Trail Information

Distance	6.5 km loop km
Duration	2 hours +
Difficulty	More Difficult
Geo Referenced PDF	View Map
Access Map	Google Maps
Latitude / Longitude	50.74661532, -119.14647481
Activities

About

A quiet, contemplative encounter with one of the few remaining old growth cedar stands in Larch Hills. Note, however, the delicate moist forest floor through the old growth cedar is not suitable for mountain bikes, horses, or motorized use. Bikers should dismount and enjoy this trail on foot then return to their bikes to continue exploring. In the winter, snowshoers and skiers are both welcome. The 2.5 km Around the Hill trail connects with Hemlock Glide, Afterthought, The Greenway, and Ida View trails to complete the 6.5 km Around the Hill Loop that can be enjoyed in the summer or winter.

This loop is connected to the Larch Hills Nordic, Shuswap Outdoors! backcountry, Rubberhead, and South Canoe trail systems. It was originally conceived, planned, and approved - but never built - by the late, great trail-guru, John Coffey. Recognizing the singularly unique hiking/snowshoeing loop it creates through a spectacular older growth cedar forest protected by Old Growth Management zoning, the Shuswap Trail Alliance coordinated building the trail in 2017 in consultation with Larch Hills Nordics and Shuswap Outdoors!, under authorization by Rec Sites and Trails, and following recent logging by CanoeFP.

The Shuswap Trail Alliance thanks Recreation Sites and Trails BC, the Larch Hills Nordic Society, Shuswap Outdoors!, Canoe Forest Products, and the Ministry of Forest Range and Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development for making the project possible through a BC Rural Development Program Grant.

Access

Summer Access: During the summer, the trail can be accessed from the North Hub of the Larch Hills Nordic Trail system, the Muffin Top trailhead at the top of the Rubberhead Trail system, or for a longer excursion, the Ida View section of the Larch Hills Traverse. From the North Hub at Larch Hills, The Greenway and White Pine Walk trails are the most direct access to the loop (1 km, 1.25 km). From the Muffin Top trailhead in Rubberhead, travel 250 m back southwest (on Lichen Traverse/110 FSR) to the T junction, then turn right and follow the spur road (110.88 FSR) south another 400 m to the signed junction with the Larch Hills Nordic's Larch Hills Rd on the left (east). This is the northmost point of the loop. From the South Canoe trail system parking area, head north down the pumphouse access road 217 m to the Ida View trailhead. Around the Hill is 10.4 km up Ida View.

Winter Access: In winter access to this trail would be difficult from Rubberhead and South Canoe, so access is recommended from the Larch Hills Nordic Centre. From the Larch Hills Nordic Centre main chalet and day parking area, the loop can be accessed from a variety of ski routes. Among many routes, you can climb up the Greenway backcountry non-track set trail from south to north, or link into the Greenway trail from the North Hub.