Mileage: 9.8 miles RT
Elevation Gain/Highest: 2462ft/5995ft
Map: BC Parks
Favorite Eats After Hike: Pack A Cooler
Find out current conditions and as always, practice Leave No Trace. Pretty please.
Hike Details:
The Windy Joe Lookout sits north of Manning Park Resort in British Columbia, Canada. The trail junction is where the northbound Pacific Crest National Scenic Trail ends, as well. From the lookout, you can gaze across back into the United States at Castle Peak and west at Mount Frosty, a popular summit in the provincial park. You can enjoy a picnic outside at provided tables or get out of the wind inside the two story lookout.
My Hikes:
4/6/2019
For an updated snowy version of this hike, visit my What Happens When Three Hiking Bloggers Invade Manning Park For The Weekend post!
7/12/2016
After hiking the Pacific Crest Trail in 2013, I talked my family into going to Manning Park for one of our family camping trips. And even better, I talked them into taking a hike down the Pacific Crest Trail and up to Windy Joe Lookout.
The trail is a wide access road for the lookout with a gradual grade and a few long switchbacks. The signage brought back memories of the last few miles of my section hike of Washington State. It is about 1.3 miles up to the junction with the Similkameen River Trail and another 2 miles to the junction with the Windy Joe Lookout Trail.
From there, it is about 1.5 more miles to the summit. I could see back into the United States and markings on the inside described the surrounding peaks and history of the old fire lookout.
There was even a privy and picnic table at the top!
Directions: This hike is located in Manning Park east of Vancouver, BC. Turning south off HWY 3 at the Manning Park Resort, the trailhead is 1 km (.6 miles) down the Gibson Pass (Lightning Lake) Road. Drive past the resort on Gibson Pass Road and the parking lot for the trail is shortly on the left (signed for the Similkameen/PCT Trail).
For other hikes in Manning Park (other than the PCT), check out Skyline 1, Paintbrush-Heather Trails Loop, Dry Ridge or Beaver Pond Nature Pond.
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