A lovely hike above East Trail on a mountain biking network maintained by the Kootenay Columbia Trails Society. Includes walking through town to make a loop. Several trailheads give access. The Trailforks app is useful for sorting out all the turns.
Great views down to the City of Trail, the Columbia River and the Cominco smelter, the largest lead/zinc smelter in the world.
Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊
Location: The rocky bluffs overlooking the Columbia River Valley and the City of Trail from the east.
Difficulty: Easy A1, B1
Elevation Gain: +350 m
Key Elevations: Gyro Park, Upper Sunningdale Flag,
Distance: 10kms round trip
Time: 3 hours
Season: Early April through early November
Access: Excellent 2WD, low clearance. Beware mountain bikers flying downhill.
Map: 82F/4 Rossland–Trail, Trailforks.com
Drive: Highway 3B passes through the City of Trail. Just after downtown Trail, it crosses the Columbia River, turns north at the light and ends at Gyro Park. Park in the lot.
Trail (clockwise loop): From Gyro Park, follow the sidewalk and Trans Canada Trail signs heading north along the Columbia River to the suburb of Sunningdale. The rocky bluffs are above you to the right.
Continue along Hazelwood Drive looking for the “Sunningdale Trail” sign on the left. Take it through the forest, cross Sandpit Road and ascend switchbacks to the long ridge leading up to the flagpole on top of the bluffs – the high point and about 5kms from Gyro Park. This is the best view of the Rossland Range and the Seven Summits Trail to the west.
Continue along the trail heading south. Descend gradually through bits of trees, choosing the best of the many unsigned junctions (the Trailforks app is very helpful here). Eventually reach a signed junction
Miral Heights (right) – leads to a scenic lookout with a bench that overlooks the hospital and Trail. The overlook is the end of the trail that starts at the end of McBride St above East Trail.
Raven’s Rock (left) – leads back into town near the hospital. Take Goepel Street down to Second Avenue and turn right to reach Gyro Park.
What to Do:
Billy Creek Loop
Drive: In Upper Sunningdale, drive up the road to the top of the water tower hill and park. Trail: Follow the Columbia River Trail (Sandpit Road) for 10-15 minutes until it starts to descend to Billy Creek. Turn right on an ATV track (road) that soon comes to a trail going off the road and heads down towards the creek. The trails steepens. Take a short side trail to Billy Creek Falls, impressive in the spring, and a well-deserved break. Scramble up the steep trail to reach a forested area and then a ridge that crosses the mountainside to reach the “Upper Sunningdale Flag” or the third flag.
Head down the Rusty Chainsaw Trail to the Bluffs Trail and thence to the Sunningdale Trail that takes you back down through some presently unnamed trails to the starting point at the top of the water tower hill above upper Sunningdale. B2, 6 hours
Miral Heights Addition.
Drive: Continue east on Hwy 3B and turn left on McBride Street (Husky Gas station). Continue to its end after it meets Albert Drive and park.
Trail. Ascend about 60m and then follow the 600m contour line for about 1.5 km to meet the Trail Bluffs Loop trail to the Sunningdale trail. Lunch in Gyro Park. Continue up through East Trail to near the hospital and Goepel Street. This is the trailhead of the Ravens Rock trail. Continue on it to the junction with the Miral Heights trail, turn right and retrace your steps to your car.
References:
https://westkootenayhiking.ca/trail-bluffs-loop/
https://www.trailforks.com/region/trail-bluffs/