Winter trails and sites: Headwaters recreation district
Recreation Sites and Trails BC lists 34 sites and trails in the Headwaters district with winter use, most of them near Valemount, Mcbride, Clearwater and Blue River. The main winter activities are snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and ski touring. The 18 trails add up to about 303 km. 5 are currently marked closed.
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Trails (18)
| Name | Winter use | Length | Nearest community | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AVALANCHE TRAIL (Cariboo Lake) | Cross-country skiing, Ski touring | 15.3 km | Mcbride | Open |
| Bell Mountain Snowmobile | Snowmobiling | 17.7 km | Mcbride | Open |
| Bell Mtn Ski Trails | Cross-country skiing, Snowshoeing | 22.5 km | Mcbride | Open |
| Blue River Loop Xc Ski Trails | Cross-country skiing | 10.2 km | Blue River | Open |
| Blue River Trails | Cross-country skiing, Snowshoeing | 22 km | Clearwater | Open |
| Candle Creek Mtn Bike | Snowshoeing | 28.8 km | Clearwater | Open |
| Candle Creek XC Ski | Cross-country skiing, Ski touring, Snowshoeing | 25.5 km | Clearwater | Open |
| Chappell Creek Snowmobile Trail | Snowmobiling | 22.6 km | Valemount | Closed |
| Groundhog Snowmobile Trail | Snowmobiling | 41.2 km | Blue River | Open |
| Keyhole Trail | Snowmobiling | 11.4 km | Valemount | Open |
| Kristi Glacier Trail | Cross-country skiing, Ski touring | 15.4 km | Mcbride | Open |
| Lucille Snowmobile | Snowmobiling | 9.6 km | Mcbride | Open |
| McKirdy Meadows Trail | Snowshoeing | 4.2 km | Valemount | Open |
| Renshaw Snowmobile Access | Snowmobiling | 27.7 km | Mcbride | Closed |
| Trophy Mountain Tour | Cross-country skiing | 5.3 km | Clearwater | Open |
| Westridge Recreation Trail | Cross-country skiing, Ski touring | 3.9 km | Valemount | Open |
| Westridge Snowmobile Trail | Snowmobiling | 14.6 km | Valemount | Open |
| Westridge Swamp Trail | Snowmobiling | 5.7 km | Valemount | Open |
Recreation sites (16)
| Name | Winter use | Nearest community | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Allan Oasis Area | Snowmobiling | Valemount | Open |
| Bell Mountain Meadow | Cross-country skiing | Mcbride | Open |
| Camp Creek Trails | Cross-country skiing | Valemount | Open |
| Chappell Creek Parking Area | Snowmobiling | Valemount | Closed |
| Chappell Creek Snowmobile Area | Snowmobiling | Valemount | Closed |
| Clemina Creek Trails | Snowmobiling | Valemount | Open |
| Eagle Valley Cabin | Ski touring | Mcbride | Open |
| Finn Creek Parking Lot | Snowmobiling | Blue River | Open |
| Lucille Mountain | Snowmobiling | Mcbride | Open |
| Mckirdy Meadow Cabin | Ski touring | Valemount | Open |
| Mt. Renshaw Alpine | Snowmobiling | Mcbride | Closed |
| Ozalenka trailhead and Parking Area | Cross-country skiing, Snowshoeing | Mcbride | Open |
| Raft Mountain | Cross-country skiing, Snowmobiling | Clearwater | Open |
| Shere Lake | Ice fishing | Dunster | Open |
| West Ridge Cabin | Cross-country skiing, Ski touring | Valemount | Open |
| Willis Snowmobile Cabin | Snowmobiling, Snowshoeing | Clearwater | Open |
Status as listed by Recreation Sites and Trails BC when we last checked; a listed activity is what the site is managed for, not a grooming report. Linked names have a camping page on this site; the icon opens the official listing.
Snow depth nearby
| Snow station | Elevation | Snow depth | 7 days ago | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Azure River | 1,640 m | 4 cm (Nov 1) | 1 cm | 6 km |
| Kostal Lake | 1,770 m | 13 cm (Nov 1) | 4 cm | 54 km |
| Mount Cook | 1,570 m | 6 cm (Nov 1) | 2 cm | 58 km |
Automated stations of the BC River Forecast Centre, provisional data refreshed daily; most stations sit high in the mountains, so valley snow is usually much less. Stations reporting impossible jumps are left out.
Parks open in winter nearby
- Jackman Flats Park · 38 km
- Upper Raush Protected Area · 40 km
- Rearguard Falls Park · 42 km
- Mount Robson Park · 50 km · winter camping
- Cariboo Mountains Park · 56 km
- Wells Gray Park · 57 km
Source: Recreation Sites and Trails BC (sitesandtrailsbc.ca), read November 1, 2026; trail lines and site locations: BC Geographic Warehouse (Open Government Licence – British Columbia). Check closures, avalanche conditions and road access before you go.