Making Good Hiking Trail Choices to Avoid Social Contact
This is not Kamloops Hiking Club policy. It is an Op-Ed only.
In a time of social distancing, we can stay at home or we still get out to walk or hike as long as we make wises choices, keeping our distance. Some trails are busy, some are narrow, and some are closed. This news post may assist hikers to make good choices.
- The BC Government has closed some trails in our area (link). Most of the closures in our area are B.C. Campsites, B.C.Rec Sites, and (official) B.C. Rec Trails:
- Isobel Lake
- Pineview Trails
- Logan Lake Ski and Snowshoe Trails
- Skmana Trails
- Larch Hills
- Stake Lake Trails
- Skimikin Lake Trails
- Lodgepole Lake
- Brookmere parking areas
- Check the link above for more closures.
2. Avoid highly trafficked walking, dog walking, hiking, and biking trails, especially single tracks, where possible. Some of these very popular trails include:
- Riverside Park – Pioneer Park
- Rivers Trail
- Some of the main Kenna Cartwright Trails.
- Some of the main Peterson Creek Trails.
- Tranquille River Trail.
3. Double track trails are better for social distancing. Good choices include:
- Some trails in Kenna Cartwright Park (Ponderosa, Sunset, Tower, Reservoir)
- McArthur Island (but avoid prime times).
- Some trails in the Batchelor Hills.
- Some trails near Lac du Bois.
- The Pruden Pass Road and side routes.
- Some trails in Valleyview Nature Park.
- Some routes near Rose Hill
- Cooney Bay area (go early)
- Westsyde Bench (from Batchelor Hills)
- Any backroad routes in the area (ie Outer Inks Trails and others).
4. Avoid single track trails during prime time when walkers, dog-walkers, mountain bikers, and hikers all use popular trails.
- Dallas- Barnhartvale Nature Park
- Uplands Trails
- Mara Trail
- Battle Bluff Trail
- Balancing Rock Trail
- Paul Lake Trails
- Most Peterson Creek Trails
- Some Kenna Cartwright Trails
- Some lower Batchelor Hills Trails
- McConnell Lake
- Mara Canyon (Cinnamon Ridge, Hoodoos Trail)
- Some Mission Flats Park trails
- Moonscape Trail
- Deep Lake Trail
5. Avoid any trail system that has crowded parking areas.
6. Some trail systems rarely get many hikers, bikers, dog-walkers, or walkers and if you hike these early, you may see no one:
- Most routes in Lac du Bois and the Dewdrop Range.
- Most routes in the Barnes Lake Trails.
- Some routes in the Lower Rose Trails.
- Six Mile Lake area
- Savona to Sabiston
- Sunrise Mountain Trail
- Outer Inks Trails
- and more
7. Some reminders:
- Avoid touching gates, fences, etc. at parking areas.
- If you need to use an outhouse, bring gloves and sanitizer.
- Carry tissue or a handkerchief.
- Carry gloves and a mask, just in case.
- Hike 2m apart. Avoid groups of all sizes.
- Take care of your overall health so your body can fight any infections.
See you back on the trails when all of this is over.
- Kamloops Hiking Club - September 5, 2021
- March 2021 KHChronicles - March 20, 2021
- February 2021 KHChronicles - February 20, 2021
We hiked in the Six Mile Hills today (the area is not part of the closures) for 2.5 hours and there were no other hikers, but a few fishermen were on the lakes. Ticks are out for sure, but there are lots of double tracks to hike on to avoid going off-trail.
Another great area for hiking. Three of us, socially distanced, hiked the Abbey Road Hills on Wednesday. I am doing a couple of lesser-known routes each week. You can see the list on http://www.kamloopstrails.net
Some of us are informally going out in very small groups (2-4) without carpooling, meeting at the trailhead, all with strict social distancing, hiking into areas where there is no one else around. We hiked in the Walhachin Hills on the weekend and in the Lions Head Hills this week. Being a member of a hiking club can provide opportunities for social networking like this. As we move ahead, you can make your own contact with friends and persons of like mind. In my opinion, this is the greatest benefit of the club, meeting other people who you can hike with on the kinds of hikes you want to do.