Kimberley Nature Park
Hiking and Biking

There are many trails to explore in the Kimberley Nature Park. Some are old roads, some are footpaths, hand-built by volunteers. We do our best to maintain the trails but you will encounter occasional deadfall and wet and rocky sections. You are using the trails at your own risk so please be careful. If you come across some blowdown or erosion please report it to us by email or phone 427-5404. To get a better understanding of the risks involved in hiking and biking in the Nature Park, have a look at our Hazard Page.  Nature Park Trail Guides which contain a detailed topographical map of the Park and much other Park information are available at a number of outlets in Kimberley for $3.00.

Trans Canada Trail Update

In the fall of 2005 the KNPS learned that the Trans Canada Trail (TCT) Committee was considering a new route for the trail through southeastern B.C. which would bring it through Kimberley and likely the Kimberley Nature Park. We do not yet know exactly how the trail would run through town or where it would enter the Park but we are very excited about the possibilities.  One of our members, Ross Banner, has put together a background report on the TCT and you can download it here.

 

NOTICE

We are currently experimenting with updating sections of the map electronically when trails are rerouted for various reasons (logging in Forest Crowne for example). You can try to download a piece of the trail guide showing the new Duck Pond Trail route by right clicking on the link below, selecting the "save as" option and then opening the saved image with your image software (Photoshop, etc). If you have access to a colour printer, you can print the image, cut it out and tape it to your existing trail guide until the next edition is printed. Since all this is somewhat dependent on your hardware and software being compatible with ours, we will be somewhat surprised if it works. Let us know if it does.

Download New Duck Pond Route

 

The Nature Park welcomes people with dogs (and dogs with people) and there is no requirement to keep your dog (or person) leashed while traveling in the Park. However, wildlife comes first, so please don't let your pets chase animals and stress them out.

All of these trails are currently open for mountain biking. Please bike with caution and be aware that around the next corner there could be a family out for a hike. Also remember that some of the trails are steep and that mountain bikes can create real erosion hazards when the tires skid downhill.

Some of our trails are used by the Kimberley Volksmarch Club. To learn more about Volksmarching and how to participate in local events, visit the Volksmarch Page.

Here are a few nice routes to get you started; feel free to explore the rest of the trails as well. If you would like to see some pictures of these areas before you visit them have a look at our Park Virtual Tour page.

Eimer's Lake

Eimer's Lake is just over 1/2 kilometre from the Park's Higgin's St. entrance. Take the right fork at the Elbow Road/ Eimers Road junction and watch for the sign to the lake on your right. A small path takes one around the lake and across two small footbridges to a sphagnum bog meadow filled with labrador tea. Watch for trout jumping in the pond, and painted turtles sunning themselves on logs.

 

 Duck Pond Loop

Notice: Due to Logging in Forest Crowne this loop is no longer passable.

Starting at the Higgins St. entrance the Duck Pond loop is a 5 1/2 kilometre walk past Eimer's Lake to 4 Corners, along Duck Pond Trail, around Duck Pond on Keiver Way and back the Apache Trail to Elbow Road and Higgins St.

The walk is gently uphill most of the way to 4 Corners and gently downhill the rest of the way with a short steeper section on Keiver Way. Look for moose by Duck Pond and Devil's Club along the creek on the Army Road.

 

Dipper Lake

Start at the Kimberley Alpine Resort Nordic trails and hike through that area to 5 Corners. (The Spruce-Trapline (2.5 km.) are the most direct route.) At 5 Corners you enter the Nature Park on the Rockslide trail and follow that for 1.3 km. to Dipper Lake. Just before the trail reaches Dipper Lake it forks and the Shannon Trail heads left. A few metres along this trail a viewpoint looks down on the lake.

In the spring, Dipper Lake is full of water, but by late summer it is a grassy meadow with a small pond at the east end. Look for ducks, frogs and western skinks at the lake and enjoy the view from the talus slopes that the rockslide trail crosses on its way there.

 

Mary's Lunchroom

Starting at the park entrance on Swan Avenue this hike follows the old Army Road for 5 kilometres to Mary Scribe's old picnic site and bird feeding station. At the top of the first uphill climb take the Ponderosa Trail to avoid the gravel pit and then stick to the Army Road the rest of the way. Gradual uphill on the way in and downhill coming back. For those more adventurous souls that don't want to retrace their steps, follow the Army Road past the Lunchroom to Jimmy Russell Road and a little ways along it look for the Whitetail Trail sign on your left. Whitetail Trail parallels the Army Road back to near 4 Corners but is a narrower trail with some wet spots. It does take you into to some wonderfully dark stands of old growth and is worth the effort.

 

Myrtle Mountain

Starting at the Higgin's Street entrance, hike past Eimer's Lake and up the hill to the junction with the Lower Army Road. Follow it to Four Corners and onward to the intersection of the Mountain Mine Road and Higgins Hill. Turn left on the Mountain Mine Road and follow it past the resting bench to the top. The highest point of Myrtle Mountain is out to the left and affords some great views of the St. Mary's Valley and the Rocky Mountain Trench. The top of the hill is fairly open so feel free to explore. There are some traces of early mining exploration to be seen and the northeast slope straight above Four Corners was once home to the Kimberley Ski Hill. Don't forget to bring a water bottle. The round trip distance is just over 8 kilometres.

 

Around Myrtle Mountain

Notice: Due to logging in Forest Crowne a new section of Duck Pond trail will be built in spring 2004 to keep this loop open.

This 10 kilometre walk around Myrtle Mountain follows a variety of old roads and narrow paths and includes some rocky and wet sections. Start at the Higgin's St. entrance and hike past Eimer's Lake to the Lower Army Road. Follow this road past 4 Corners and Mary's Lunchroom till it meets Jimmy Russell Road. Walk down Jimmy Russell for about 1/2 a kilometre and watch for the South West Passage heading up and to the left. About 400 metres up this trail the new Skid Road trail takes off downhill to the right. This new trail avoids the steep and wet sections of the old Skid Road and drops gently eastward to join the Duck Pond Trail. Turn left on  Duck Pond Trail and follow it past Duck Pond up towards Myrtle Junction. Fifty metres before the Junction, turn right on the Pat Morrow Trail and follow it till it rejoins the Army Road.  Retrace your route on the Army Road and Eimer's Road to the entrance at Higgins St.

 


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