Name
Pineview Trails
Location
SW Corner of town – Pineview Valley
Road Access
The two main trailheads are accessed by going up Copperhead Drive
Driving Directions/Trailheads:
There are 3 trailheads.
- The main access route for hikers is to follow the green space trail off Lodgepole Drive. Go west on Highway 1, then turn off at Copperhead Drive. Follow Copperhead Drive south and then turn right onto Lodgepole. A green space is found at the bottom of the hill. Park on this road and take the trail leading east.
- A second trailhead is found nearby. At the Copperhead – Hugh Allan junction, turn right onto Hugh Allan and follow it to the end.
- A third trailhead is found on the Lac le Jeune Road on the left near the junction with the Sugarloaf Road.
- Google Map of the Trailheads
Trails:
There are many possible trail combinations to take. Signage is posted on the Pineview Valley Trails and hikers are encouraged to use those. Since access is still changing, please note and comply with the posted signage. Although there are only maps of the trails available (Mapquest, Open Cycle, Juicy Trails, and some blog sites), the trails are in a transition phase so we encourage use of the posted signage until a map is made available by the Mountain Biking Community.
- There are seasonal closures on the western (Ironmask) trails while grazing season is active.
- For hikers, a recommended trail option is to use the first trailhead and bear south up the hill, climbing Coal Hill for as high as access allows.
Parking
There is adequate parking at all 3 trailheads.
Meet-up Spot
Aberdeen Mall or at the trailhead.
Optimal Group Size
Smaller groups on the single tracks. The double track up Coal Hill or on the west side to Galaxie Lake can accommodate a larger group.
Season
3 seasons for Pineview Valley but only 2 seasons on the west side.
Seasonal Notes
The west entrance on the Lac le Jeune Road has seasonal restrictions.
Length
Many routes can be chosen so hikes can range from 5k to 13 km.
Difficulty
Almost all hikes require elevation gain and a longer climb.
Climb
Steady climbing up and downhill back.
Duration
1 to 2.5 hours
Fitness Requirements
Average for shorter routes. Longer routes or full hill climbs are more demanding.
Dogs
These are multi-use trails also used by mountain bikers so the single track trails are not so good for dogs.
Trail Info
The mountain bike community now manages these trails and there a lot of bikes on the trails now. Their maps only show single track bike routes, but here are a number of older double tracks too, used by hikers for decades.
The stop of Coal Hill may now be closed to recreational use.
General Notes
The old double tracks and the newer single tracks on the slopes of Coal Hill and Ironmask Hills have been hiked on for many years, but they have also been areas of mining (since the 1890’s) and ranching. Over various decades, access has changed, new fences and signage has come and gone, and new developments have changed the area. The Pineview Valley Development brought many hikers and mountain bikers to the area, starting the newer single tracks. Ownership of the lands changed again so hikers could follow some of the tracks up to fence lines. In the last year or two, the mountain biking community has reached a tentative agreement with KGHM (Ajax) and Sugarloaf Ranches to use some of the existing trails, and upgrade additional connector trails. The agreement is still in process so maps will change over time. There may be restricted seasonal access to trails on the west side (Ironmask Hills), but most of the trails on the north-facing slopes of Coal Hill are now signed and accessible to mountain bikers (and hikers). Updates will be added over time.
References/Resources
- Trailforks – Pineview Trails
- Kamloops Performance Cycling Website – link
- compiled by D. Smith; send updates and corrections to dsmith@kamloopshikingclub.net