- Watershed: Bulkley
- Difficulty: Easy
- Trail Length: 2.9 km
- Round Trip: 1-1.5 hours
- Distance from Houston: 0-10km
- Cell Coverage: Yes
Amenities
- Picnic Table
- Cell Service
Links and Downloads
Description:
Barrett Hat / Vallee Lake Recreation area info:
The Barrett Hat Trail has great views of the Telkwa Range and the Morice-Bulkley Valley. Its suitable for all ages and is close to Houston. This is a good trail for mountain bikes, skiing, snowshoes or that quick run in the evening.
Morice Outdoor Recreation Society (MORS) entered into an agreement with Rec. Sites and Trails BC to develop the Barrett Hat / Vallee Lake area in 2014. To date MORS has developed a network of trails and viewpoints that are very well marked and signed. These trails are well maintained all year round and accessible to all ages and abilities making them one of the most popular hiking destinations in the valley. The trail counter statistics indicate that there are over 1,500 visits per year.
As well as the trails, some of the infrastructure that the MORS volunteers have constructed in the last 5 years include, a shelter on the old Look Out foundation on the top of Barrett Hat, complete with panorama signage, benches at viewpoints on the Hawthorne Springs and Ridge trails, a handicap accessible viewing platform on the south end of Vallee Lake, a bird viewing platform on the north end of Vallee Lake and boardwalks at either end of the Vallee Lake wetland trail. Assistance from Dungate Community Forest has made these projects possible.
Morice Outdoor Recreation Society invites you to view their Facebook page at Barrett Hat/Vallee Lake Recreation Area. Post your trip photos and experiences on the trails or any maintenance issues, such as blowdown encountered.
Directions (approx 8.5 km from Houston)
- Starting from the Houston Tourist Information building drive West of Houston on Highway 16 for 14.5km.
- Turn left (west) onto Barrett Hat Road (not Barrett Stn Road) and travel 1.4 km to the junction with Parish Road.
- The trail starts on the west side of the intersection, across from Barrett Hat Road.