This is a brief, shoulder-season forest walk near Creston. The summit is a lovely meadow without views. The trail is a self-guided nature trail called the Lady Slipper Trail established by the East Kootenay Environmental Society and the Forest Service.
Location:Goat Mountain is the mountain to the NE of Creston.
Difficulty: Easy A1
Elevation gain: 380m (1246′)
Key elevations: TH 1175m (3854′); High point 1555m (5100′)
Distance: 2.5km one-way
Time: 1.5-2 hours total
Season: May through November
Access: Easy. Copious parking but make sure to be well off the road.
Map: 82F2 Creston
Drive: From Creston (Junction of Hwys 3 and 3A in north Creston): Drive 4kms north on Hwy 3A. Turn right (east) onto Lakeview-Arrow Creek Road. Zero odometer.
From the east shore of Kootenay Lake: Drive Hwy 3A south. From the Sirdar pub: Drive 12.8km south. Turn left (east) onto Lakeview-Arrow Creek Road. Zero odometer.
0.0 Start east on Lakeview-Arrow Creek Road. At 1.4 pass 2 unpaved left turns.
2.3km Turn right onto Foster Road. At 2.9km, continue on Goat Mt FSR. At 3.6km and 6.2km, bear right.
9km Park 1175m (3854′). Room for only 2 vehicles. TH.
Trail: Walk north on the initially steep trail to the sign “Lady Slipper Trail”. Take a brochure on this nature trail. Get a few views of Kootenay River valley, Duck Lake and the south end of Kootenay Lake through the trees.
After one hour on the well forested trail, reach trail end 2.5km and 1555m (5100′) near the summit of Arrow (Goat) Mountain, a lush and mossy mountaintop meadow nestled between swaying conifers with a dense, understory thick and bushwhacking unappealing. There is no inspiring goal in sight. A short path and old road leads east for 150m to a viewpoint over the Goat River valley.
