Lower Galena Trail

Lower Galena Trail
Distance: 8.03 km (5 mi).
Route type: Out and back
Suitable for: Walking, running, biking, XC skiing, snowshoeing
Elevation change: 104 metres up, 104 metres down

Technical difficulty rating:  
Navigational difficulty rating:  

Looking south from the Rosebery trailhead

Heading north out of New Denver, the highway winds up past the hydro transformer station. About 700 metres later there's an obvious vehicle pull-out on the right. Park here. The trailhead is almost directly, across the highway, though you may not be able to see it until you walk over. The little slope down from the roadbed is practically the most technical part of the trail.

Alternatively drive 4 km north to the unincorporated hamlet of Rosebery. Take the first left onto DaRosa Dr., and then take another left into the abandoned log yard and pick your way along the tracks as far south and as close to the highway as you can. You'll find the north trailhead here.

The trail is an easy walk, ride or run in either direction. The grade is a steady downhill of about 2% for most of the northward journey. The most southerly kilometre of the route has a couple of horizontal stone stiles to prevent the passage of motorized vehicles. Cyclists will need to dismount and wiggle through. The northerly third of the route has occasional side-trails down to the beach. Lake water is potable, so this is a good chance to refill a water bottle on a hot summer day. Or just to jump in the lake for a quick cooling swim.

Because the trail hugs the lake, it tends to be free of snow fairly early in spring. The tree cover and proximity to the lake makes snow-cover a bit spotty in the winter. Occasionally the trail is snowy enough for XC skiing, and it is a good snowshoe route for most of the colder months.

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