The trip to the Golden Lakes and Fall Creek Pass are only recommended for parties experienced with off-trail navigation and route finding. Victor. Good maps and advanced planning are required to stay on route. Spirea Trail has a sign post to the right and is the first trail you'll see. The Golden Lakes are in bear country. Cathederal Grove: MacMillian Provincial Park: Lower Seymour Conservation: North Vancouver, Easy, views, dog friendly (leashed), kid friendly. The road now deteriorates and narrows. The pass is located atop a broad ridge on the Continental Divide. As you proceed along the lake views open to southeast trending valley to the east of Lake 10,322. This pretty, isolated valley behind Mt. Passes can only be booked on the day of arrival. From the pass enjoy fine views of Dennis Lake and the high peaks towering above the Middle Fork Bull Creek Valley to the north. Backpackers heading north/northwest on the Fremont trail wishing to visit Lake Victor and Hay Pass should turn right (north) at the junction on the Hay Pass Trail. Due to its length, the day hike to the pass is best done from a basecamp at Lake Victor or along the North Fork Canyon. Mount Robson : Berg Lake Trail Mount Seymour : Upper mountain trails including the Seymour Main Trail, Mystery Lake Trail, and Dog Mountain Trail. Webcams Mon 08 Mar 9:01 PM MST. This trailhead is remote, so be sure to have a full tank of gas. Despite waking up to a very unexpected rainy August day, everyone was excited for our first outing with Healthy By Nature to the Lower Falls Trail in Golden Ears Provincial Park. There is a wood sign at the intersection pointing toward the Big Sandy trailhead. The Hay Pass Trail, an excellent side trip off the Fremont Trail, traverses the western shores of Lake Victor and then ascends the beautiful North Fork Canyon to scenic Hay Pass on the Continental Divide. The call came in at approximately 5:30 p.m. that the hiker had fallen on the popular Lower Falls trail. After about a quarter mile the path starts descending on moderate grades through meadows along the slopes above the east side of Dennis Lake. Lower Falls Trail-East Canyon Parking Lot: Golden Ears Provincial Park Trail Key: Easy-moderate, hills, view, dog friendly (leashed), kid friendly, creek crossings, one steep section Elevation: 100 meters/5 km's Dogs: Yes; leashed Pit Toilet: yes-trail start/end & Lower Falls Hiking Checklist: Backpack, poles, 10-essentials, tell someone Directions: Make your way to Maple Ridge and Golden Ears Provincial … Cross the outlet stream and travels around an arm extending west from the lake. Golden Ears Canyon Loop (4 hour RT, 12km, 185m EG) Viewpoint Trail (3 hour RT, 4km, 250m EG) Eric Dunning Trail (2 hour RT, 2.4km, 200m EG) Incline Trail (2 hour RT, 2.4km, 150m EG) West Canyon Trail to Alder Flats (4 hour RT, 11km, 280m EG) East Canyon Trail (4 hour RT, 11km, 273m EG) DIFFICULT TRAILS . Just before reaching the creek the trail turns left (northwest) and briefly descends along the west side of the creek. Open Lifts. Campsites are located above the south and eastern shores. The undulating trail along the west side of the lake wanders through meadows strewn with rock slabs and winds between outcroppings scattered with trees. Mount Victor (12,254-ft.) and Europe Peak (12,259-ft.) tower above the head of the valley. See All. Here the trail drops down to and crosses the North Fork of Boulder Creek. Along the way enjoy an amazing display of wildflowers in the well-water meadows. Round Top Mountain dominates the view to the northwest. When you are done taking in the views, retrace your steps to your campsite. Soon the creek drops very steeply down a rocky slope. Below, to the south, views open to Lake 11,045. Follow the road for 0.8 miles to the trailhead parking area, equipped with an outhouse. Cross the outlet stream and then climb over a low knoll. There is a fork in the trail to Lower Falls with an orange marker labeled "3.11" fixed to a narrow tree stump. After the first 3.0 miles the road will turn into Skyline Drive/Forest Service Road 370740. The trip can be extended into an interesting loop that descends an old, unmaintained trail from Hay Pass to the Golden Lakes. You will cross over a few bridges early in the hike. Victor harbors Glacier Lake, worth a side trip if time and energy permit. Reach a small creek flowing out of a pond to the northwest of the trail at 3.3 miles. I only recommend this route for experienced backpacks that are comfortable with off-trail route finding. Park visitors will need to set up an account on Discover Camping to reserve a day pass. Behind you the peaks towering above the west side of North Fork Canyon fill the skyline. At 4.0 miles the trail curves to the right (north) as it breaks from the trees, ascending on easy to moderate grades through meadows scattered with willow-thickets and conifers. Even on a moody day the views were spectacular. As you climb views open to Round Top Mountain (12,048-ft.) and a ridge of 11,000-ft. peaks rimming the west side of the canyon. Turn left on the Lander Cutoff Road. Beyond the knoll the trail heads southwest, descending a meadow-clad draw on easy grades. condition-snippet 1. After climbing for about 0.6 miles you will reach a lake basin atop a bench. Distance: 5 KM. Return to Segment 5: Valley Lake Junction to North Fork Lake, Go To Segment 6: North Fork Lake to Bell Lakes Junction. Ahead the trail drops down the slopes along the lake’s eastern shore, bound for the Golden Lakes. To the south the summits and lakes of the North Fork of Boulder Canyon dominate the view. The dirt road become slippery when wet. Once you arrive in Golden Ears Park, follow the road to the end and look for signs to the Gold Creek Day Area. For Father’s Day, Kasturi and Shilpa coordinated a hike at Golden Ears. Thunderhead Cam. The opening shot is the old growth forest on Vancouver Island. 9:00am: Pick-up at the Bank of China (1025 Dunsmuir St) 9:20am: Pick-up at MEC Vancouver (130 West Broadway) 11:00am: Yoga session at North Beach . The route to Fall Creek Pass ascends the east side of this stream. After crossing the creek the trail turns left (northwest) and travels up the east side of the North Fork Canyon, ascending through meadows and scattered trees. If you need to satisfy that appetite after a day at the falls, visit Billy Miner Alehouse & Cafe (http://billyminer.ca) in nearby Maple Ridge. As you proceed fine views open to Mount Quintet (11,922-ft.), Douglas Peak (12,192-ft.) and neighboring unnamed peaks towering above the Middle Fork Bull Lake Valley to the north/northeast. Easy trail and beautiful scenery. Turn left (southeast) and travel around the east side of the lake to its outlet stream, Fall Creek, at 0.8 miles. After 15.5 miles you will notice signs referring to the road as the Big Sandy-Elkhorn Road and after 18 miles the paved road will change to a good packed dirt/gravel surface. A detour off the Hay Pass trail travels up a scenic, secluded valley to Glacier Lake nestled in alpine meadows beneath the north ridge of Mt. If Hay Pass is your destination, I recommend leaving the trail and continuing north along the ridge crest above the lake’s eastern shore. You can get there by searching “Golden Ears Parkway” in Google Maps Unfortunately the wet meadows also produce a large number of mosquitos and flies. After walking a little over a mile the grade abates as you will reach a bench. Lower Falls Trail, Maple Ridge: See 12 reviews, articles, and 6 photos of Lower Falls Trail, ranked No.9 on Tripadvisor among 19 attractions in Maple Ridge. The trail is primarily used for hiking, running, and nature trips and is best used from May until October. The last section of the road has some holes and uneven spots. As you near Lake 10,322, the trail swings to the left (northwest), climbs a knoll and then drops down to the lake’s outlet stream at 4.8 miles. Ascend south/southwest along the east side of the creek, climbing on moderate to moderately steep grade through trees and then meadows scattered with willow thickets. Be sure you have insect repellent! From the junction, follow the Fremont Trail back to your starting point or head north along the Fremont toward Bald Mountain Basin and Lester Pass. 169. One of the easier hikes to do in Golden Ears Provincial Park is the Lower Falls Trail ( map) along Gold Creek. The campground at the parking area is tiny, with only 4 sites. Skirt the west shore of the lake and then travel through trees and meadows along the west side of the stream linking Lake Louise with Upper Golden Lake. Low knolls along the shore offer dry perches to take in the views. Instead of following the trail to the left, turn right (east) off the Hay Pass trail and ascend the slope above the southeast end of the lake on moderate grades, keeping to the south of the stream draining Glacier Lake Valley. Here views open to beautiful Long Lake, resting in a long, narrow cleft between Mount Victor to the south and Europe Peak to the north. Scenic, secluded campsites are located amid the trees and the rock outcroppings to the south of this pretty lake. As you ascend enjoy fine views of Mt. From the parking lot, head down towards the trail and start following the wide trail up a gradual hill. Elkhart Park Trailhead: From the intersection of Pine Street (US 191) and North Tyler Ave (the Pinedale Tourism office is located on the northeast corner) in Pinedale, WY, drive east on Highway 191 (East Pine Street) for 0.3 miles and bear left onto Fremont Lake Road. Just make sure you dress accordingly of course! We reached Golden Ears around noon and parked at the Information Center. Hay Pass, the Golden Lakes and Fall Creek Pass, Big Sandy to Elkhart Park via Fremont and Highline Trails, Raid Lake to Middle Fork Junction above Sandpoint Lake, Middle Fork Lake via the Rainbow Lake Trail. Passes are available for each day beginning at 6:00am. The Highline trail to the southwest heads Lake Vera. During the summer, Golden Ears Provincial Park … Beyond Upper Golden Lakes route climb to Lake 10,787 and beyond. Ahead Timico Lake (10,512-ft.), sprawls across the valley floor. Recap following Trump's impeachment defense 2:13. After an initial stint along the lakeshore the trail moves away from the shoreline to follow a more direct path to the northeast that avoids the lake’s bays. The Hay Pass trail is located along the Fremont Trail just above the northwest corner of North Fork Lake. LOWER FALLS TRAIL IN GOLDEN EARS. Turn around for ever-improving views of the peaks rimming the North Fork Canyon. The route now descends through meadows sprinkled with wildflowers beside pretty Fall Creek. From the Golden Lakes an off-trail route climbs to Fall Creek Pass on the Continental Divide and then descends past Timico Lake to the Fremont Trail at the Bell Lakes junction. Big Sandy Trailhead: This popular trailhead is located in the southern Wind River Range next to the Big Sandy River. Drive carefully, following the rocky, rutted road for 9.8 miles to a "Y" intersection. Our group kept high spirits as the summer showers raged, excited to get outside after many months of isolation due to COVID-19. Directions: Click here. This hike covers most of the highlight sights in the Gold Creek area of Golden Ears, though there are certainly options to extend this even further if you want to throw in the upper falls … The topo shows the trail and will help you stay on track. © HikingWalking.com. At 2.2 miles Lake 9,981, set amid emerald green meadows, comes into view. Scenic campsites are located amid the trees and rock outcroppings along the lakeshore. An old trail, no longer maintained, descends from Hay Pass to the Golden Lakes. To the west views expand to include the distinctively shaped Angel Pass, the “U” shaped saddle to the south of Angel Peak. As you travel around the lakeshore you will start following a boot beaten path that turns into a trail near the foot of the lake. Check at the Pinedale ranger station before starting your trip to learn about current road and trail conditions. Otherwise the route is quite difficult and requires climbing high above the lake. Directions from Pinedale: From the intersection of Pine Street (US 191) and North Tyler Ave (the Pinedale Tourism office is located on the northeast corner) in Pinedale, WY, drive south on Highway 191 for 11.7 miles and then turn left (east) on WY-353. Steep cliffs rise above the lake’s southwest shore. It is an easy 1 hour (2.7 km) walk along Gold Creek to Lower Falls. Cross the outlet stream and then head southwest, ascending rocky meadows to Fall Creek Pass (11,370-ft.), the saddle on the ridge above the southeast end of the lake, at 2.1 miles. The entrance to the ranger station is on the Fremont Lake Road. Don’t attempt this route if the weather is bad or looks threatening. The trail winds through the rainforest in Maple Ridge’s Golden Ears Provincial Park on the way to Lower Falls which I have also photographed many times. I recommend a high clearance vehicle to reach the trailhead. Soon you will reach the Fremont Trail and a signed trail junction at 3.5 miles. At 5.75 miles the grade abates briefly as the trail passes to the east of scenic Beth Lake (10,755-ft.). Lower Falls Trail | Golden Ears Provincial Park (Day pass required) The Reward: Views of Gold Creek and stunning 10m high Lower Falls. For day hikers, this is a good turn around point. Hiking trails, lake area or boat launch is available for everyone. The area around the lakeshore is quite marshy. For the best views to the north, follow the boot beaten path crossing the ridge for 0.2 miles. The west side of the pass requires scrambling down class 2+ ledges. Golden Ears Park is one of those parks that you can enjoy no matter what the weather is like, especially if you decide to do the Golden Ears Canyon Loop. Parag and Shilpa have a seven-year-old daughter Riya. Open Trails.