McBride & Robson Valley / Full trip pack
Lower Goat River
- Point to point
- 14.5 km
- Elevation gain
- 300 m Published route measurement
- Walking time
- 4 to 6 hours one way
- Difficulty
- Moderate Point to Point
one way from Loos to Goat River Forest Road, via Highway 16
Linear trail through old cedar forest; Loos-to-highway and Loos-to-FSR are different sections.
1. Getting there and parking
For the Crescent Spur start, leave Highway 16 on Loos Road about 50 km west of McBride, then turn right onto Prospect Road and continue to its end. The trail steward also identifies access from the Goat River highway rest area and from Kopas Camp at about kilometre 5 of Goat River Forest Service Road. Choose the endpoints before leaving a vehicle: the full lower route is point to point.
- From Highway 16 near Crescent Spur, take Loos Road north, then turn right onto Prospect Road and continue to its end.
- For a shorter section, use the Highway 16 Goat River rest-area access; the trail crosses the river using the highway bridge.
Parking: The northern trailhead is at the end of Prospect Road near Crescent Spur. Other access points are the Highway 16 Goat River rest area and Kopas Camp at Goat River FSR kilometre 5.
2. Walking the route
From the Crescent Spur trailhead, follow the lower Goat corridor through old-growth cedar rainforest toward Highway 16. Around 11 km from the northern start, the route crosses the Goat River using the highway bridge, then continues to Kopas Camp in an old logging block. The steward gives about 14 km for the complete lower section, while the older club description rounds the road-end extent to 14.5 km. A short outing from the highway rest area is a different distance. Arrange a shuttle for the full traverse or plan the doubled walking distance if returning to the same vehicle.
- From Crescent Spur, follow the forest trail toward Highway 16, approximately 11 km from the northern start.
- Use the Highway 16 bridge crossing and continue toward Kopas Camp if completing the lower trail. The steward brochure gives about 14 km for Crescent Spur to Kopas.
The return
This is a point-to-point trail. Arrange transport between chosen endpoints or retrace your section; the approximately 14 km full lower trail is not a 14 km return.
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.
0.66 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/967715872. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Lower Goat River mapped LowerGoat trail west-end sign; parking unverified | 53.494630 -120.606330 | OSMnode14208003558 named LowerGoatRiverTrailWestEnd; nearby separate information sign also explicitly identifies LowerGoat, distinct from UpperGoatRiver trail.
Source-backed reference location; current access, exact parking and field position not independently verified. https://mapcarta.com/N14208003558 |
5. Camping, facilities and seasons
Camping and tenting
Kopas Camp is identified near the southern end in an old logging block. The brochure does not establish potable water or specific facilities at this lower-trail camp.
Season and access
The highway bridge crossing and forest-road access are part of the route, and later storm damage can change trail conditions. The steward’s brochure is undated and contains historical transport references, so its access layout is not a current maintenance inspection.
Practical details checked 2026-10-17.
Measurement notes
About 11 km from Loos to H16 one way and 14.5 km one way to the Goat River Forest Road.
300 m
Source comparison: Loos to Goat River FSR; 14.5 km; one-way scope. Same endpoint is already represented; one-way spelling does not create a route.
Source comparison: Loos to Highway 16; 11 km; one way scope. Same endpoint is already represented; one-way spelling does not create a route.
Source comparison: Loos to Goat River FSR; 14.5 km; 300 m ascent; 4–6 hours one way duration; one way scope. Same endpoint is already represented; one-way spelling does not create a route.
Your trip notes
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