Blaeberry Forest Service Road

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Features River/Creek · Views · Wildlife

Blaeberry Forest Service Road starts off as a well graded dirt road, suitable for 2-wheel drive vehicles. As one travels along the road, it becomes rougher and rockier, so best to have a high clearance vehicle. Further travel encounters occasional washouts, although construction work is being done to fix these washouts. However, as of September 2018, 4-wheel drive was needed past the 17.7-mile mark, along with patience and effort to fill in washouts that even 4 wheel drive could not handle. Therefore, this is a hiking trail past where one's vehicle can safely make it in and back out.

From mile 22.0 to the David Thompson Heritage Trail at mile 26.6, the Blaeberry Forest Service Road is a segment of the GDT (Great Divide Trail).

The Blaeberry Forest Service Road follows the Blaeberry River into a remote area of the dense, rugged forests of the British Columbia Rockies. Thompson Falls and several hiking trails are accessed by the Blaeberry Forest Service Road.

From its start, Blaeberry Forest Service Road climbs very gradually to its end at Cairnes Creek Recreation Site and Campground. It is always next to the beautiful, wild Blaeberry River. At first, the river is to the left (west) of the road. Crossing the river at the 9.6-mile mark, on a sturdy bridge, the river is then to the right (east) of the road for the rest of the way. The forested slopes rise and drop steeply all around the road. A few creeks are crossed.

Thick fir and spruce forest with dense undergrowth. Bears can be seen along this road. Porcupines can be a problem eating brake lines, so best to wrap chicken wire around parked cars at ground level (use rocks to hold the chicken wire to the ground).