With Hudson Bay Mountain to the southwest and Babine Mountains Provincial Park to the northeast, it's no surprise Smithers has an endless number of day and multi-day hikes for beginners and experts.
Some of the hiking trails lead to lookouts, others to lakes and cabins. Many trails can also be made into overnight circular routes.The best time to hike is usually late July to September, depending on the snow melt.
Trails Close to Town
One of the greatest aspects of hiking in Smithers is the trails' close proximity to town. Many hikes start only a 15-minute drive from downtown. In addition, even in late summer during peak season, hikers will feel as if they have the mountains to themselves because of the massive scope of pristine nature in the area and small population.
Many local trails are straightforward, however, out-of-towners who don't have much experience in the backcountry and wish to go on a longer expeditions should hire a guide. Talk to the local outdoor stores for more information.
Highlight Hikes in Smithers
Two of the easier but popular day hikes are Crater Lake on Hudson Bay Mountain and the Malkow Lookout.
To get to Hudson Bay Mountain, drive up Hudson Bay Mountain Road on the east side of town near the train tracks. Drive for about 20 minutes and park at the lodge. From there hike for about an hour to Crater Lake and into the alpine flowers. The views are extensive along the entire route. The route is steep at first but flattens out.
Hikers can choose to continue to the mountains' peak, which takes another couple hours.
The Malkow trail is a quick one-hour hike just a few minutes from town. It starts in front of the Logpile, a luxurious lodge accommodation in the hills on the way to Babine Park. The hike through fields and forest is relatively easy and ends with a great view of the valley. For specific information about the hike and how to get there, grab the Malkow Lookout Brochure from the Smithers Visitor Information Centre on the corner of Highway 16 and Main Street.
All 32,400 hectares of Babine Mountains Provincial Park also offers an extensive network of trails and stunning scenery – glacier-fed lakes, rugged mountain peaks and gorgeous alpine meadows. The hikes in the park are intermediate to advanced.
Wildlife commonly seen in the area includes bears, moose, mountain goat, marmot and many different types of birds.
Sliverking and the Babine Mountains
The Silverking Basin trail is a little bit longer than the other two and can be a starting off point for other trails in the Babine Mountains. To get to the trailhead, visitors should head towards Driftwood Canyon Provincial Park and park in the Driftwood Road Parking Area, about a 20-minute drive from downtown. The Smithers Visitor Centre or staff at outdoor stores in town can give specific directions.
Two to three hours into the hike, trekkers will reach the Joe L'Orsa Cabin. They can choose to stay the night, using the cabin as a base for other hikes in the area, keep on hiking, or simply return to their vehicle.
Hikers should plan their route ahead of time if they plan to stay in the mountains for a few nights.