This long trail traverses the sunny west-facing slopes high above Christina Lake. A ponderosa/cedar forest provides some shade. There are several good viewpoints. The NW corner of the lake has the only accessible beach and the only part free of homes and thus most jet skis and boaters.
Location: Along Christina Lake in Gladstone PP. Christina Range of the Monashee Mountains.
Difficulty: A1
Elevation gain: 336m (1000’)
Key elevations: TH at Texas Point campground 500m (1640’); High point 634m (2020’)
Distance: 18 km round trip to a common turn-around; 22.6 to Troy Creek Campground.
Time: 5 hours return
Access: on pavement
Season: March through November
Map: 82E/1 Christina Lake
Drive: From Castlegar, drive west on Hwy 3 to Christina Lake. On the descent down to the lake, slow down at the sign: Alpine-Texas Point Rd. Use the pullout/turn around to access the East Lake Drive that descends acutely back from the highway. Zero odometer.
From the north edge of Christina Lake, drive Hwy 3 north about 5 km and turn left at the Texas Point turn.
0.0 Start west on East Lake Drive
.7 km Bear right (left is to Alpine Rd
1 km Stay right, cross the bridge and bear left; 3.7 km Go right
4.5 km Texas Creek campground gate. Closed until May. Park here.
Trail: Take the first right inside the campground heading east past the campsites. After 10 minutes, go left (north) and ascend through mixed forest.
After 20 minutes reach a viewpoint 616m (2020’) and 166m above the lake. Continue going up and down with a high point at 634m (2080’).
2.5 km A great viewpoint with a bench among the pines.
5kms. Another viewpoint off the main trail.
5.7 km Cross Trapper Creek, after which a side trail descends steeply to a lakeshore campsite.
6 km Take a side trail that goes .6km up to another great viewpoint with most of the lake visible.
6.5 km A faint side trail descends to the lakeshore at Deer Point. The trail opens up.
9 km A good place to turn around before the trail descends to the north end of the lake.
9.8 km North end of the lake. Usually 2.5 hours to here. The entire north shore is privately owned. A trail to the right goes up Sandner Creek. Enter a dark mature forest with massive cedar stumps and one remaining giant. Cross Sandner Creek and at 10.5 km, the unbridged Troy Creek.
11.3 km Troy Creek Campground on the lake’s NW shore. This is the only public beach access on this end of the lake. On a hot day, it is a great place to swim. Visit the Sandners’ cemetery.
Return the same way.
