North Star Rails To Trails

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North Star Rails To Trails

After cycling the Westside Legacy Trail the previous day, Zosia Zgolak and I followed that up with a ride along the North Star Rails to Trails pathway on 20 May 2024. Connecting the British Columbia cities of Cranbrook and Kimberley, the pathway was completed in 2010 and follows an old rail bed in its entirety. Although the pathway runs all the way into Cranbrook, we started from a somewhat tricky-to-find trailhead (49.54875, -115.75654) just off Collinson Road north of the city limits. The ride from Cranbrook to Kimberley consists mainly of two long but gentle uphill sections with a characteristically similar descent to St. Mary River sandwiched in between. The grade is never overly steep which is understandable since trains used to run through here. For the same reason though, there are no dramatic twists and turns, and I found cycling the pathway to be monotonous at times despite plenty of scenic vistas along the way. Upon arriving at the pathway's terminus in Kimberley, we stopped for a nice lunch in the sun at nearby Rotary Park (49.67654, -115.97797) before commencing our return trip. On our way out of Kimberley, we took a detour to visit charming Marysville Falls, but otherwise, there was nothing else remarkable about our ride back to Cranbrook.

	Zosia begins riding from the trailhead near Cranbrook.
	An interpretive sign along the trail provides a bit of a diversion from the somewhat monotonous cycling.
	Zosia crosses a converted trestle bridge spanning St. Mary River.

Mother's Day Hill is visible but difficult to distinguish from the higher forested ridge behind it.

This stretch of the trail around the halfway point grants some far-reaching views to the west.

Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak

	Wycliffe Buttes (left of centre) and Lone Pine Hill (far right) are visible across the highway.
	Sonny is mesmerized by some wildlife roaming next to the trail. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Sonny arrives at the trailhead in Kimberley, and "boom goes the dynamite". Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia rides across a covered bridge spanning Mark Creek and leading to Marysville Falls.
	Marysville Falls spills over a high cliff.
	Sonny and Zosia pose beside Mark Creek upstream of Marysville Falls.
	Sonny rides along a boardwalk designed for access to Marysville Falls. Photo courtesy of Zosia Zgolak
	Zosia cruises along the home stretch back to Cranbrook.
	Total Distance: 52.3 kilometres Round-Trip Time: 5 hours 3 minutes Cumulative Elevation Gain: 319 metres GPX Data