A forested trail near Ainsworth Hot Springs full of mining history. It’s a steep ascent, but views along the way and the visit to the historic Ainsworth Cemetery make it a worthwhile exploration.
Distance, round trip: 4.1 km
Elevation: +200 m
Season: mid April to late November
Difficulty:
EasyTrailhead and Driving Directions
From Ainsworth Hot Springs, head north on Highway 31 for 1.5 km and then pull over and park in a pullout before crossing signed Cedar Creek. There isn’t a clear trailhead sign from the highway, but the official trail starts on the far side (north) of the creek. You’ll also see a rough trail descending the forest on steps – that’s the return trail if you make a loop!
Cross the highway bridge over Cedar Creek carefully and climb over the concrete barricade. The trail takes off through the woods and the trailhead can now be seen hidden in the trees.
Up the trail
The trail switchbacks up and away from Cedar Creek at a steep grade. As you ascend, curls of braided cable poke out from the forest floor and wind up the slope – remnants of an old tramline that was used to haul ore down from mines above. Look for old ore buckets, gears, shafts, turbines hidden in the trees.
Viewpoint
After 1 km, reach a junction where the left fork continues on the main trail and the right fork leads 0.25 km to a clearing with a lookout over Kootenay Lake. Someone has made a log bench here and it’s a worthwhile diversion to see the view.
Over the Creek
Continue hiking the main trail up the creek valley, carefully stepping over the cable. The trail traces an old road with a steep drop-off to the south side. A lot of the elevation gain is done now and the trail is fairly level.
After 1.9 km, the trail dips down to meet Cedar Creek. Ignore the sketchy old bridge crossing and continue another few paces up the trail to the new bridge. Cross Cedar Creek at 2 km.
Now the trail ascends steeply away from Cedar Creek towards the Ainsworth Cemetary.
Ainsworth Cemetery
Reach the historic Ainsworth Cemetery after 2.3 km and stop to appreciate the view over the lake. A large sign by the cemetery’s entrance talks about the region’s mining history.
Finishing the loop
To hike a loop, heading down from the cemetery’s main gate and walk down the road. At 2.9 km, reach a 5-way junction of roads and stay left, heading downhill. At 3.4 km, by a double-trunked cedar, leave the main road and follow a trail descending northeast. The trail will switchback down and then follow and overgrown road to reach the highway again, coming down on the steps across from where you parked the car.
