Anyone ride in this area and know if there is any radom camping/campsites you can ride from no interest in staying in a campsite you have load and unload every time you want to go for a ride. We ride at fallen timber all the time and some of our group suggested Grand Cache might be a good place to check out for somewhere different. What is the riding like mountain like? Any help on directions where to camp would be most helpful
Grand Cache
- Thread starter mxzguy
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Shaggy1421
Active member
There is lots of spots on the side of the highway on the north west side of GC. Alway a lot of atv users in the summer time. The local rcmp are lenient to the usage around town as long as you have ins and reg
Chuck403
Active member
The town bylaw states 20km/km max speed, and most direct route out of town (no swinging by the gas station to fill up while on your atv). Lots of ppl do it though. I'm not sure what the municipal campground has for rules on riding in/out of there should you choose to stay there.
Random camping, as previously stated by shaggy there are numerous spots on the north side of town. The mine flats +/- 10k out of town is very popular and from there you have instant access to the trail up MT. Hamel. Or backtrack towards town a bit and go up the beaverdam road. Both very popular spots. If you go further north, there is a lot of random camping at sheep creek as well. Lots of areas to ride there too. Going up the power line, or up the sheep creek road can rack up the miles in a hurry.
At the other side of town, the old gov't gravel pit directly across the Hwy from Pierre grey provincial campground is another very popular spot. Don't even think of letting your atv touch the ground in the Pierre grey area as it's a provincial park. The other side (south side of the hwy is all good to go though)From that gravel pit you can go to a la peche lake. Around 35km one way. A relatively easy ride, just go when the water is low as you have to cross the muskeg river right at the start of the trail. Be careful after the lake, as that trail enters willmore wilderness park. Another huge no-no being in there on an atv. You can also go along the side of the Hwy from the gravel pit towards Hinton, and turn onto the road where rodar contracting has their gravel pit. Ride past the gravel pit, and keep on going. Eventually you will get to the huckleberry tower area. Dozens of cutlines to explore in there.
Apologies for the late reply, haven't been on line much over the summer.
Random camping, as previously stated by shaggy there are numerous spots on the north side of town. The mine flats +/- 10k out of town is very popular and from there you have instant access to the trail up MT. Hamel. Or backtrack towards town a bit and go up the beaverdam road. Both very popular spots. If you go further north, there is a lot of random camping at sheep creek as well. Lots of areas to ride there too. Going up the power line, or up the sheep creek road can rack up the miles in a hurry.
At the other side of town, the old gov't gravel pit directly across the Hwy from Pierre grey provincial campground is another very popular spot. Don't even think of letting your atv touch the ground in the Pierre grey area as it's a provincial park. The other side (south side of the hwy is all good to go though)From that gravel pit you can go to a la peche lake. Around 35km one way. A relatively easy ride, just go when the water is low as you have to cross the muskeg river right at the start of the trail. Be careful after the lake, as that trail enters willmore wilderness park. Another huge no-no being in there on an atv. You can also go along the side of the Hwy from the gravel pit towards Hinton, and turn onto the road where rodar contracting has their gravel pit. Ride past the gravel pit, and keep on going. Eventually you will get to the huckleberry tower area. Dozens of cutlines to explore in there.
Apologies for the late reply, haven't been on line much over the summer.
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Yea checked it out camped before Town for a few days than tried the other side near Bever Dam Rd did caw ridge and Mt Hamel good place to ride will definitely have to go back some day. It's nice being that close to town if you run out of anything it's only ten minutes away. Not as remote as where we usually go to at Fallen timber.
WinchBreaker
Active member
Hi Chuck403. I plan a yearly quad trip for several of us guys who work together. We always go in Mid-June. I was just wondering if Mid-June would be a decent time of year to ride this area. Do any of these trails have timing restrictions? Would any trails have impassable water crossings at that time of year. Any advice would be appreciated. We always rough camp and we are all very experienced riders. Thank you in advance.
Chuck403
Active member
I have to pay better attention, just saw your post today. Sorry for the super long delay on responding. There are no time of year restrictions anywhere around here. Every where is good to go 365 days a year.
As for river crossings at that time of year, it depends on the year. Our snowfall amounts vary substantially year to year. Just an example, my first trip into a la peche in June of 2013 was water everywhere. The melt far surpassed what the river could hold, and it was touch and go if I was going to make it or not. Only way I made it in was by going in on the Muskeg haul road and getting onto the trail at the Midway point. Trying that ride right from the trail head by Pierre grey would have been an instant disaster as the river was in no way passable.
Fast forward to 2016, and the river was easily crossable right from the end of April straight through the summer. That trail was easy peasy that whole summer.
A lot of the areas around here though, in a wet year, you can still get to where you want to go. There is a bridge over Sheep Creek on the Beaverdam road, so getting to caw ridge is a non issue. A la peche trail can be accessed from the muskeg haul road, or the cougar road. Both of which let you avoid crossing the muskeg river. Going up Grande, or Hamell are always accessable regardless of the weather.
Last year around June 10th, we got 80+ mm of rain in a couple of days. That combined with the snow that was left caused some flooding. Other years, we've been under a fire ban around that same time. It really boils down to what it's doing weather wise on the year. This year so far, we are very low on snow currently. If it continues, should be gravy riding come June. Things can change overnight though. Best bet is find out a couple weeks or so before you plan on going, but like I said, there are opportunities wet or dry.
As for river crossings at that time of year, it depends on the year. Our snowfall amounts vary substantially year to year. Just an example, my first trip into a la peche in June of 2013 was water everywhere. The melt far surpassed what the river could hold, and it was touch and go if I was going to make it or not. Only way I made it in was by going in on the Muskeg haul road and getting onto the trail at the Midway point. Trying that ride right from the trail head by Pierre grey would have been an instant disaster as the river was in no way passable.
Fast forward to 2016, and the river was easily crossable right from the end of April straight through the summer. That trail was easy peasy that whole summer.
A lot of the areas around here though, in a wet year, you can still get to where you want to go. There is a bridge over Sheep Creek on the Beaverdam road, so getting to caw ridge is a non issue. A la peche trail can be accessed from the muskeg haul road, or the cougar road. Both of which let you avoid crossing the muskeg river. Going up Grande, or Hamell are always accessable regardless of the weather.
Last year around June 10th, we got 80+ mm of rain in a couple of days. That combined with the snow that was left caused some flooding. Other years, we've been under a fire ban around that same time. It really boils down to what it's doing weather wise on the year. This year so far, we are very low on snow currently. If it continues, should be gravy riding come June. Things can change overnight though. Best bet is find out a couple weeks or so before you plan on going, but like I said, there are opportunities wet or dry.
WinchBreaker
Active member
Thank you very much for the response. This is very good information.
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