Blackwell Peak Parking Lot Trailhead: (274 km from Saanich Hall, 5k on logging roads, ferry required). Take BC#17 to Swartz Bay and catch the ferry to Tswassen, continue towards Vancouver turning onto BC#10. Follow this until you come to highway #1. Head to Hope where you take BC#3 to Manning Park. Just past the lodge turn left, drive 4.8 km to a parking area at the end of the road. (For the Heather Trail stop approximately 1km before the summit at a signed parking area).
Bring exact change (quarters and loonies only) for the parking fee.
(A $3 parking fee is charged.)
Facilities available at the trailhead include:
- Picnic tables
- Toilets and/or outhouses
Uses
| Backpack | Easy to moderate. | 2 days one way. | Best from mid July thru mid September. |
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| Dayhike | Moderate to strenuous day hike . | | |
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Description
The best time to visit this area is from mid July to mid August.
The trail starts at a trailhead on the road approaching the summit of Blackwell Peak. You can also start from the summit itself but this requires a steep climb at the end of the hike.
The trail heads through meadows and light forest descending gradually to Buckhorn Wilderness Camp at a little less than 5km. From here is climbs at a moderate pace to the junction with the Bonnevier Trail (7km) on it's way around the shoulder of Big Buck Mountain (2143m). From here the trail travels through meadows along the south west side of the slope before dropping and then climbing to a junction (10km) with a side trail up First Brother Mountain (2272m). The trail continues, skirting the south side of Three Brothers Mountain eventually coming to a pass where it drops down in a moderate grade to Kicking Horse Campsite. Beyond the camp it traverses more meadows before climbing Nicomen Ridge and finally dropping fairly steeply to Nicomen Lake.
Return via the same route or by the Grainger Creek and Hope Pass Trails to Cayuse Flats (car shuttle required).
Features
This trail features animals (Elk, Hoary marmot), birds (Bluebird, Dark-eyed junco, Northern hawk owl, Varied thrush, Water pipit), flowers (Anemone, Broad-leaved shooting star, Cinquefoil, Cow parsnip, Glacier lily, Indian hellebore, Indian paintbrush, Lupine, Mountain daisy, Mountain valerian and Spring beauty), lakes, meadows, mountains, views and Cinquefoil, Glacier Lily, Red and White Indian Paintbrush, Lupine, Mountain Daisy, Mountain Valerian, Western Anemone. This trail is described by some as "Absolutely phenomenal" if the timing is right for the wildflowers.
Campsites along the trail
| Buckhorn Wilderness Camp | 5.0 km | 1850 meters | - Bear cache/wire
- Outhouse
- Tables
- Tent pads
| Water is available quality is good. |
| Kicking Horse | 13.5 km | 1900 meters | | Water is unknown. |
| Nicomen Lake | 23.0 km | 1650 meters | - Fishing
- Outhouse
- Shelter
- Swimming
| Water is plentiful. |
For additional information see:
Last hiked:July 3, 2005
View trail condition reports for this trail.