Top Bridge Park is one of Parkesville’s jewels. It is highlighted by its suspension bridge spanning the English River. The bridge opened in 1999 and is used by visitors who often stop to enjoy the view of the Englishman River from the suspended bridge. It is a great place to view salmon spawning. The park and the Englishman River are a local swimming hole. There are plenty of cliffs to leap from just below the bridge.
Another of the park’s secrets is the petroglyphs, keep your eyes open when you are exploring the river, you can see 3 of these First Nations petroglyphs along the banks of the river. Think of this as a quest the next time you visit the park. See if you can find them.
The trails here are pretty awesome for walking and biking, and the views that present themselves are phenomenal. As you wander along, look into the side channel passages and see if salmon are spawning, sometimes it’s incredible to watch them darting about the swimmers.
Some of the trails here are long and challenging, like the trail that connects to Rathtrevor Provincial Park via an easy 5 km trail, this is a pretty cool walk. Or you could hike a 10 km trail that takes you to the Englishman River Regional Park, another great hike.
The Top Bridge Mountain Bike Park can be accessed from the trails in the park. There are trails for all skill levels. The bike park is located in the trail system on the Chattel Road side of Top Bridge Park. Hikers can enjoy these trails; just watch out for speedy mountain bikers.
The Englishman River is home to several fish species, including salmon and trout. Expect to see steelhead during the winter. During the late summer, look for pink and sockeye. And expect to see chinook, coho, and chum in the fall.