With spectacular views looking down over the vibrant blue-green Silver Spring Lakes, the trail leading up to the edge of the Silver Spring Canyon rim is a highlight of the Elk Valley, and one of my absolute favourite hikes to near Fernie. What’s more, unlike many of the other long mountain hikes in the region, the Silver Spring Rim hike is relatively short, taking only about an hour and a half each way. Most hikers will want to allot plenty of extra time at the top to appreciate the various viewpoints however.
This fantastic Fernie hike starts off by following an old road up above the crystal-clear Elk River, as the road gains elevation, the river below crashes and roars into a deep canon popular among whitewater enthusiasts. Views towards the Rocky Mountain Trench to the west are excellent during this stretch of the hike. Eventually a path turns away from the trail and winds through woods of larch and the occasional ponderosa as it climbs up to the plateau above the canyon. Once it reaches the canyon rim, the trail hugs the edge closely as it passes several incredible viewpoints over the Silver Spring Lakes below.
Continue reading this blog post for everything you need to know to experience the Silver Spring Rim 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 the Silver Spring Rim as good (if not better) than you found them, both for their preservation and for the enjoyment of other visitors.
Silver Spring Rim Round Trip Details
Distance: 8.9 KM / 5.5 MI
Elevation Gain: 490 M / 1607 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 to the Silver Spring Rim a more enjoyable experience for the next person.
How to Get to Silver Spring Rim Trailhead
The drive to the Silver Spring Rim trailhead is located just outside of Elko, about half an hour from Fernie, or just under an hour from Cranbrook. If driving from Fernie, turn left onto Bate Ave just after crossing the bridge in Elko. From Cranbrook, turn right onto Bate Ave just before the bridge and after climbing the hill into town. From Elko the trailhead is five minutes away. The road goes up three blocks before turning right, then turns left after another two blocks. After the road leaves the residential part of town behind, look for the active logging road turning sharply to the left. Just down the initial hill the road crosses a bridge over the Elk River. On the other side of the bridge find somewhere to park along the side of the road at right without blocking the gate.
Click here to open the exact trailhead location in Google Maps.
Hiking to Silver Spring Rim
Pulled off just before the yellow gate at the start of the Silver Spring Rim trail. There’s room for a few cars here – just make sure to not block the gate. The region is particularly sensitive to invasive plants being brought in by hikers, so use the brush provided at the start and end of your hike to remove any potential seeds from your shoes.
The trail starts by following above the Elk River along an old road, gently gaining elevation.
Looking back. The start of the hike is just to the right of the bridge. Note the rope hanging from the tree in the foreground. Some rudimentary stairs lead down to it from the old road, making it a potentially great spot to cool down after a hike.
The Elko Dam just visible at right. Below here the Elk River is popular among whitewater enthusiasts, and though mostly not visible from the trail, the waterfalls and rapids are very audible.
I threw the drone up to have a look at one of the waterfalls – unseen from the trail.
Chokecherries were present along this section of the trail leading up to the Silver Spring Rim.
The Elko sawmill and Sheep Mountain behind it are visible across what is now an impressive canyon. The trail loses some elevation here until eventually heading into the woods.
The old road continues on but an obvious single track breaks off to the left. From here the path climbs steadily uphill.
Not long after the steep stretch of straight up, the trail splits in two, but reconnects in about fifteen minutes. The path on the right offers more scenic views to the west.
After winding through the woods, there are some very enjoyable views from the bald grassy plateau.
The trail splits again right before reaching the rim of the canyon. Keep left to walk alongside the canyon and enjoy the incredible views, or go right to not get any views at all. Difficult choice.
Silver Spring Lakes looking stunning below as I continue along the Silver Spring Rim trail.
There are several optional viewpoints turning off of the trail that get closer to the edge. Be careful.
My favourite views are when all three lakes line up like this.
The elevated lookout ahead is my preferred place to end my hike along the Silver Spring Rim trail.
Views opening up looking back down the canyon in the other direction. Note the two rarely-visited smaller lakes. From this viewpoint the trail continues five minutes further to the slightly higher cliff at right, but in my opinion the best views are to be had here.
Looking down over Silver Spring Lakes from the canyon rim, enjoying one of my favourite views in the region.
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 the Silver Spring Rim near Fernie! Feel free to leave any questions in the comment section below or to contact me directly via social media.