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Great Divide Trail - Section D (Field to Saskatchewan Crossing) Alternate Route through forest and on floodplain.


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Map Key

3.5

Miles

5.7

KM

Point to Point

5,360' 1,634 m

High

4,028' 1,228 m

Low

224' 68 m

Up

1,409' 429 m

Down

9%

Avg Grade (5°)

67%

Max Grade (34°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

Currently Closed. Because the Blaeberry River bridge (at the end point) was recently removed (September 2023).

Need to Know

Resources regularly updated with the latest conditions and other information are:
- GDTA website www.greatdividetrail.com
- Dustin Lynx book "Hiking Canada's Great Divide Trail"
- Dustin Lynx's Guidebook Topo Map Set
- GDT App
- Gem Trek maps

Description

Great Divide Trail - Section D (Field to Saskatchewan Crossing) Alternate Route.

This Alternate Route bypasses 11km of the forest service road walk in the Blaeberry River Valley and replaces it with a shorter 5.6km on historic trail and floodplain. Once across the cutblock, a 'Collie Creek Trail' sign marks the start of the historic trail, which descends steeply for 1.1 km to Collie Creek. Once at the creek, make your way downstream for about 1.5km along the cobble and rocks while looking for a good spot to cross. The best ford spot is where the river braids into a few channels about 800 m down and where cliffs on the close side force you to cross anyways.

Once across, continue downstream for a few hundred meters past a narrow canyon. 50m after the canyon the trail resumes at the forest edge and runs the final 2.5 km through a mix of forest and floodplain. Maintenance in 2021 - 2022 has cleared this section of trail. The trail ends at the FSR. Currently (2022) a forestry bridge is in place to enable you to cross the Blaeberry to rejoin the GDT at the Cairnes Creek rec site.

Please see the resources listed above under Need to Know for up to date detailed descriptions and valuable information.

Contacts

Shared By:

Joan Pendleton with improvements by Dan Durston

Trail Ratings

  4.5 from 2 votes

#3

in Golden

#9278

Overall
  4.5 from 2 votes
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Trail Rankings

#3

in Golden

#9,278

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289 Since Feb 23, 2020
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Photos

The Blaeberry River, looking downstream (southwest) from the new (in 2019) forest service road bridge at Cairnes Creek Campground that is on the right/west bank of the river.
Feb 23, 2020 near Golden, BC
At Cairnes Creek Campground on the banks of the Blaeberry River, a GDTA trail crew packs up to head out on Blaeberry Forest Service Road.
Oct 11, 2018 near Golden, BC
The Blaeberry River with glacial Cairnes Creek flowing into it on the left, seen looking upstream (northeast) from the bridge at the Cairnes Creek Campground.
Feb 23, 2020 near Golden, BC

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