Castle Mountain in Fernie is perfect for hikers looking to experience stunning panoramic views over the town and the surrounding Elk Valley. Unlike most other Fernie hikes, Castle Mountain is located on the east side of the Elk Valley, meaning that from the top you actually get to see all those iconic Fernie peaks across the valley including Mt Fernie, The Three Sisters, Mt Proctor, and Mt Hosmer. The unique blocky summit of Castle Mountain sticks out of the trees along the otherwise forested Morrissey Ridge, and is recognizable from town. What’s great about this iconic treeless summit is that you don’t actually have to gain that much elevation to reach it! The hike up Castle Mountain used to take only about an hour to gain 450m, but a road closure at the base now requires to park a little further away and walk in, adding about an extra 100m and half an hour each way.
Still, Fernie’s Castle Mountain is a fantastic little hike that I highly recommend to hikers not quite up to tackle the 1000m+ of elevation gain required for most Fernie peaks. The route heads uphill at a fairly consistent grade, with only one steeper section that can be avoided. It’s a great first hike to do in Fernie, and the incredible views are sure to get you excited to ascend more Fernie peaks.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Castle Mountain hike near Fernie for yourself, including distance, elevation gain, how to get there, the best time to visit, and lots of photos of my experience.
When hiking it’s important to avoid harmful practices such as disturbing plants or rock-stacking, or removing any natural object from flowers to rocks, as it’s important to leave the environment as natural as possible for the animals and for fellow hikers to enjoy in perpetuity. As many flowers as there are, there are few enough that if we all took one, then there wouldn’t be any left. Take only photos, leave only footprints.
If you haven’t heard of Leave No Trace principles, they’re also really essential to read up on before heading anywhere into the outdoors in general. Following these important principles basically means doing your best to leave beautiful places like Castle Mountain as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Castle Mountain Round Trip Details
Distance: 10.5 KM / 6.5 MI
Elevation Gain: 575 M / 1886 FT
Hiking Time:3 HRS
Hiking & Safety Tips
- Prepare for the possibility of wildlife encounters. Bear spray is a must whenever travelling in bear country, as well as learning how to use it. Though your chance of an aggressive bear encounter is low, it is always better to be prepared with bear spray. Bear bells are proven to be an ineffective bear deterrent, and are actively discouraged by Parks Canada. The best way to let bears know you’re around is simply to use your voice. Make sure to keep a respectful distance from wildlife and never feed the animals. It may seem kind but it doesn’t just kill wildlife and put people in danger, it’s also in many cases illegal.
- Research current trail conditions and make sure you are well-informed about the route before you leave, and assess if it is within your capability. Be aware of what time it gets dark and check the weather forecast. Make sure to tell someone where you’re going and when you expect to return. Every year as more and more people try hiking for the first time, the number of rescues goes up. Being prepared is the best defense.
- Pack everything you need for a successful hike, including enough water and energy-rich snacks. Remember to pack out everything you pack in though – don’t expect to find a convenient garbage can halfway up the trail. Bring appropriate layers (remember you’ll warm up once you start hiking) and sun protection. Hiking poles may be helpful but are not required. In addition to not leaving any garbage on the trail yourself, I highly recommend bringing a garbage bag and collecting any trash that you do see on the trail. You’re guaranteed to make the hike up Castle Mountain a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Castle Mountain Trailhead
The start of the hike up Castle Mountain has changed in previous years as a result of a now-gated logging road which adds some extra hiking time to the previous route. It’s now about five minutes from downtown Fernie. From the highway through town, turn east at the corner with Bridge Bistro onto 4 St. Follow 4 St through town and across the train tracks before immediately turning right onto Pine Ave. From here take your third left onto Coal Creek Road, which starts off as a residential street but soon becomes a gravel logging road. After 2 km of driving along Coal Creek Road, look for a right turn which immediately crosses a gated bridge. Previously it was possible to follow this road all the way to the official trailhead, but for now hikers have to park on the side of the road before crossing the bridge and following the rest of the road on foot.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking Castle Mountain
The closed gate just before the bridge is visible ahead of me.
Continue along the logging road for about 2 km. The Three Sisters is easily recognizable behind me. On the right is Mt Proctor and just out of frame on the left is Mt Fernie.
The official start of the hike up Castle Mountain begins here.
The trail immediately splits in two. Both trails are shared mountain bike trails, but the one on the right is more hiker friendly and far more commonly used.
The trail winds through new-growth forest, crossing an old logging road along the way.
The summit of Castle Mountain seems ahead.
At an intersection with other mountain biking trails. Continue straight ahead onto Hyperventilation.
Keep right at another intersection, staying on Hyperventilation.
The trail switchbacks up through older forest, with glimpses of the valley through the trees.
A fantastic wide open viewpoint with a bench makes for a perfect place to rest and enjoy the views before continuing to switchback up.
Following the switchbacks u in the direction of Castle Mountain.
At the top of the switchbacks the summit comes into sight. From here the trail gently loses some elevation as it makes its way around to the other side of the summit.
The summit of Castle Mountain is now above me on the left.
The trail turns sharply here, and splits into two. The steep trail (which I’m on) heads straight up the ridge. A less obvious trail to the right of where I am takes a slower switchback route up.
Both trails converge and head up to the distinct summit block, visible here on the left. The trail winds around to the back of the block where it easily climbs up.
On top of the blocky summit of Castle Mountain, heading over to the viewpoint.
A large bench on top of Castle Mountain makes for a great endpoint to the hike.
Recommended Hiking Gear
Water is a must whenever I’m hiking, especially if the sun is going to be out. My favourite water filter I’ve used is the Katadyn BeFree 0.6L, which unlike other water filters I’ve used packs up really small and lightweight. For hikes where I know there won’t be any readily available water sources along the way, I make sure to bring my own. The Hydrapak Stow 1L bottle is my go-to, for the same reason that it’s made of a soft plastic that folds up and doesn’t take up any more extra space than necessary in my pack. Finally, Aquatabs are another great option for purifying water, with one tablet being suitable for one litre of water. I previously used the Grayl water filter while travelling internationally, and though I found its hard body more convenient for day to day use and easier to drink from, it has a little too much bulk for my fast-and-light style of hiking.
The secret to all my photos of gorgeous sunset and sunrise mountaintop views? A lot of hiking in the dark. And let me speak from personal experience when I say that the last thing that you want to happen when hiking is to be caught in the dark without a headlamp. I used the Black Diamond Spot 400 for years and it worked great – until I lost it on top of a mountain somewhere. The only downside to it was having to worry about the batteries dying, though there’s also a slightly more expensive version that has a rechargeable battery. Nowadays I’m using the Petzl Actik Core, which is a bit pricier than the more budget-friendly Black Diamond, but is also brighter, more comfortable (in my opinion), and has a hybrid power system that is rechargeable but can also take AAA batteries if needed.
You won’t see me using trekking poles on shorter hikes often – but on long hikes and backpacking trips, as well as certain scrambles, they are an absolute lifesaver. I’ve invested in a high quality ultra-lightweight pair of MSR DynaLock Ascent carbon poles which, while pricey, I don’t regret one bit. If you’re not entirely sure how much use you’re going to get out of a pair of trekking poles, the best budget-friendly option would be the Trekology Trek Z 2.0. Amazon does sell a lot of cheaper Made in China-style trekking poles for cheaper, but these usually are much much heavier and not worth buying.
All the best and most long-lasting cables and power banks I’ve ever owned have been Anker. I once had a phone cable from them that lasted me over three years of daily use! That’s why I keep an Anker PowerCore Essential 20K power bank on me. Like many people I use my phone for a lot of stuff when hiking (checking in with family, using online maps, taking photos, flying my drone) so I like to be prepared for that low battery warning by having a backup power source on me just in case.
The only socks I ever buy for myself are from Darn Tough, and I almost always make sure to wear them when hiking. After years of having no problems only wearing these comfortable and rugged socks for hikes, I accidentally wore a pair of no-name socks on a hike last year and ended up with blisters on both feet. Safe to say I’m back to sticking with the Darn Tough. And the best part? They have a lifetime guarantee, meaning that if they ever wear out you can send them back for a brand new pair. For hiking footwear I go between a pair of lightweight approach shoes for quick and dirty mountain ascents or anything involving scrambling and more heavy-duty boots for longer treks. I’ve worn a couple different versions of the lightweight but super durable Arc’teryx Konseal FL 2 approach shoes for a few years now and am very impressed with the durability. I also really like the thick toecap that keeps me protected every time I stumble into a root or large rock. For longer, tougher, or muddier treks I rely on my LOWA Camino EVO GTX, which I find insanely comfortable and made of very high quality.
I wear my Ar’teryx Gamma Lightweight Pants on every single hike I go on, and on many days when I’m not hiking. After several years of abuse they are still holding together extraordinarily well, with only a few small holes from where I’ve fallen down and some slight stains from being repeatedly coated with mud. They’re lightweight, breathable, and super comfortable. For lightweight and breathable hiking tops I’m a big fan of both the Patagonia Capilene Shirt and the MEC Core Shirt. My Arc’teryx Squamish Hoody shows up in a lot of my photos. It’s super lightweight and packable, and does a great job of cutting the wind while also being pretty breathable. I also have an Arc’teryx Atom Hoody and Arc’teryx Beta LT that I pull out for cooler or wetter conditions.
I hope you enjoyed this guide to hiking Castle Mountain near Fernie! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.