Green Mountain Trail Hike

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Green Mountain Trail is located in the remote southwest part of British Columbia near Gold Bridge. It's takes a 103 km drive via a scenic BC Highway 40 from Lillooet to get to Gold Bridge, and then a drive for over 8 km on washboard-like Hurley River Forest Service Road (2WD regular clearance vehicles - ok, but ensure to have good tires and a spare). After that, there is an access road of about 2.8 km to the trailhead, then just over 3 km to an old and well-preserved fire lookout shack, and then further hiking of about 3 km to the end of the trail.

If you have a high-clearance short-wheelbase 4x4, you might be able to make it all the way to the shack. Otherwise, park by Hurley River FSR and start hiking. It's not a very difficult trail all the way to the shack (gets tougher after that), but there are absolutely no signs (save for one by the forest service road), and several splits where you either need to know where you are going, or have a GPS unit with this trail.

The views of mountains, valleys, and lakes are absolutely great, and the shack is in good enough shape to accommodate an overnight stay - it has 4 bunk beds and a stove. There is also an open air pit toilet (with a view!) near the shack. We first hiked this trail in May of 2021, but stopped about halfway to the shack due to deep snow. Unless otherwise noted, all photographs in this trip report are from the trip we took in September of 2024.

* All trail distances are based on a GPS odometer and are approximate.

90. At 880 meters from the Green Mountain fire lookout shack, we are approaching a small rock outcropping rather prominently sticking out on the far left side ahead.

91. Now we are on top of the outcropping. Coordinates: N 50⁰47.285' W 122⁰55.768'. Elevation: 2,160 meters.

92-99. Very fine views all around from this spot. A 360 degree look-around, followed by a zoomed view of a glacier originally seen in photo #95 in the upper left side.

100. At 980 meters from the shack, we are continuing towards a prominent ridge ahead.

101. 120 meters later.

102. Looking left at 1.29 km from the fire lookout shack.

103. And a very fine view on the right side at the 1.42 km mark.

104. At 1.64 km, time to do a bit of steep hiking.

105. 60 meters later.

106. Looking back at 1.70 km from the shack.

107. Now looking forward at 1.72 km.

108. A bit more climbing at 1.78 km of Green Mountain Trail past the fire lookout shack.

109. Looking ahead 30 meters later.

110. And looking back from the same location.

111. Almost at the top at the 1.84 km mark.

112. And then another ridge ahead. At 1.89 km from the shack here.

113-114. Very fine panoramic views on the left side at the 2.04 km mark. Left to right.

115. One more short steep stretch at 2.05 km.

116. Looking back 30 meters later.

117. At 2.10km, getting very close to where we finished our hike.

118. At 2.14 km we see our final destination straight ahead.

119. And here is where we stopped due to being pressed for time, at 2.18 km from Green Mountain fire lookout shack. Coordinates: N 50⁰46.791' W 122⁰56.299'. Elevation: 2,210 meters. Our GPS showed the trail ending 500 meters ahead at the far end of the ridge, approximately at a point parallel to the far end of the lake.

120. A zoomed view.

Here is our video of the views from this location.

More ihikebc videos are on our YouTube Channel.

121-122. A pleasant bonus was meeting this marmot on the way back, not far from the lake. A zoomed view followed by a cropped view.