Jack Rabbit Interpretive Trail

A forested trail near Nakusp that’s friendly for both hikers and snowshoers! The trail meanders through the woods with interpretive signs along the way. With recent clearcuts and slash piles, it’s not the most pristine experience, but the trail was built by the Nakusp and Area Community Forest and logging is part of the land management.

Trailhead and Driving Directions

The full Jack Rabbit Trail is 4.4km one-way with trailheads at Upper Brouse Road and Wilson Lake Road. You can view the full map here. Most hikers will likely want to do a shorter out-and-back as completing the entire trail necessitates leaving a vehicle at the other trailhead or going up and down the hill on each side.

Upper Brouse Road Trailhead – Leaving Nakusp, follow Highway 6 south for about 3km then turn onto Upper Brouse Road (signed for cross-country skiing). Follow the main road for 1.5km until it ends at the cross-country ski trailhead.

Wilson Lake Road Trailhead – Leaving Nakusp, follow Highway 6 south for about 5.8km then turn onto Wilson Lake Road. Continue 0.8km and park past Box Lake Lumber.

Starting from the Brouse Road Trailhead, take a photo of the map to get a sense of where the trail crosses various roads. The Jack Rabbit Trail is well-marked with signs and orange blazes, but there is a network of roads and trails in the woods used for winter skiing.

Head past the ski hut and then take an immediate left (signed “Ptarmigan Loop”) and see the Jack Rabbit Trail signed and leading off into the woods.

Through the woods

The trail slowly climbs through the woods. At 0.8km, stay on the main trail (look for orange blazes) to switchback up a hill and ignore the spur trails creating shortcuts. At 0.9km, a signed viewpoint leads to a large interpretive sign reviewing animal and plant species in the area, but alas the view is overgrown.

Now the trail passes by recent logging with clearcuts on the left (east) side. At 1.8km and 2km, cross roads and look for the signed trail continuing on the other side.

The trail now crests along the top of the hill and meanders in a long switch back – it’s not the most efficient route and you may spot more shortcut trails leading back to the roads. Pass more logging and recent slash piles.

Warming Hut

At 3km, reach the warming hut for the cross-country ski trails at an intersection of trails and roads. There is a toilet here and it’s a great spot for a break.

We turned back at this point to hike a shorter out-and-back. If you took a photo of the trail network, you might feel brave enough to navigate a loop by taking the cross-country ski roads back – the Whiskey Jack Trail curves back towards the Upper Brouse Trailhead. But otherwise, retrace your steps.

If you’re continuing on, the Jack Rabbit Trail picks up by the warming hut and begins a long descent to the Wilson Lake Road trailhead. Another viewpoint further down the trail around 4km offers a sign about the region’s history and allegedly the best view.

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