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Hikes · Upper Fraser & Sugarbowl · Tabor Mountain

Birchleg Trail

A forest loop on the north side of Tabor Mountain links named shelters and the Hickory Wing trail. Junction maps allow longer outings, so the published 10 km loop should be kept separate from the whole recreation network.

Sources reviewed . This is a research date, not a trail inspection.

Weather & trip plannerPrint guide & mapsSave offline guideDownload source line (GPX)
Distance
10 kmLoop
Elevation gain
Not establishedThe exact loop page gives no 50 m gain and no field-specific proof supports the imported value. Total ascent for a defined outing remains unverified.
Walking time
4 hours
Difficulty
ModerateLoop

Map & elevation

Opening the map…

Partial elevation profile

Mapped portion · walking direction unconfirmed · 6.41 km

This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.

Elevation along one mapped source section; direction is not an established walking itinerary750 m975 m1200 m0 km1.6 km3.2 km4.8 km6.4 km
Explore the elevation with the chart or slider.
Coverage and elevation sources

6.41 km along source section 1 of 1, in its mapped direction. Approximate 90 m terrain model along this mapped section. Separate sections are not joined. This chart does not measure total trail ascent or establish current access; use the guide’s published outing measurements.

Copernicus GLO-90 terrain elevations via Open-Meteo (CC BY4.0); linework: Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · checked 2026-10-18 · CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework. Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/197544486. Sampled and rounded for display.

Mapped named trail. The named Birchleg and Sawdust/Birchleg corridor is mapped, about 6.4 km of connected source line. It does not include all the Hickory Wing and shelter connections used by the published 10 km loop. Nordic-ski tags do not establish current winter grooming or summer maintenance. Line source (opens original source).

Getting there & parking

Measure approximately 24 km east along Highway 16 from the east end of the Yellowhead Bridge in Prince George. Continue past Tabor Ski Hill and over the crest, then use the dirt entrance on the right toward the rail-car clearing. The source places the parking about 300 m off the highway. Look for the recreation sign and trail-map kiosk; the presence of a road opening alone does not identify the intended entrance. This is one north-side access, not a universal start for every Tabor Mountain trail.

Estimated drive from Prince George: 22 min · 27.4 km. Modeled one-way driving time from downtown Prince George using mapped road speeds, rounded up to a whole minute. No live traffic or invented forest-road multiplier. The final parking access is unpaved. Confirm gates and local access signs; no road-maintenance or snow-plowing claim is made.

Open driving directions →

Map position: 53.92567, -122.38297 · published highway turnoff for boxcar trailhead. Dated trip report gives Hwy16 turnoffN53°55.540 W122°22.978; Ramblers and HickoryWingclub identify the same boxcar entrance for Birchleg. 2016highway turnoff point; parking is farther along access road, and current conditions are unverified.

On the trail

  1. From the kiosk, go through the gate and follow the Birchleg sign left. At the early fork take the right branch to Hickory Wing Shelter and the history shed.

  2. Leave the shed on the eastbound left path. At the first mapped major junction, keep right onto Birchleg.

  3. Take the right branch at Birchleg/Sawdust Shelter and right at the next fork toward Ilse’s Inn.

  4. Stay right at Ilse’s Inn, then turn right onto Hickory Wing at the next junction. A final right turn returns toward parking.

Full route notes

From the kiosk, go through the nearby gate and follow the Birchleg sign. At the early fork, take the right branch for about 100 m to Hickory Wing Shelter and the Tabor Sawmill History Shed. Leave the shed on the eastbound path to the left; after another roughly 100 m, the first major mapped junction marks the right-hand continuation onto Birchleg.

For the shorter loop described by the source, choose the right branch at Birchleg/Sawdust Shelter, then take the next right toward Ilse’s Inn. Keep right beyond that shelter and turn right again at the junction that sends you north on Hickory Wing. The final eastbound right turn returns toward the parking area. Read the map at each junction because other branches form different outings. The guide lists approximately 10 km and four hours for its loop, but the published directions do not assign a distance to every leg. Shelters are stopping points; their presence does not establish overnight permission.

The way back

The described smallest-loop option is listed as 10 km. Longer junction choices are separate outings.

Distance and elevation source notes

10 km

50 m

Conditions & seasons

The source describes hiking, snowshoeing and cross-country skiing. Use current trail signs to establish winter access and shared-use rules; a summer junction description does not confirm grooming or the condition of winter tracks.

Winter route

The area supports skiing and snowshoeing. Use the current winter map and designated routes; summer walking permission does not imply walking on every groomed ski track.

These are dated research notes. Open the trip planner for current available weather and advisory feeds; no alert found does not establish that a trail or road is open.

Check weather & available updates →

Camping & overnight plans

On-route camping permission has not been established for this outing. Check the relevant land manager before planning an overnight stay; a mapped lake, cabin or previous tent location does not confirm permission.

Photos of Birchleg Trail

A photograph with confirmed reuse permission has not yet been added to this guide.

Original photo galleries

These galleries stay on their photographers’ original websites.

Take this guide with you

Choose a trip pack or an available individual sheet for your map case.

Full trip packDirections, planning notes & available mapsTopographic mapSource lines and published locationsPartial elevation sheetMapped portion only; not a complete outingSave offline guideDownload a copy to your device
Sources, dates & research notes

Descriptions are written for this guide from the linked evidence. Source review dates, published reports and field observations can differ. Photographs and route lines retain their own attribution and reuse terms.

  1. https://caledoniaramblers.ca/trails/birchleg-trail (opens original source)
  2. https://caledoniaramblers.ca/trails?page=0 (opens original source)
  3. https://www.ihikebc.com/trips/2016/trip100TaborMountainSawdustTrailHike.htm (opens original source)
  4. https://project-osrm.org/ (opens original source)
  5. https://www.openstreetmap.org/copyright (opens original source)
OpenStreetMap line references (3)

These contributor-mapped features support the map geometry. They are separate from the written access and route sources.

  1. https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/197544486 (opens original source)
  2. https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/197544527 (opens original source)
  3. https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/484849806 (opens original source)

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