This loop starts in Warfield, ascends the wagon road (rail grade), crosses Rossland in town, climbs Kootenay Columbia and descends back to Warfield on a bicycle trail.
Rail was the best means of transportation into Rossland during the early 1900s. The railways were built in 1896 to provide essential links between the smelter in Trail and the mines, as well as with Spokane, Washington across the border.
Few trails in the Rossland area do not require some climbing. Trails with a moderate grade for walking, jogging and snowshoeing exist on the abandoned CPR grade and GNR grade.
The GNR grade is easily walked for 3 km north of Paterson.
The original CPR grade can be followed from Union St, just below Spokane Avenue in Rossland, 7.1 km to Warfield (elevation loss) where it ends near the municipal works yard.
Difficulty: A1 easy
Distance: 11 km loop
Time: 4 hours
Trail. TH behind the Warfield Community Hall to join the Wagon Road and up to Rossland. It is 7.1 km and 330m (1080′) elevation gain on a moderate grade on the abandoned rail grade. The CPR railway grade stops at Union Avenue now, but years ago it used to wind through south Rossland just below Columbia Avenue, around to Butte Street and into the station (no longer there) on Second Avenue, between Washington and Monte Cristo Streets. Painted on the rock faces on the CPR grade near Rossland are old hotel names and other advertisements from another era and reminders of the area’s colourful history.
Pass through town on sidewalk/pavement to the McLeod Street entrance for Kootenay Columbia Mountain. KC has the best veiws down to Rossland. Then head down the back of the mountain to the Mining School and then down the Green Door bike path merging back to Wagon Road and the start.
An alternative is to climb KC, walk through Rossland, descend the rail grade and coordinate with the bus for a ride back to Rossland. The bus has racks for bikes.