Less than ten minutes from Nelson, the network of trails here go through cedar forests and wildflowers. Morning Mountain operated as a ski hill until 1999 when the lodge burned down. The mountain biking trails climb all the way up to Toad Mountain.
Difficulty: B1 moderate
Distance: 9 km round trip
Elevation: +544m
Time: 4-5 hours
Season: late April to early November
Drive. From Nelson, head west on Highway 3A and turn left on Granite Road just as you leave town. Drive 4.1km and turn left on Blewett Ski Hill Road – 2WD low-clearance Park.
Use the Trail Forks app.
Trail. There is a choice of trails to ascend but Bottoms Up and Upper Bottoms are the easy green trails. Avoid the black diamond trails.
1. Bottoms Up trail, reach a junction in 2km and switch to the green Upper Bottoms trail to gain the top of the network in about 2 hours with the best viewpoint in 10 minutes. Gold larches in September.
Continue on Upper Bottoms and turn left on Giveout Creek Road for 0.3km, turn right on the signed ‘Bedframe’ trail, and walk down Bedframe for just 0.1km and the best viewpoint.
Return to Upper Bottoms on a choice of trails avoiding the ones that end on Granite Road.
2. Silverking side. Park on Giveout Creek FSR (room for 3 vehicles, 4WD HC). Walk up Fairly High to Very High, then down Upper Highballer and Highballer to the viewpoint on Bedframe and back along Fairly High. All forested trails A/B1. Distance:14 kilometres. Elevation gain: 450 meters. Time: 5 – 6 hours.
Reference. https://westkootenayhiking.ca/?s=MORNING+MOUNTAIN+
