Centennial Trail and Moe's

Rossland

A short, peaceful stroll around a lovely little lake

Hiking Moderate

Distance: 2.9 km
Ascent: 53 m
Descent: 53 m
Duration: 0-1 hrs

Low Point: 1.1 km
High Point: 1.1 km
Gradient: 5˚

Sitting just to the north of Rossland is a charming little lake which serves as a reservoir, providing Rossland with its water supply. The Centennial Trail leads from the upper reaches of Rossland's northern suburbs alongside the lake and all the way to Red Mountain village, but turning back on yourself at the northern end of the lake and coming back along its western shore is a better hike. Red Mountain is pretty quiet in the summer and there's not much to make walking up there worth the effort, so take this loop option instead.

At the northern end of the lake Photo: Charlie Boscoe

Peaceful forests on the western side of the lake Photo: Charlie Boscoe

A bit of Kootenay humour on one of the information boards Photo: Charlie Boscoe

Description

The hike itself is super simple, with a wide, flat track leading you up the eastern lake shore, and a clear but slightly more bumpy trail running down the western side. The ease of the hike allows you to focus on the forests, the lakes and the information boards which line the trail. This being the Kootenays, the signs are wonderfully humorous, and serve as a good example of the famous "Kootenay Culture". In addition to the humour, there is also some interesting historical information about Rossland and the lake, so factor in some reading time when anticipating how long this hike will take you.

The nicest way to do this trip is from the trail parking lot, but it's pretty close to Rossland town centre, so walking up from downtown is perfectly feasible for those who want a few extra kilometres!