The Fern Forest Trail is a ‘trail in the middle’ which may be accessed from either the Balancing Rock Trail or the Summit Creek Trail. It is an ‘out and back’ trail unless you leave one vehicle at the Summit Creek parking area and another at the Balancing Rock Parking area.
Location: West of Creston and the Creston Wildlife C
Difficulty: Easy A1
Elevation Gain: 180m
Distance: 1.4km one-way
Time: 2 hours
Season: Spring to Fall
Access: Easy with good parking
Map: 82F/8
Drive: Refer to Balancing Rock Trail and Summit Creek trail for driving instructions.
Trail:
Option 1. Continue downhill from the actual Balancing Rock onto the ‘skunk cabbage boardwalk’ and turn right at the trail sign marked ‘Fern Forest Trail’.
From the junction with Balancing Rock Trail, this is a shaded trail which continues downhill for 0.5 km through an amazing growth of skunk cabbage along a deteriorating boardwalk. During bug season, be prepared for lots of hungry ‘followers’. Continue under a power line to an old logging trail, cross the logging trail and hike approximately 1 km along a moderate ridge trail, then downhill to a “Fern Forest Trail” registration box where the trail meets the Summit Creek Trail.
Option 2. Follow Summit Creek Trail under the Highway 3 bridge for Summit Creek. The junction to Fern Forest Trail is a few hundred feet after this.
What to Do: Connect with the other trails in the Creston Mountain system. Form loops or use shuttles.
References:
https://www.crestonvalleytrails.ca/trails/fern-forest-trail/