Trails

Birkenhead Lake Loop

Difficulty Level: Physically moderate to difficult/ Technically easy.

Self Sufficiency: Moderate. - Season: May through October.

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Synopsis: About a 1/2 hours' drive north of Pemberton lies Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park, a beautiful spot nestled in some of the most striking mountains in the area. This long loop ride takes the rider through unlogged stands of Lodgepole pine along the west shore of Birkenhead Lake. This ride contains only one major climb, the 3 km hill up from the highway, the rest consisting of rolling hills and a final 7 km descent on a smooth dirt road. While this loop is rated physically moderate for this reason, it should be noted that the trail is over 50 km long, and requires at least some conditioning.

There are now numerous side trails being built, as part of the Sea to Sky Trail project. Contact a local bike shop to determine the latest trail status.

Trailhead Access: From Pemberton, drive east on Highway 99 approximately 6 km to the village of Mt. Currie. In Mt. Currie Highway 99 splits to the right, over the Duffy Lake Rd. to Lillooet, while the Portage Rd. continues straight through town, north towards D'Arcy. Drive north towards D'Arcy for about 17 km, at which point you should see a sign reading, "Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park Turnoff 16 km". It is important to note this spot, as you will be riding back down the highway to a turnoff at this sign.

Continue driving north, past Gates Lake, until you reach the main turnoff for the park, marked with a blue and white Provincial Park sign reading "Birkenhead Lake 17 km". Park at the bottom of this road and you are ready to begin the ride.

The Ride: From your parking spot, backtrack south along the highway, past Gates Lake, for about 16 km towards that sign you passed earlier, reading "Birkenhead Lake Provincial Park Turnoff 16 km". You will know you are getting close when you pass the new subdivision called Poole Creek. Look for a spot where one of the large hydro lines crosses the road, and you should find a gravel logging road branching right (west) from the highway.

Turn right onto the logging road, ride over the train tracks and you will see a sign reading, "Birkenhead Lake Forest Service Road", and another reading, "No Access to Birkenhead Lake". Don't sweat this second sign, it is designed to keep vehicles out of the park, not bikers. This road runs straight and flat for a short distance, then turns sharply to the left and begins the only big climb of the ride, a 3 km hill through a series of switchbacks. At the crest of the hill the road levels out and runs along the north side of the Birkenhead River valley.

Just past the crest another road branches to the right that leads to a section of the Sea to Sky Trail, marked, that parallels the main road. I've not yet ridden this, but they go to the same place, so the choice is yours.

The main road is signed with orange kilometer markers, and just past kilometer 8 you will come to a small bridge that crosses Taillefer Cr., at its confluence with the Birkenhead River. Shortly after crossing this bridge, you will come to a road that branches right from the main logging road. Head down this right branch and soon you will come to a gate marked "Private Property Birkenhead Lake Estates Ltd.". From this point a double-track road branches to the left, running through the forest parallel to the fence marking the private property. Follow this road and soon you will come upon several signs that mark the park boundary. Keep riding along this double-track until it makes a sharp left. At this point, look to your right and you will see a fainter road, blocked by a couple of large mounds, there to prevent motorized vehicles from entering the park. This is the main trail that runs along the west shore of Birkenhead Lake. If you miss this turn, the double-track will end at a gravel logging road; head back the way you came!

After turning right onto the Birkenhead Lake trail, ride a short distance and you will find two trails branching to the right. The first returns to the private property; ignore it. The second provides a short detour down to a small campsite on the shore of the lake, a nice spot, perfect for a swim and a bite to eat. After taking in the sights, return to the main trail and continue the ride north around the lake. This section of trail gently rolls along, climbing up above the lake, then smoothly descending, for about 8-10 km, eventually popping out on the main park access road, right at the campsite and beach at the north end of the lake. Needless to say, this is another great spot to relax and go for a swim.

When you are ready for the final section of the loop, ride out onto the park access road and start the 17 km ride back to the highway. The first 10 km of this smooth, hard-packed sand road leads gently upwards, through rolling farmland towards the Forest Service recreation site at Blackwater Lake. Just after passing Blackwater Lake, the road begins a high-speed 1200 foot descent over the last 7 km, completing the loop at your parked car.

Just as the descent begins, there is an option to ride another section of the Sea to Sky Trail. Just after passing Blackwater Lake, look on the left for a road (it should be marked) and ride up a short distance to a fork. Take the right fork and follow the road as it climbs gently for about four kilometers. A single-track (aptly named 'Smell the Fear') branches to the right and begins a long, loose descent back to the Portage Road and the town of D'Arcy. The bottom sections of Smell the Fear branch in several directions, but all eventually reach the valley, and the signage should improve as the trail develops. Just keep going down. If you end up in D'Arcy, on the shore of Anderson Lake, you will have to backtrack down the Portage Road to your car.

Riding Time: Riding the Birkenhead Lake Loop can be done in 3 hours at a fast, non-stop pace, but count on at least 4 hours if you want to stop and enjoy the sites, or make a full day of the ride, spending time lounging on the beach.