Several trails run from Highway 16 into the Seven Sisters Protected Area: Oliver Creek Trail, Watson Lakes Trail, Hell’s Bells Trail, Cedarvale Trail, Whiskey Creek Trail and Coyote Creek Trail. The trails offer a wide variety of experiences.
- Families with small children and novice hikers can easily reach the scenic lakeside picnic/camping site 1 km along the Watson Lake Trail.
- The Cedarvale Trail offers a half-day trip to treeline and goat viewing.
- Oliver and Whiskey Creek Trails provide more challenging hikes to treeline, and access to backcountry routes.
- Snowmobilers travel to an alpine basin along Flint Creek Road, the Hell’s Bells Trail and upper Oliver Creek Trail.
- Mountaineers use Coyote Creek Road or the Flint Creek Road and Oliver Creek Trail to reach Weeskinisht Peak.
Oliver Creek Trail
Oliver Creek Trail is 17 km long and climbs 1500 metres over its entire length, passing through wide a variety of forest types and ending in a spectacular alpine basin. It is ideal for overnight backpacking trips, connecting with both Flint Creek and Coyote Creek roads. Provides access to alpine hiking and the Seven Sisters peaks.
Access: The trailhead is located at a gravel pit on Hwy 16, about 6 km north of Oliver Creek.
Highway 16 turn-off location: 50.5 km from the four way stop (Hwy 16 and 37 junction) in Terrace, 40.2 km from the Kitwanga Junction (Petro-Canada gas station). The Oliver Creek Trails are now marked by blue blade signs at the highway.
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0542350 Northing: 6078954
Watson Lakes Trail
An easy 3 km hike (200m elev. gain) on a scenic, well maintained trail that passes three small lakes with picnic sites and fishing. Families with small children and novice hikers can easily reach the scenic lakeside picnic/camping site 1 km along the 3 km trail.
Access: The trailhead is located a few hundred metres from highway 16 on a relatively smooth gravel road. The turn-off is currently unmarked.
Highway 16 turn-off location: 53.8 km from the four way stop (Hwy 16 and 37 junction) in Terrace, 37.0 km from the Kitwanga Junction (Petro-Canada gas station). The Watson Lakes Trails are now marked by blue blade signs at the highway.
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0540071 Northing: 6080969
Hell’s Bells Trail
The Hell’s Bells Trail is 4km long and provides an alternate access to the middle of the Oliver Creek trail that avoids the elevation gain of the lower half. It is rather muddy in sections.
Access: From Highway 16 turn off on the marked Flint Creek Road. Proceed cautiously along through a maze of logging roads to the marked trailhead.
Highway 16 turn-off location: 62.3 km from the four way stop (Hwy 16 and 37 junction) in Terrace, 28.5 km from the Kitwanga Junction (Petro-Canada gas station).
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0538934 Northing: 6089117
Cedarvale Trail
A moderate 3km hike through varied forest including a cedar grove en route to treeline and spectacular scenery at the foot of a moraine. Experienced backcountry travelers prepared for some bushwhacking and equipped for glacier travel can proceed further and even cross over to the Whiskey Creek Trail.
Access: Turn off Highway 16 at the point described below. Proceed roughly 3 km up the rough gravel road (high clearance required, 4x4 recommended) to the trailhead.
Highway 16 turn-off location: 70.6 km from the four way stop (Hwy 16 and 37 junction) in Terrace, 20.8 km from the Kitwanga Junction (Petro-Canada gas station).
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0542753 Northing: 6095328
Whiskey Creek Trail
A 7.2 km trail that starts out relatively level while traversing pleasant mature forest for the first 3 km. There is a difficult creek crossing at Whiskey Creek where the trail then ascends steeply through mixed forest types to join up with the upper reaches of the creek below a headwall and glacier, providing spectacular scenery and access for mountaineering. The crossing at the 3 km point is not possible at high water and must always be passed with extreme caution.
Access: The trailhead is located right beside Highway 16.
Highway 16 turn-off location: 84.2 km from the four way stop (Hwy 16 and 37 junction) in Terrace, 16 km from the Kitwanga Junction (Petro-Canada gas station).
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0545833 Northing: 6098771
Boulder Creek Trail
The Boulder Creek Trail is not currently being maintained due to terrain instability. Visitors may still use this trail at their own risk.
Coyote Creek Trail
The Coyote Creek Trail is located outside of the park and is not regularly maintained. It is 13 km long, rocky and brushy but is used by ATV riders, mountaineers and summer skiers to access the alpine areas of the park. ATVs are not permitted in the park and must stop at the park boundary which is located at the end of the Coyote Creek trail and is marked by a sign.
Highway turn-off UTM Grid (WGS 84 datum): 09U Easting: 0541950 Northing: 6094203
For more information on trails in the Seven Sisters, consult: “Trails to the Timberline in West Central British Columbia” by Andrew Blix.