Dutch Creek Hoodoos
Dutch Creek Hoodoos, BC (Photo by Steve Ogle)
Formed over thousands of years, these hoodoos offer a stunning view over an important wildlife corridor.
The craggy spires and rugged cliffs of the Dutch Creek Hoodoos Conservation Area are a sight to behold. Looking much like a child’s sandcastle, the hoodoos formed over thousands of years of glaciation and erosion.
The cliffs sit at the north end of Columbia Lake, in BC’s Rocky Mountain Trench in the territory of the Ktunaxa Nation and the Secwépemc (Shuswap Band). The trench is immensely important as a wildlife corridor. The Douglas-fir forest on the benchlands above the hoodoos provides prime habitat for many wildlife species, including mule deer and elk.
The hoodoos themselves harbour precariously placed nests for white-throated swifts and violet-green swallows, while raptors circle on the updrafts looking for prey. The conservation area is a popular walking spot for locals and visitors alike. A wellgroomed trail leads through the forest to the bench above the hoodoos. From the top of the cliffs, visitors are treated to a stunning panoramic view of Columbia Lake and beyond.
Map of Dutch Creek Hoodoos, BC (Map by Jacques Perrault)
Legend
-- Dutch Creek Hoodoos Trail
P Parking
Species to spot
- American badger
- black bear
- elk
- golden eagle
- mule deer
- sharp-shinned hawk
- violet-green swallow
- white-throated swift
This story originally appeared in the spring 2023 issue of the Nature Conservancy of Canada Magazine. To learn more about how you can receive the magazine, click here.
