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Motherlode Lakes (Carlyle Lodge)

Staying at Carlyle Lodge? Check out the trail to Motherlode Lakes. It’s a scenic hike from the lodge, edging along alpine slopes to arrive at a series of lakes and pools.

Summary
Trailhead: Carlyle Lodge
Distance, round trip: 8.6km
Elevation: +609m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Easy
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Boulder Pass (Carlyle Lodge)

A scenic trek around the Mount Carlyle bowl! The route to Boulder Pass is a great option if you’re staying at Carlyle Lode or want to extend your day hike into Carpenter Pass. The route leads to the southern ridge of Mount Carlyle with views over the edge towards the Purcell Mountains.

Summary
Trailhead: Carlyle Lodge
Distance, round trip: 3.2km
Elevation: +206m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Easy
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Carpenter Pass Trail

The Carpenter Pass Trail offers a scenic loop to a high mountain pass, full of history and surrounded by epic views. It’s a worthwhile day hike, but even better if you can spend a few nights at Mount Carlyle Lodge to explore the alpine wonderland beyond the pass.

Summary
Trailhead: Carpenter Creek FSR
Distance, round trip: 14.2km
Elevation: +653m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Moderate
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Woodbury Cabin

A scenic trail that contours through open slopes full of flowers and huckleberries, edging towards stunning Glacier View Peak and the Woodbury Glacier. This trail is well worth the trip if you book a night at Woodbury Cabin.

Summary
Trailhead: Woodbury-Fletcher FSR
Distance, round trip: 16.7km
Elevation: +868m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Moderate
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Earl Grey Pass

A challenging wilderness trail across the Purcell mountain range. The Earl Grey Pass trail is a historic route featuring glaciers, waterfalls, cable cars, and massive old growth cedars. This epic trek is not for the faint of heart – with rough and hazardous terrain, you need to be a tough backpacker, ready for the kind of suffering that comes with a big adventure.

Summary
Trailheads: Toby Creek FSR (Invermere) and Argenta Road (Argenta)
Distance, one way: 70.4km
Elevation: +1896m (East to West) or +2331 (West to East)
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Challenging
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Silver Spray Cabin

The trail to Silver Spray Cabin just goes up and up and up. Up through the forest, up along Silver Spray Creek, up around Clover Basin. The reward is an alpine cabin situated in a beautiful basin of lakes and meadows and peaks.

Summary
Trailhead: Woodbury-Fletcher FSR
Distance, round trip: 14.4km
Elevation: +1072m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Difficult
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Helen Deane Lakes

A nice, short outing for folks staying overnight in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park. This trail will take you past the historic Slocan Chief Cabin and then dip down to visit two alpine lakes.

Summary
Trailhead: Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park
Distance, round trip: 4.6km
Elevation: +178m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty: Easy
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Beatrice Lake Trail

The Beatrice Lake Trail offers steady hiking through forests and wetlands as it traces an old mining road, following a chain of lakes through Valhalla Provincial Park. There are several backcountry campgrounds along the way at Emerald and Cahill Lakes until the trail finally ends at distant Beatrice Lake.

Summary
Trailhead: Evans Creek (accessible by boat or hike)
Distance, round trip: 12km to Cahill Lake (east shore), 18km to Beatrice Lake
Elevation: +715m to Cahill lake (east shore), +930m to Beatrice Lake
Season: early June to late October
Difficulty:  Difficult

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Mt. Giegerich / Sapphire Lakes Loop

Just starting to venture off trail? Mt. Giegerich is a gentle giant with two easy ridge-lines, inviting you to walk on up! This loop follows the official Sapphire Lakes Trail, summits Giegerich, dips down to the Sapphire Lakes, and then returns to Kaslo Lake via the unofficial Commission Creek route. It’s a wonderful circuit for folks staying in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park – offering a day hike that’s moderate yet adventurous.

Summary
Trailhead: Kalso Lake, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park
Distance, round trip: 8.6km
Elevation: +490m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty:  Moderate

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Sapphire Lakes

Shimmering turquoise lakes? Check. Meandering creeks and waterfalls? Check. Glowing fields of white granite? Check. Peaks all around? Oh yeah! Sapphire Lakes is a choice day hike for any kooteneers staying in Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park.

Summary
Trailhead: Kalso Lake, Kokanee Glacier Provincial Park
Distance, round trip: 8.9km
Elevation: +352m
Season: mid-July to late September
Difficulty:  Moderate

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