Formerly the railway for the Nakusp Line, the Rosebery Railway climbs gently from Nakusp to Summit Lake and then descends to Rosebery, where it connects with the Galena Trail. The railway trail is ideal for cycling, cross-country skiing, jogging, or simply walking in surroundings both stunning and soothing.
As with many railways, the Rosebery Railway was built along the valley bottom corridor and travels through extensive natural habitat for birds, fish, deer, rodents and larger mammals, including bears and moose.
Railways are ideal for biking, jogging, cross-country skiing and walking. The section of trail from Nakusp to Summit Lake sees some motorized use, but this usage is discouraged from Summit Lake to Slocan Lake, as the trail passes through habitat with a delicate equilibrium of diverse species and locals are interested in minimizing disturbance along the corridor. Classic cross-country ski tracks are often set behind Summit Lake and from Summit Lake to Hills.
Difficulty:
Elevation gain:
Key elevations: Summit Lake 765m
Distance: 46kms
Time:
Map:
Drive: The railway may be accessed from many points where it crosses local roads or Highway 6. The trail begins at the junction of Highway 6 and Highway 23, follows Highway 6 to Government Road, then switches to climb the grade out of town. The railway is also accessible from Wilson Lake Rd, Highway 6 and from Bonanza Creek Road. The Galena Trail begins in Rosebery; upgraded and mapped in the 1990s, it extends to Sandon.
Trail: From Nakusp, the railway climbs at a 2% grade up to Summit Lake, with the first six kilometres situated along the edges of the town of Nakusp, rural acreages and the Nakusp Centennial Golf Course. As the valley narrows, the trail climbs above Box Lake, affording the traveller a superb view of the Box Lake marsh. The trail passes through re- cent logging blocks that demonstrate current forest practices of smaller clearcuts to reduce the impact on the ecosystem. Much of what was logged was second-growth timber following logging in the valley bottoms early in the 1900s.
On approaching the shores of Summit Lake, at 765 metres elevation, the surroundings change. The ancient mountains around the Lake are home to Mountain goats, bears, deer and elk herds. Summit Lake is stocked with Rainbow trout and provides great fun for sport fishers from May through September. The view across Summit Lake to the range known as Three Sisters is spectacular.
From marshy headwaters at Summit Lake, Bonanza Creek flows down through a narrow corridor of cedar, hemlock and fir habitat, full of birds and other animals. The trail follows the creek and is a bit rougher and more overgrown. There is much beaver activity in this area, and grizzly and black bears are frequent visitors during fish runs and berry season. Many people enjoy cross-country skiing from Summit Lake to Hills.
After Hills, the trail passes Bonanza Marsh, with its excellent bird-watching opportunities, then hugs the shores of Slocan Lake all the way to Rosebery. The views of the Valhalla Mountains across the lake inspire reflection on the beauty of some of the oldest mountains in North America. Many small beaches provide opportunities for swimming and sunbathing.
From Rosebery, it is possible to continue on the Galena Trail to Sandon, and further railway may be explored between Sandon and Kaslo.
HISTORY
Many hundreds of years ago, the railway corridor was a traditional trade and hunting route for First Nations people travelling between the Arrow and Slocan Lakes.
In 1893, the Nakusp and Slocan Railway Company Act was given royal assent by the BC Southern Railway Act, and about one thousand CPR workers began construction of the track from Nakusp to Three Forks (above New Denver). It was completed in 1894 and shortly thereafter extended to the mining mecca, Sandon. Upon completion in December of 1895, rival Great Northern Railway crews racing to build the railway in from Kaslo to Sandon promptly attacked the CPR personnel and property, sending bunkhouse cars rolling down the winding mountain tracks to Kaslo in the middle of the night, cutting telegraph lines, and demolishing the Sandon stationhouse by wrapping a cable around it and attaching it to a moving train. The race to reach Sandon, the lucrative endpoint of the two lines, turned out to be unnecessary, as in those boom days, both lines operated at full capacity. As a remnant of bygone days, a small station house still stands at Hunter Siding. For further information, visit the Nakusp Museum, the Silvery Slocan Museum in New Denver, the Sandon Museum or http:// www.sandonbc.com/railwaytourism.html.
In the 1960s and 70s, the train still ran a few times a week, transporting poles and cedar shakes from Nakusp mills south to the main rail line. About 20 years ago, the tracks were dismantled and recreational use began. (Hills Recreation Society).
Protection of the fragile riparian area of Bonanza Creek and marsh and trail upgrades, including repairing minor washouts and flooded areas, are ongoing projects of local volunteers.