The spring cleanup of all the trails is almost finished. However, watch out for winter debris in the form of thick branches that point out towards the trail at rider’s knee-height. Most of these are hidden by lush new foliage of perennial plants. Many instances were encountered on the narrower sections of Menzies Trail and Scout Bay Trail, where the surface is rocky and the horses prefer to travel on the edge of the trail for softer footing.
Last year’s washout near the northern end of Alouette Valley Trail has been resolved with a re-route, so it is open once again. Be cautious approaching the re-route from the south — the trail that was once straight now takes a 90-degree turn to the left and there is no fence at the edge of the drop-off to the rocky creek below.
Note that there is also a persistent sinkhole on Menzies Trail, along the section around the 3km mark. Watch out for this hazard; it can be bypassed, but use caution.
Scout Bay Trail has a new sinkhole on the flat narrow, section.
With the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions only partially eased on other recreational facilities, spending time at Golden Ears is a VERY popular activity. Furthermore, with the park management limiting day-use parking to approximately 50% usual capacity, finding sufficient parking for all users will be a challenge.
If you plan to haul a horse trailer to Golden Ears, whether to park at Main Corral, Gold Creek or Park Headquarters (next to Menzies south trailhead), get a very early start for the best chance of finding a parking spot. This strategy applies to weekdays as well. The park’s open hours are now 7am-11pm.