Elk River Walk
Distance: 4.2 km forested trail along the Elk River east bank. Easy hiking or intermediate single-track mountain biking with twisty, slippery sections.
Road Access: From Highway #43 in Elkford, turn right (east) at 4-way stop. Cross the Elk River Bridge, and immeidately turn left (north) into what looks like a large pullout, but it becomes the Round Prairie Forest Service Road. Drive this good gravel road north for 2.1 km to the small trailhead sign - River Walk.
Hike or Cycle Route: Travel the twisty, rough single-track trail north along the Elk River. (It's a better hiking path than cycling trail.) Take the first 2 left forks (west) at prominent junctions. The trail may be indistinct and marshy in sections, but becomes more defined after 2 km.
At 4 km a sign marks "Easy Skiing" - straight ahead and the "Advanced Hiking" - left fork. Do not take the left trail. It is badly eroded and heads straight down a very steep, slippery bank. The "Easy" trail petters-out into a logged area in about 50 metres. Hike downhill and curve left toward the river, (no trail in this section.) At the river bank hike north along a narrow trail to Round Prairie. The "Prairie" meadows have been eroded in two when the river changed course in 2000.
If you do cycle this trail, ride back to the trailhead downhill on the logging road. From "Round Prairie" head east on a bush road for 200 metres, then ride south on the Round Prairie FS road to the trailhead.
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Mountain Walk Trail - South Loop
This trail is mostly a downhill bike ride along single track trails through the forest. It's an intermediate loop from the Wapiti Ski Hill onto bush roads and back to Elkford.
Distance: Total ride 5.7 km loop
Road Access: From highway #43 at the 4-way stop follow signs to the Wapiti Ski Hill, turn left onto Alpine Way, turn right at Fording Drive and left at Natal Road. Park by the gate to the ski hill, just uphill from the signed Boivin Creek Ski Trailhead.
Cycling Trail Access: Avoid the trail heading into the bush from just below the gate, it isn't the Mountain Walk. To reach the Mountain Walk trailhead, cycle uphill past the gate and reach the ski hill parking lot in about 100 metres. Ride to the north side, (across) the parking lot to the trailhead sign and follow the single-track trail north into the forest.
Ride for 2.4 km to the base of a large avalanche slope and turn right, (downhill) onto a smooth double-track. At 3.1 km turn right at the "Trail 7" junction (don't turn left as this road leads to the Crossing Creek Road). In less than 100 metres turn left and then in 30 metres turn right. Ride the old dirt bush road for 200 metres and intersect a well used gravel road and turn right (south). Follow this road for 1.7 km and turn right at the powerline. Then at 5.1 km from the beginning of the ridge follow a lane southwest behind houses and head back uphill on Natal Road to your vehicle.
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Road Access to the Main Josephine Falls Parking Lot: for the Forest, Falls and Lakes Trails
From Highway #43 in Elkford at the 4-way stop sign, turn east (right) and drive the paved Greenhills Mine Road. At 5.1 km turn right (south) onto a gravel road. There is a large main parking lot and trailhead sign just 100 metres south of the pavement.
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Josephine Falls - Elkford's most popular trail
Distance: 2.3 km
Fording River plunges 25 metres over an impressive rock ledge. Steep cliffs drop beyond the viewpoint fence. Josephine Falls was named in 1905, by Professor Fairfield Osborn while studying bid game of the area. He named the falls after his daughter, who caught a large trout at the cascade's base.
Access: Drive to the main parking lot by the Greenhills Mine Road, and ride or hike the signed easy trail to the falls viewpoint.
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Lost Lake
Lost Lake is stocked with trout and in 1990 two fishing docks were built by the Elkford Rod and Gun Club. Osprey and Great Blue Heron reside in the marshes by the lake. In the springtime, the lakeside trails may be flooded.
Distance: Lost Lake 4.5 km from main parking lot, (2.2 km past Josephine Falls Viewpoint), over an hour walk, one-way.
Access: Drive to the main parking lot and hike or ride the trail to the Josephine Falls Viewpoint. The first trail junction is 200 metres south of the falls viewpoint, and both forks lead to Lost Lake. (The right fork heads first to Lily Lake, 0.5 km, then it's another 0.9 km to Lost Lake). But, taking the left fork (200 metres south of the falls viewpoint) offers a more scenic route to Lost Lake. This trail follows south along the canyon rim for about 1 km, then it heads west through the forest. Ride or hike the main trail and take the next fork 2 km from the falls viewpoint, (right fork is the second junction - north to Lily Lake.)
Cross a new gravel road and ride or hike about 200 metres northwest to one of two Lost Lake fishing docks.
For a great completion to this ride to Lost Lake, try "Elkford's best single track mountain bike ride) described below.
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Lily Lake
Distance: The 2.9 km Lily Lake Trail offers a technical series of tree roots, boardwalks and sharp turns and twists, as it climbs and descends moderately through the forest and along old roads.
Access: There are two trails to Lily Lake, one leaves from the main Josephine Falls parking lot. Take the right fork from the trailhead. The first 500 metres of this trail is rough and terminated by logging. A better way to Lily Lake is to backtrack 1.2 km along the main paved road, the "Greenhills Mine Road" (head west - back toward Elkford.) Park at the signed pullout for the "Greenhills Viewpoint Turnaround" on the south side. Cycle south past the yellow gate on a new logging road. In 1.7 km turn right (west) on another logging road and ride west 0.5 km. Look along the edges of the logging and the forest for the old Lily Lake trail. The good single track trail continues south from the logging for 1.9 km to the tiny shallow lake.
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Josephine Falls , to Lost Lake then Downhill to Elkford - Elkford's best single-track mountain bike ride
Distance: Total ride 7.2 km with car shuttle, or 12.3 km loop without a car shuttle.
Access: Drive to the main parking lot and ride to the Josephine Falls Viewpoint. Follow the signs to Lost Lake. Then ride downhill for 2.8 km, descending 260 vertical metres to Elkford. At 1.8 km from Lost Lake be ready for a steep switchback creek crossing. You may need to walk your bike. The trail ends near the Elk River bridge in Elkford. Either ride up the steep and paved 5 km Greenhills Mine Road to the main parking lot at the beginning of your ride, or arrange for a car shuttle.
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Bare Hill Lookout
Distance: 1 km steep, elevation gains: 80 metres
Road Access: Park at the playground on Galbraith Drive and Corbin Drive.
Trail: Take right fork at first switchback and left fork at next switchback. The trail leads to a viewpoint of Elkford and the surrounding Rockies. An unimproved trail continues west from the viewpoint down the other side to a powerline and a netword of well used bush roads that connects to the last 2 km of the Mountain Walk Trail.
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Boivin Creek Hiking and Cross Country Ski Trail
Distance: The 7.5 km trail is track-set in the winter for cross country skiing. The trail is a moderately steep summer hike, elevation gain: 300 metres, along Boivin Creek to the base of Mount Phillips and the alpine of the Rocky Mountains.
Road Access: See Mountain Walk Trail - South Loop.