This area of William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park, affectionately known as “Skunk Hollow”, spans 34.7 acres nestled along Silver Creek, just west of the Little Red Deer River.
Nearly all signs of the namesake of this park have long since disappeared, but the name Skunk Hollow lives on. The settlement of Skunk Hollow was established here after a fortuitous resource discovery in 1904. At the peak, about 75 people lived here in Skunk Hollow but after the two mines shut down in the 1920’s, the people left and the town was abandoned. Sometime after the settlement was gone, this area experienced new life as a popular campground. That too, was unfortunately not to last. What you see here is, I believe, the remnants of the old bridge to the campground.
In a controversial move, the County of Mountain View decided to decommission the campground after the flooding in 2005 (reportedly, not consulting with the nearby town of Water Valley), deciding it was too costly to rebuild the road (which continues east of here). By 2011 the remediated park opened, now called William J. Bagnall Wilderness Park.
Along the way, look for the piles of rocks along the side of the cliff that indicate where the old mine entrance was likely to have been. Apparently, the remains of an old "whiskey still" can be seen on the bank of Silver Creek to the west of the old Skunk Hollow Sign near the creek crossing (we coudn't spot it but that sign was erected many years ago and I assume the trees have grown up a lot since then).
Plan Before You Go
This is a wilderness park in a no service zone. Be prepared before you come out here and be aware of:
- Bears and other wildlife inhabit this park. Please follow all the rules of the park and keep dogs on a leash, carry bear spray, do not discard trash except in the appropriate receptacles.
- This area has many ecologically sensitive areas. Please stay on the pathways.
- Mark the location of your car before you enter the park and even take a photo of the map in the parking area.
- Make sure you understand the terrain and know your limits. The pathways are well maintained but it is a long climb back up.
Other Information
Mountain View County Parks
Mountain View Bear Smart
Alberta Bear Smart