Upper Fraser & Sugarbowl / Full trip pack
Birchleg Trail
- Loop
- 10 km
- Elevation gain
- Not established The 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
- Moderate Loop
Loop
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.
1. Getting there and 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.
Parking: The north-side Tabor entrance is a rail-car clearing off Highway 16 about 24 km east of the Yellowhead Bridge, with a trail-map kiosk.
Drive from Prince George: 27.4 km · approximately 22 minutes. Estimate; allow for road conditions and stops.
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.
2. Walking the route
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.
- 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.
- Leave the shed on the eastbound left path. At the first mapped major junction, keep right onto Birchleg.
- Take the right branch at Birchleg/Sawdust Shelter and right at the next fork toward Ilse’s Inn.
- Stay right at Ilse’s Inn, then turn right onto Hickory Wing at the next junction. A final right turn returns toward parking.
The return
The described smallest-loop option is listed as 10 km. Longer junction choices are separate outings.
3. Route map
Mapped named trail
© OpenStreetMap contributors. Route geometry is available under the Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0. · Line source · Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 · Source-line database: https://hikingprincegeorge.com/data/osm-route-lines.geojson
Partial elevation profile
Partial elevation profile
This chart covers only part of the route. It does not establish the full hike or a return journey.
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
Copernicus DEM 2021 GLO-90 via Open-Meteo. Linework source: https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/197544486. Sampled and rounded for display.
Source: https://open-meteo.com/en/licence
Licence: CC BY4.0 elevation data; Open Database License (ODbL) 1.0 linework · https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Profile source checked: 2026-10-18
Published locations
Numbered points match the map. Use the role beside each point. A summit or park reference point is not a parking location.
| Place and role | Coordinates | Source and notes |
|---|---|---|
| Birchleg Trail published highway turnoff for boxcar trailhead | 53.925667 -122.382967 | 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. https://www.ihikebc.com/trips/2016/trip100TaborMountainSawdustTrailHike.htm |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Season and access
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.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Measurement notes
10 km
50 m
Your trip notes
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