Rivers of Canada - Beaton - Clearwater - Columbia - Fraser - Murray - Parsnip - Pine - Peace - Yukon

Parsnip River
near Bear Lake and
Prince George

The Parsnip is150 miles long (240 km). It rises in the Rocky Mountain Trench of central British Columbia near Monkman Provincial Park, and flows NE to join the Finlay River at Williston Lake. There they form the Peace River, a key trade route explored by Sir Alexander Mackenzie (1793). The river derived its name from the abundance of wild parsnips which grow along its route. Map of river area below shows access via airports and highways..

Click for map

 

Owen: time off for relaxation
Scouting the river before departure
More about the Parsnip River.

In 1968, the area's northern valley was flooded to create the Williston reservoir. when the Bennet Dam was built at Hudson's Hope.


Photo Credits: Ken Bird, Calgary, Alberta, Canada