Ymir Cedars
A short jaunt down the rail trail leads to a scenic old growth cedar forest by the Salmo River!
Distance, round trip: 3.8km
Elevation: +25m
Time: 1-1.5 hours (out and back)
Season: early April to early November
Difficulty:
EasyTrailhead and Driving Directions
Park anywhere on the main street (1 Ave) in Ymir, BC. Ymir is a historic mining town with several old buildings on the main street.
Up the Rail Trail
Find the rail trail by the Salmo River. Facing the river, head left (north), and start walking. After about 0.7km, you’ll pass a scenic bench overlooking the river. The Salmo River flows strong in the spring, so take care with little ones along the way.
Reach Porto-Rico Road after 1.1km and leave the rail trail behind, turning right onto the road. Cross the bridge and look for a foot path on the far side of the river, heading off into the forest on the left (north). A blue painted salmon marks the start of the trail.
You could also park here on Porto-Rico road to cut-off the first kilometre, but the rail trail provides a nice extension to the hike!
Old Growth Grove
Enter the forest and perhaps you’ll spy a fairy house immediately on the left, nestled in a stump. The grove is an enchanting place full of trees of all sizes and stages. Come in early May for trilliums flowering on the forest floor.
The path flowers smoothly along the forest floor. An interesting tree has the bottom chopped open and kiddos love to climb inside. Bring a flashlight!
At 1.7km, pass a junction that heads right to Porto-Rico Road, but stay in the forest to see some of the biggest trees yet!
Pass by a couple of blackened burnt stumps and then reach some really big trees at 1.9km. This is usually where we stop and turn around. Towering giants, little saplings, massive stumps with old springboard marks, generous nursery logs… this forest has many cool trees to explore. It’s a great hike for little adventurers as well as big ones!
