Grand Forks to Farron. Columbia & Western Railway / Trans Canada Trail in the Grand Forks Area
Distance

DISTANCE

58km
GPS

GPS DOWNLOADS

Distance

MAP

About the Journey

The Columbia & Western trail follows the Kettle River between Grand Forks to Christina Lake before climbing the shoulder of Castle Mountain and taking in the views of Christina Lake at the old railway station of Fife and continuing north uphill to Farron Station, nestled in the Monashee Mountains.




Staging Areas:

GPS INFORMATION:

  • KML/KMZ files can be opened in Google Earth, and many smartphone apps.
  • GPX files can be opened by most GPS software apps when KMZ cannot. Note, GPX files do not contain custom colours and icons that we use on our maps; all tracks and icons will appear the same colour and styles. We recommend using KMZ instead of GPX if possible.

The files below include data for only this specific area. For all of our Trans Canada Trail data for the entire province (including features, campsites and alternate routes), download our BC.kmz master file (1.2 MB)

Visit our GPS & Navigation page for instructions of how to use your smartphone as a GPS device (even when outside of data coverage) or how to import data to your Garmin unit.


GPS DOWNLOAD (KMZ FILE)
GPS DOWNLOAD (GPX FILE)
DOWNLOAD INFORMATION SHEET

Staging Areas:

Washrooms:

Route Highlights:

  • Grand Forks Trans Canada Trail Pavilion
  • Huge trestle over the Kettle River between Grand Forks and Christina Lake
  • Connection to the Dewdney Trail and Cascade Highway

In Spring 2017, there will be an upgrade of the Columbia & Western trail between Grand Forks and Cascade West by Recreation Sites and Trails and the RDKB. This short 17 km section is a MFNRLO legally designated stretch of  rail trail, increasing the inclusiveness of the trail to all ages and abilities and creating an improved route for active transportation. Curious about the project? Contact the Grand Forks Trails Society.

Important: You will almost certainly encounter motorized vehicles along the route, particularly ATVs and dirt bikes, which could be travelling at high speeds. Over the years, unregulated motorized use has degraded the trail surface along the Columbia & Western, making many areas quite challenging for hikers and cyclists. Users should come prepared for sandy conditions. Please see our equipment recommendations on the Boundary main page or even more detail on our “Equipment Tips” page of our Travel Tips.

Important: Ticks are an issue in the spring so make sure you do tick checks. You may wish to wear long pants, tucking the bottoms into your socks while avoiding the foliage at the edges of the trail.

Also important: You will encounter many gates along the TCT in the Boundary region. These gates are in place for a reason, and users should ensure to CLOSE the gates behind themselves. Closing the gates will ensure that livestock do not escape – preventing them from wandering to areas (such as the highways) which would be unsafe for them as well as drivers. The gates also prevent access of the trail by unauthorized motorized users. They are a small inconvenience to trail users, but they are necessary and should be respected.


DOWNLOAD INFORMATION SHEET

Shopping:

Accomodations:

Transportation:

Directions:

DOWNLOAD INFORMATION SHEET (PDF)

Starting from the Granby tunnel and shelter, the trail travels downhill along a somewhat rough and wild ride, with views of the Granby River and North Forks Road below. Be sure to keep your eyes on the trail, as it seems a little too easy to get caught up in the view and tumble over the edge! After 1.7 km, the trail crosses Fiserman Creek Road. In another 3.6 km, the trail crosses Goat Mountain Road. After another 4.9 km, the trail finally crosses North Fork Road at the valley bottom and enters Grand Forks. Total elevation loss is approximately 183 metres at an average 2.5% grade. The trail surface dramatically improves as it enters the urban area and indeed becomes paved before too long. The trail will approach Highway 3; crossing it is a slight challenge due to handrails placed along the road. This is hopefully a temporary measure until a controlled crosswalk can be implemented!

Arriving to the river at Kettle River Drive, the trail appears to continue over the bridge. However, the rail trail beyond is actually part of an active railway serving the local mill and the trail soon ends. Therefore, the following directions run through downtown Grand Forks, staying near the river, to meet the rail trail on the other side. Turn left on Kettle River Drive. After 420 metres when the road bends to the left, the trail ducks to the right, heading downhill into parkland. A Trans Canada Trail Pavilion can be found on the riverbank near the parking area.

The trail turns north, then immediately turns right (east), running through a small alleywall behind the hardware store and between houses (if you miss it, just go east on 72 Ave) to 2nd Street, turning right (south), going over the river bridge, and two blocks to 66 Ave – turn left. This street heads towards the river – and on the other side of the highway. Before crossing the bridge, a trail leaves the road and heads south along the riverbank. The mill is on your right side. After about 800 metres, you will see the active railway appear on your right side. The active tracks soon end, and your travel on the Columbia & Western can continue, crossing over the Kettle River on a bridge, twinned with a gas pipeline.

The trail continuing east is simple to follow, though you will encounter a few gates to keep motorized vehicles out and farm animals in. The trail travels between the highway and the river for about 16 km, passing through the Gilpin Grasslands Provincial Park and crossing over rapids on the Kettle River. At one point of this stretch, the Canada/US border lies only 450 metres south of the trail.

The trail crosses Route 395 (border to the right), then crosses over an impressive trestle over the Kettle River, and immediately turns left on the other side, for a short, steady climb up the flank of Castle Mountain for 2.5 km.

The trail crosses Santa Rosa Road, and is the starting point of the section of the Dewdney Trail heading east to Rossland (37.5 km plus 7 km highway connection on the east side) – one of our recommended alternate trails, a historic pack horse trail which is suitable for hiking and horseriding. Santa Rosa Road turns into the old Cascade Highway (approx 60 km), an exhausting but rewarding ride over the mountains, running parallel to the Dewdney Trail (and indeed crossing it a number of times) which we recommend for cyclists as a shortcut to Rossland, though it is a challenging and remote ride.

Continuing north on the Columbia & Western for 4 more km brings you to Fife Rd, and conveniently, Fife Station. This is the end of the Boundary region for the Trans Canada Trail. The trail continues north into the Western Kootenay region.