E.C. Manning Park is one of our favorite places to visit. We fell in love with the area early and it was the location of our wedding back in 1996. Since then we have visited the park several times and have done reviews on the sites at Lightning Lake and Coldspring Campground.
One of the biggest attraction of Manning Park is hiking, and we have done our fair share. The other top attraction is the lake and the amazing views from the water. We are lucky enough to own kayaks and when we visit Manning we always paddle up the lake and under the Rainbow bridge.
The day use area has a boat launch with a large drop off loop that saves you packing your kayak, SUP or canoe across the parking lot. This is a very busy spot so arrive early to secure parking.
Manning Park Day Use area offers canoe and kayak rentals for those who do no have their own. I highly recommend this activity. A couple of hours allows you enough time to paddle to the end of the lake and back. If you have a bit longer, then pack a picnic because there are spots to stop along the way. It is a chance to get out of your boat and take a break for a swim and lunch. The lake winds do kick up so keep that in mind when planning your trip back.
The water just on the north side of the Rainbow bridge offers a fun viewpoint to watch kids jumping into the lake (at least on warm days). Just south of the bridge the water gets shallow, but you can get through a narrow channel: its worth the short wait because the south side of the lake opens up to provide a less busy, very scenic paddle. It’s a Canadian wilderness lake feeling that the rest of the world travels thousands of kilometers and pays thousands of dollars to come experience.
Camp That Site: Enjoy BC with the right site the first time 
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