Valemount & Mount Robson / Full trip pack
Cranberry Marsh Loop
- Loop
- 5.5 km
- Elevation gain
- Not established Minimal; numeric cumulative gain is not published
- Walking time
- About 2 hours for the full loop when passable
- Difficulty
- Easy Loop
loop
Access and trail reports
Full loop reported flooded
YORA’s April 19, 2026 notice says flooding prevents the full loop. No later reopening was verified during this review.
Reported 2026-04-19 · checked 2026-10-17 · YORA / Hike Valemount
Reports describe the cited dates. An expected reopening date does not establish reopened access.
Wetland circuit with viewing towers.
1. Getting there and parking
Three signed approaches serve the marsh. From Highway 5, use the same turnoff as the Best Western and find the trailhead at the far end of the parking area beside the highway, respecting private parking restrictions. From town, Ash Street ends at a cul-de-sac with a trail sign. A third approach is reached by turning from Ash Street onto 13th Avenue, then left onto McKirdy Road to a sandy parking area with a picnic table. Choose the access that serves the open section you intend to visit.
Road and vehicle: The local guide does not call for a high-clearance 4WD vehicle for this approach.
Full loop was reported unavailable due to flooding on 2026-04-19, without a verified reopening. Existing drive goes to an entrance, not a currently available full loop.
2. Walking the route
Walk the dykes and wetland paths through the Starratt Wildlife Management Area, using the viewing towers for a wider view of nesting islands and marsh habitat. The published complete loop is about 5.5 km, but the local guide’s April 19, 2026 update reports flooding that prevents completion of the loop. A temporary boardwalk installed on the south side in 2025 does not guarantee passage when water is high. Until the steward confirms the connection is open, make an out-and-back on the accessible section instead of trying to force a circuit through flooded ground. The wide, level dyke near the highway-side access may suit some visitors with limited mobility, while the whole loop has different surface conditions.
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.
0.94 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/442931490. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Cranberry Marsh Loop trailhead | 52.819133 -119.258308 | source-published; not field-verified https://hikevalemount.com/cranberry-marsh/ |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
This is a wildlife-viewing day-use trail. No designated camping or overnight permission was verified on the marsh route.
Toilets
The Visitor Information Centre is the public washroom option identified by the steward; the nearby hotel washroom is for customers.
Season and access
Spring is particularly useful for wetland wildlife viewing, while mosquitoes and bears may be encountered through the warmer months. Flooding can cut the route after wet weather. Winter skiing and snowshoeing are described locally, but the trail listing does not verify the safety of travelling onto frozen marsh water.
Accessibility
The broad, flat dyke near the hotel is a limited-mobility option; this does not establish accessibility of the entire 5.5 km circuit.
Mobile service
The local guide reports cell reception. Coverage has not been tested across carriers.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
More maps & trail files
Cranberry Marsh circuit on AllTrails
An approximately 5.8 km circuit in Starratt Wildlife Management Area. Older AllTrails descriptions do not override the local steward’s dated flooding and incomplete-loop notices.
AllTrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/canada/british-columbia/cranberry-marsh-loop
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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