iN VIDEO: Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk near Revelstoke worth a stop

Stopping to stretch your legs is an intrinsic part of long distance travelling along the Trans-Canada Highway in the Southern Interior, especially when it is hot out or the kids are fighting in the backseat.

The well-worn corridor connects the Lower Mainland to the Alberta border and beyond, and thankfully, there are rest stops, hiking trails and heritage sites along the way.

A very unusual stop is Skunk Cabbage Boardwalk trail about 25 kilometres east of Revelstoke. It isn’t visible from the highway and indicated by an easy-to-miss sign.

Located in Mount Revelstoke National Park and maintained by Parks Canada, the swampy site has a 1.2 kilometre trail of boardwalk and dirt trail that weaves through giant-leaved skunk cabbage.

The cabbage blooms in May, when its ‘aroma’ smells of skunk.

The trail goes over creeks and under shady stands of cedar trees, dotted along the way with interpretive signs about wildlife and viewing platforms.

Eventually the walkway ends at the edge of the Columbia River.

For those who just want to rest, the parking lot is surrounded by a large green space with picnic tables, and there are washroom facilities onsite.

Go here for more information.