip Review (coffee): TBA