This is a rewarding shoulder-season hike. It can be virtually snow-free nine months of the year. The optimal time to hike is early spring or on a hot summer’s day when a swim is welcome. The trail has everything: forest, mossy boulder fields, ups and downs, slabby slopes and views of the lake and surrounding mountains. The only negative is the road noise from across the lake.
Difficulty: B1
Elevation gained: 213m
Key Elevations:
Distance: 8km one-way
Time: 5-6 hours round trip
Season: March through October
Map: 82F/14 Slocan
Drive: 0.0km
Trail: This excellent trail starts where the Slocan River flows out of the lake at the trailhead parking lot for the Slocan Lakeshore trail in Slocan City (Main Street). Park on the east side of the Slocan River in Slocan. There is a B. C. Parks kiosk here, and a picnic table. Hike over the bridge and turn north (sign, NO THRU ROAD). Cross the Valhalla Provincial Park boundary at .4km. Please respect Private Property at Pebble Beach at 4 km where the trail goes up and around. The trail was cleared all the way to Beatrice Lake in 2017.
Evans Creek is at 8 km; ascend left to a small campground with 2 tables. Here, one is across the lake from “Cape Horn” (cliffs) on Highway 6. Beatrice Creek is 1.5 km away.
History. This is a worker’s trail constructed in the 1920s to get loggers and their horses loaded with supplies to and from Evans and Beatrice Creek valleys. Logging camps at Evans and Cahill lakes were very active.
Valhalla Provincial Park was established in 1983 to protect the diverse topography, majestic peaks and unique vegetation typical of the Selkirk Mountains. The park has opportunities for several recreational activities including hiking, wilderness treks, mountain climbing, fishing and wildlife viewing.