Blackwater & southwest / Full trip pack
Blackwater Canyon Trails
- Loop
- 14 km
- Elevation gain
- Not established up to 300 m
- Walking time
- 4 - 6 hours
- Difficulty
- Moderate Loop
approximate loop
https://hikingprincegeorge.com/hikes/blackwater-canyon-trails
Access and trail reports
Blowdown clearing
The source reports all trails cleared of fallen trees on April 11,2026. This does not establish their condition on a later trip date.
Reported 2026-04-11 · checked 2026-10-17 · Caledonia Ramblers
Reports describe the cited dates. An expected reopening date does not establish reopened access.
A Blackwater River outing combines a lower canyon path with an escarpment traverse and wide valley views. The upper and lower branches form a longer loop, with shorter return walks possible from the recreation site.
1. Getting there and parking
From the Highway 16–97 junction in Prince George, drive west on Highway 16 for about 9.4 km and turn left onto Blackwater Road. Continue approximately 70.8 km to Blackwater Recreation Site. The historical driving estimate is about 75 minutes, but gravel-road condition and industrial traffic can change it substantially. Find the large trail map at the back of the recreation-site/campground area before setting out.
Parking: Use Blackwater Recreation Site and locate the large trail map at the rear of the campground before setting out.
Source-published estimate of 75 minutes each way, referenced to the Highway 16 / 97 junction approach. The observation date is unstated; current forest-road travel conditions and elapsed driving time have not been verified.
2. Walking the route
Follow the forestry path east for about 1 km to join the older river-overlook corridor. Roughly 1.5 km farther, the right fork takes the lower Canyon Trail while the left climbs grassy slopes toward the escarpment viewpoint, about 1.3 km away. For the described loop, take the upper branch, continue east along the escarpment for approximately 1.5 km, then follow markers down to the Canyon Trail. Turn west on the lower path to rejoin the outward trail and return to the recreation site. The full published loop is approximately 14 km; the individual landmark distances are partial stages, not a complete surveyed total. A clearing report dated April 11, 2026 covers the trails then. Stay back from the escarpment edge and retain your planned return branch.
- Walk east on the forest path for about 1 km to the older river-overlook trail.
- About 1.5 km farther, choose left to climb roughly 1.3 km to the escarpment viewpoint; the right branch is the lower Canyon Trail.
- Continue east along the escarpment for about 1.5 km, then follow the marked descent to Canyon Trail.
- Turn west on the lower trail to rejoin the outward approach and return to the recreation site.
The return
The club describes this upper-and-lower circuit as approximately 14 km. The distinct 21.7 km All Trailsloop has not been proven to use the same start and route.
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.
1.63 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/197544130. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Blackwater Canyon Trails start point of published trip track (parking unverified) | 53.289405 -123.138026 | Embedded trip-map feature 'BlackwaterTrail': first recorded coordinate [-123.138026, 53.289405].
Point extracted from the original public trip map. A track start is evidence of where recording began, not certification of parking, legal access, road suitability or the complete route. Source date: 2025 https://hiking.princegeorge.tech/blackwater-canyon-in-north-central-bc/ |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Season and access
Club reports blowdown cleared April 11, 2026; this is dated evidence, not a live condition report.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Measurement notes
~14 km with loop
up to 300 m
More maps & trail files
Longer Blackwater Canyon loop on AllTrails
This listing describes a 21.7 km loop from the Blackwater River Crossing area. It is longer than the approximately 14 km canyon/escarpment loop in the primary guide; do not merge the routes or their measurements.
Comparison checked 2026-10-18.
These links open files and maps maintained by their publishers. They require an internet connection and are not included in this saved guide.
Your trip notes
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