Last week, a beautiful morning was spent hiking through a section of the Community Forest Trails found on the eastern hillsides of Chilliwack (map included below). Just 15 minutes out of the city, snaking up the eastern mountain range of Chilliwack, it’s amazing how just 5 minutes off the highway can transport you away from the daily busyness to a solitude of woodlands.
”The City of Chilliwack, in partnership with the Chilliwack Parks Society and the Fraser Valley Mountain Bike Association, has opened access to 100 acres of City-owned forest property. This park includes picnic facilities, an outhouse and a multi-use trail system for hiking, biking and running.”
- from the City of Chilliwack website (read more here)
Winding up the gravel roads, the entrances to the Community Forest Trails is marked by a large entrance sign and gate (so be aware of what time you are arriving & departing). Once at the top parking lot, there are a number of options for hiking and mountain biking, with varying degrees of difficulty trail options - from trails for experienced hikers to easy trails for little feet that need to be kept busy.
Our hike along the Canyon Loop was aprox. 2.2 km long. With winding paths, trickling creeks, and sun breathing through moss-covered trees, the canyon loop called for plenty of pauses to take in all the beauty of nature. At a fairly steady pace with some younger, medium-sized exuberant feet, it took us just over an hour, though other sites suggest it takes about 1.5 hours to complete.
Community Forest Trails was set-up primarily with volunteers, and is continuously growing and being maintained by those volunteers. There are maps posted throughout the trail to get you on your chosen trail , but as it seems to be a work in progress with several ingeniously hand-drawn updates, it’s always a good idea to take a picture of the map at the main entrance, just in case you need to refer to it later on at a fork in the path.
“In partnership with the City of Chilliwack we have converted an underutilized City owned 130 acre forest into a multi use community park. This park includes a parking lot, picnic facilities, an outhouse and a multi use trail system for hiking, biking and running.”
- From the Chilliwack Park Society about the Community Forest:
With the number of other groups encountered on the forest trails, we weren’t the only ones enjoying this gem, and it was easy to see why. If you’ve never been up to the Community Forest, make sure you add it to your list - there’s something there for all ages. “The trail system is perfect for families or beginner hikers. Pi:txel is 1.5km long and features grades less than 5% and minimal obstacles. There are many longer and more technical options for the more adventurous, including Cholqthet, a downhill flow trail, and the Canyon Loop a 2.2km cross country trail” (Chilliwack Park Society).
Follow the Chilliwack Park Society on Facebook: facebook.com/ChilliwackParkSociety
And on Instagram: instagram.com/chilliwackparksociety/
