District of Hope council to consider development of recreational trail south of Hwy. 1

HOPE — Councillors in Hope are set to consider a motion at their meeting later today that could greenlight the development of a recreational trail located south of Hwy. 1 in partnership with the province and several other agencies in the region.

According to item 5a on today’s agenda (Tuesday, Oct. 14), council members have been briefed about a new trail initiative and are being asked to continue investigating the feasibility, desirability, costs, responsibilities and potential partners to investigate the possibility of the proposed Thunderbird Trail.

District staff are recommending that council approve a motion to continue working with the Hope Mountain Centre for Outdoor Learning (HMC), the province, the Cascade Lower Canyon Community Forest (CLCCF), and local First Nations to investigate the potential development of the proposed trail.

Once this inquiry is complete, staff will bring a report back to council about a final decision to authorize and fund the proposed Thunderbird Trail. Consultations with local First Nations, including Chawathil FN and the Stó:lō Research and Resource Management Centre, have begun and will need to be officially concluded.

The proposed trail initiative began soon after the completion of the Serpent’s Back Trail via the Hope Mountain Centre. According to a district staff report, HMC envisioned this proposed connection between the two trails and in 2024 obtained funding from the CLCCF to undertake their own preparatory investigation. In January 2025, the District of Hope was officially made aware of this effort at which point the district’s chief administrative officer began working informally with the HMC, the CLCCF, the province, and Chawathil FN.

Image: District of Hope / Proposed Thunderbird Trail map.

Grace Sherratt, a senior manager of land operations for the Ministry of Transportation and Transit, wrote in an email to the District of Hope that it is prepared to enter into a license agreement with the district to construct and maintain the proposed Thunderbird Trail. As part of the license agreement, the district would not be responsible for lands outside of the trail; signage would be required along the edge of the trail to indicate no trespassing and private property where applicable; signage would be required where trail users transition from Crown land to private land; the District of Hope would take over maintenance of the Flood Falls Trail area, not surrounding lands, as this trail is the access point for the Thunderbird Trail; and the District of Hope would be responsible for the geotechnical condition of any B.C. Transportation Financing Authority (private) land and any trail user incidents that arise.