DIRECTIONS: From the Golden Ears Park entrance, drive to the end of the pavement past the camp grounds and continue along the gravel road to it's end. Park here. The trailhead starts at the very far end of the lot by the cement barricade.create
SUMMARY: * Follow the road gradually uphill (flagged with orange markers)
* Debris from runaway creek beds cuts across the trail in several places.
* At the 2.5 km sign is an old log bridge that has been swept aside.
* A little past the sign keep an eye out for a rough trail (partially a dry creek bed) there is sign indicating the Lower Falls. (as a side trip you can follow it downhill for a view of the falls. This route also leads to the upper falls.)
* At 4.5 km is Hiker's Beach. There is also an outhouse.
* At 6 km you reach Thistle Beach & even an island where you can camp, providing the water levels are below spring run off levels. After this point, the trail becomes a bit more rugged/washed out in sections until 10 km beach. This is an excellent spot to camp. An outhouse is in place. Those carrying on to Hector Ferguson Lake often use this as an overnight base camp for a day hike to the lake.
*Hector Ferguson Lake is another 4 km from the end of the East Canyon Trail.create
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East Canyon Trail
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Sep 15, 2018
Went up Sept 15. Hiked up East Canyon trail to Viewpoint beach, then down the connector to Lower Falls trail back to the parking lot.
Rain was light when we started but increased to a downpour by the time we reached camp at Viewpoint Beach. Continued all night. Watched the river significantly rise beside our campsite about a foot. Hikers beach was completely flooded by the time we went to bed, so don't camp there.
Saw no other hikers for the two days. Hike out was muddy and slippery. Cold overnight (slept in long-underwear, thermal shirt, socks and toque in -5 bag). Don't forget your own toilet paper since the outhouse is not stocked and is quite a long walk from the beach. No official tent pads, just set up on the upper sandy parts of the river bank under the trees.
Tons of garbage on the beach that we cleaned up, and many fire pit remains. Pack out what you pack in please!