KISKATINAW PROVINCIAL PARK, B.C.

Kiskatinaw Provincial Park, British Columbia is located 5km off Highway 97 on the Old Alaska Highway. Located at mile 20 of the Alaska Highway, it is 28km north of Dawson Creek. The main attraction at the park is the Kiskatinaw River Bridge.

During the 2nd World War, there were threats of the Japanese invading Alaska which was the result of building the Alaska Highway. 11,000 troops endured extreme conditions to build the 1520 mile highway would connect Alaska to Canada and the United States that began at Mile Zero, Dawson Creek. At the Kiskatinaw River, mile 20 on the original highway, a hairpin turn forced the construction of this very unique bridge. Engineers developed this 534 foot (162.5 metres) long wooden bridge that is sloped and has a 9 degree curve to conform with the bend in the highway.

Construction of this wooden bridge took 9 months to complete and was the 1st curved wooden bridge to be built in Canada. There are few that still remain. The Canadian Corp who were contracted to build the bridge, camped in the area, and later became the Kiskatinaw Provincial Park which now contains an area of 58 ha. Kiskatinaw in Cree means "cutbank" and had been labelled "Cutbank River" on early maps. The bridge had a maximum 25 tonne capacity which restricted the load of many oil and gas companies coming into the aree in the 1970's. In 1978 a new road was built that by-passed the Kiskatinaw Bridge.

Kiskatinaw River flows along the east side of Dawson Creek, then bends north around the town toward the park and onward to the Peace River. Fishing for pike and bull and rainbow trout is available.

Vehicles still cross the Kiskatinaw Bridge. This picture shows the extreme curve of the wooden bridge.

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