Forest Recreation

The Rocky Mountain Forest District manages a total of 103 recreation sites, 76 recreation trails and 2 interpretive forests or roughly 10% of the facilities in the province. These facilities range from rustic hiking trails in the remote backcountry to community based, multiple use trail systems; from small rustic campsites accessed by logging roads, to 60 unit campgrounds on Lake Koocanusa.

The Rocky Mountain Forest District manages sites and trails at three different levels: User Maintained, Serviced, With Fees and Serviced, Without Fees.

User Manintained

The majority of recreation sites and trails within the Rocky Mountain Forest District will be managed as user maintained. There are no fees at user-maintained sites or trails. People using these facilities are expected to help maintain these sites and trails by respecting the forest environment and cleaning up after themselves. The Ministry of Forests will provide only basic servicing of facilities to maintain structures and to address sanitation, safety and environmental concerns. User Maintained sites and trails will remain available for public use as long as they remain in a safe and environmentally sound condition.

Serviced, Without Fees

A few volunteer groups have entered into partnership agreements with the Rocky Mountain Forest District to maintain a number of facilities for public use. Generally the forest district assists by providing the technical standards and the equipment, materials and supplies while the groups provide the labour. Groups interested in helping to maintain public recreation facilities in partnership with the Ministry of Forests should contact the district office.

Serviced, With Fees

At some recreation sites and trails user fees are charge where more intensive management is required to address high use levels, environmental impacts, public safety, etc. Nightly or daily user fees are implemented on a cost recovery basis when services are provided. Fees are charged at some recreation sites and trails managed under agreement where the agreement holder has proposed a fee to offset their costs and the Ministry of Forests has determined that services such as supervision or maintenance warrant a fee. At sites where fees are charged the agreement holder collects and retains the fees to offset the cost of services provided at the site. User fees will generally be confined to daily serviced campgrounds, backcountry huts, and groomed snowmobile and cross-country ski trails.

Campground Fee (Camping Permit) Sites

Allows overnight camping at Forest Service campgrounds where daily services are provided.

Camping permits will be issued on-site by the campground operator.

Daily Cost -- $10.00 per party per night discounted to $5.00 for BC Senior Citizens and qualified BC disabled persons.

Campground fees (camping permits) will be required at the following recreation sites during the time periods specified:

Sites with Fees

Rocky Mountain

Dorr Road

59 campsites

Lake Koocanusa

(Site 51 on Cranbrook map)

Weekends April 30 - June 17

Daily June 18 - September 8

Englishman Creek

42 campsites

Lake Koocanusa

(Site 23 on Cranbrook map)

Weekends May 20 - June 17

Daily June 18 - September 8

Loon Lake

40 campsites

Southern Rocky Mt. Trench

(Site 19 on Cranbrook map)

Weekends April 30 - June 17

Daily June 18 - September 8

North Star Lake

9 campsites

Southern Rocky Mt. Trench

(Site 38 on Cranbrook map)

Weekends May 20 - Sept 8

Tie Lake

10 campsites

Southern Rocky Mt. Trench

(Site 40 on Cranbrook map)

Weekends May 20 - June 17

Daily June 18 - September 8

Whitetail Lake

26 campsites

Whitetail Lake

(Site 8 on Invermere map)

Daily April 29 – September 30

Trails with Fees

Rocky Mountain
Lumberton Snowmobile Recreation Trail	26 km west of Cranbrook in the Upper Moyie River drainage. (Trail 38 on the Cranbrook map)	Machines with Club decal free Machines w BCSF decal, 1-3 day pass $10 Machines w/o BCSF decal,1-3 day pass $20 Local Commercial Operator, see below Memberships Individual $60 2cd family member $15 additional family member, < 18 $5 Senior, > 65 $45 Non riding $48 Commercial $250 + $50/machine	An extensive snow mobile trail system managed in co-operation with the Cranbrook Snowmobile Club who provides groomed trails and snowmobile patrol.
Hartley / Sulphur Snowmobile Recreation Trail	West of Fernie in the drainage’s of Hartley and Sulphur Creeks.	Machines with Club decal free Machines w BCSF decal, 1-3 day pass $10 Machines w/o BCSF decal,1-3 day pass $20 Local Commercial Operator, per day $10 Memberships Individual $60 2cd family member $15 additional family member, < 18 $5 Senior, > 65 $45 Non riding $48 Commercial $250 Corporate $250
Forster Creek Snowmobile Trail	Headwaters of Forster Creek (Managed by CVSS)	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Snowmobiling trail managed and maintained by the Windermere Valley Snowmobile Society.
Cross River Canyon Trails	Confluence of the Kootenay and Cross rivers (Trail 37 on Invermere FD map	Daily trail fee while trails groomed for cross- country skiing $12	Trails managed in co-operation with the Nipika Mountain Resort
Olive Hut	Catamount Glacier, headwaters of Forester Creek (Site 14 on Invermere FD map)	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Ski touring hut managed in co-operation with the Columbia Valley Huts Assoc. Remote huts that require helicopter servicing.
Jumbo Pass Cabin	Jumbo Pass, headwaters of Glacier & Jumbo Creeks. (Site 10 on Invermere FD map)	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Ski touring hut managed in co-operation with the Columbia Valley Huts Assoc. Remote huts that require helicopter servicing.
McMurdo Cabin	Headwaters of the Spillimacheen River (Site 43 on Invermere FD map)	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Ski touring hut managed in co-operation with the Columbia Valley Huts Assoc. Remote huts that require helicopter servicing.
International Basin Cabin	Headwaters of Bobbie Burns in International Basin.	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Ski touring hut managed in co-operation with the Columbia Valley Huts Assoc. Remote huts that require helicopter servicing.
Dave White Cabin	Headwaters of Forster Creek	Non Members/night $10 Members $10	Ski touring hut managed in co-operation with the Columbia Valley Huts Assoc. Remote huts that require helicopter servicing.

Note: This listing of Forest Service recreation sites where camping permit fees are in effect and their specified time period may change subject to District Manager approval.

Due to the changing status of Forest Service recreation sites, trails and Forest Service Roads, the accuracy of recreation map information cannot be assured. For this reason, recreation maps will no longer be available from Forest District Offices.

For updated information about the Ministry of Forests recreation program please see the ministry's recreation home page at:

BC Forest Service Recreation Program Home Page

Bill Marshall, Senior Recreation Forester
Forest Practices Branch
Email: Bill.Marshall@gems5.gov.bc.ca
Phone: 250-387-8382
Fax: 250-356-5909

Local Contact Information:

Rocky Mountain Forest District
Phone: 250-426-1700
Fax: 250-426-1777