Heather Meadows

21.0 km one way.

Terrain: Intermediate

Elevations (in meters)
Start:	1980	End:
Net Gain:		Cumulative Gain:	292

Blackwell Peak Parking Lot Trailhead: (274 km from Saanich Hall, 5 km 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.
Dayhike	Moderate to strenuous day hike .

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 (both pink and white forms), Lupine, Mountain daisy, Mountain valerian, Spring beauty and Wood Betony), 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 Tables Tent pads Pit toilet	Water is available quality is good.
Kicking Horse	13.5 km	1900 meters	Tent pads Pit toilet	Water is unknown.
Nicomen Lake	23.0 km	1650 meters	Fishing Shelter Swimming Pit toilet	Water is plentiful.

For additional information see:

Last hiked:July 3, 2005

Other trails in E.C. Manning Provincial Park

Blackwell Peak
Bonnevier Trail
Cambie Loop
Campground Loop
Cascade Lookout
Castle Creek/Monument 78
Dewdney
Fat Dog
Fat Dog - Blackwall
Frosty Mountain Loop
Gibson Loop
Grainger Creek
Hope Pass
Lightning Lake Chain
Lightning Lake Loop
Little Muddy
Lone Duck
Mini Loop
Monument 78
Monument 83
North Gibson
Pacific Crest
Poland Lake
Punch Bowl
Rein Orchid
River Trail
Skagit Bluffs
Skyline East
Skyline II
South Gibson
Strawberry Flats/3 Falls
Three Brothers
Upper Cambie Loop
Windy Joe Mountain

Trail-conditions

View trail condition reports for this trail.