Park overview
F.H. Barber Park is approximately 1 km west of Laidlaw and comprises of 5 hectares of Fraser River floodplain bordering Jones Creek, the CNR tracks and the Fraser River.
This class “A” provincial park was established in 1978 and is one of the two major public accesses to the Fraser River between Chilliwack and Hope. The park is situated in coastal Western hemlock biogeoclimatic zone with vegetation representative of the undisturbed Fraser floodplain. Black cottonwood, broadleaf maple and red alder are interspersed with red cedar and western hemlock. Salmonberry shrubs form much of the dense understory.
Many bird species frequent these treed areas along the Fraser. Semi-precious stones, including agate, jadeite and jasper may be found among the cobbles and boulders deposited along the shoreline.
Advisories
Special notes
Access to the park:
Park access from Highway 1 is limited by private property. The CN Rail tracks that run between the park and Highway 1 are signed “no trespassing” by the property owner. Currently the best access to avoid trespass is via a series of 3 m by 2 m diameter culverts that travel under the railroad tracks located 450 m east of the informal parking area alongside Highway 1.
Alternatively, another access option is to travel along the bank of Jones Creek under a train bridge, which is located approximately 650 m east of the informal parking area alongside Highway 1. For more information on CN Rail access restrictions, please visit the company’s website at www.cn.ca or 1-888-888-5909.
F.H. Barber Park is approximately 1 km west of Laidlaw, just west of Hope.
Learn more about this park
Park details
- Date established: October 4, 1978
- Size: 8.5 hectares
Nature and culture
Reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples
BC Parks honours Indigenous Peoples’ connection to the land and respects the importance of their diverse teachings, traditions, and practices within these territories. This park webpage may not adequately represent the full history of this park and the connection of Indigenous Peoples to this land. We are working in partnership with Indigenous Peoples to update our websites so that they better reflect the history and cultures of these special places.