ヘーゼルトン山脈のおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

公園はボーナイト山の麓に位置し、森林は杉とツガが混在しています。最もユニークな特徴の1つは、森の中にひっそりと佇む、放棄された金採掘装置です。

「Kleanza」という名前は、Gitxsan語で金を意味する言葉に由来しており、小川の底をよく見ると、水の中にきらめく光が見えるかもしれません。これらの峡谷の壁は、何千年もの間、勢いよく流れる氷河の水によって滑らかに磨かれた古代の火山岩でできています。

Rising above Smithers, Hudson Bay Mountain dominates the skyline and is a constant reference point as you move through the area. The lower slopes are forested, but higher up it opens into subalpine and alpine terrain with wide views across the Bulkley Valley. In winter, it’s home to a local ski area, while in summer the network of trails and access roads are used for hiking and biking. Weather can shift quickly at elevation here, so conditions higher up often differ from town.

Crater Lake sits in an open alpine basin surrounded by rocky slopes, with no dense tree cover around the shoreline. The water is clear and fed by snowmelt, so even in summer it stays very cold. Early in the season, you’ll often still see snow patches around the lake and in the surrounding meadows. There’s plenty of space along the shoreline to stop, but no facilities or defined access points.

The trail starts with a short, steady climb through forest before quickly breaking out above treeline into open subalpine terrain. From there, it’s a more gradual ascent across wide meadows, especially colourful in early summer with wildflowers. The path is clear but can get muddy in wet conditions, with a few small creek crossings along the way. It’s not a long hike to the lake, but the initial climb is enough to feel it.

This viewpoint marks the end of the Whiskey Creek Trail. The forest gives way to a wide alpine valley beneath a steep headwall and glacier. Whiskey Creek runs cold and clear below, and the scale of the surrounding rock makes this feel far removed from the quiet lower forest. It’s a natural place to pause before heading back, with open views up toward the ice and rugged terrain that continues into more technical mountaineering routes beyond.

The trailhead for Whiskey Creek Trail sits at an old rock pit just east of Gull Creek, with very limited parking. It can be easy to miss. If driving north, wait until the two lanes merge and watch for a small, uneven gravel pullout on the right just before the bend. There’s a larger pullout about 500 metres farther north on the opposite side of the road, but walking to and from the trail requires caution.

Whiskey Creek Trail covers 7.2 kilometers, starting off on fairly steep ground through a tall mature forest. The first stretch feels steady and straightforward before you reach a crossing at Whiskey Creek. From there, the terrain changes with the trail climbing sharply through mixed woods, gaining elevation toward a dramatic upper valley. At the top, you’re met with a headwall and glacier above the creek, with expansive alpine scenery and access into more technical mountaineering terrain.