Malkow Lookout

British Columbia's Northwest, Smithers in particular, offers some amazing hiking and mountain biking trails.

One of the most rewarding trails is Malkow Lookout. Just a 15 minute drive from downtown Smithers, this easy hike (or moderate mountain biking) takes you to 360 degree panoramic views of the rolling hills and valley, the picturesque town site, the many mountain ranges, the famous ski hill, Lake Kathlyn and the glacier.

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This million dollar view can be all yours for the cost of a couple of hours of your time. The easy, family oriented (bring the kids and grandparents) hike takes about an hour to reach the top.

Pack a picnic as there is a picnic table up top. Take your camera, for there will be many photos to snap. And you definitely won't have to worry about losing cell phone service. The top is home of the nearest cell phone relay tower. The large hill used to serve as a fire lookout, hence its' name.
To get to Malkow Lookout, drive southeast on Highway16 from Smithers and turn north on the Old Babine Lake Road, just past the bridge over the Bulkley River. Stay on the road until you start up a hill and turn left on McCabe Road. The parking lot for the Malkow Lookout Trail is on the left side of McCabe Road.

The parking lot and the beginning of the trail are on private property. Please follow the instructions on the gate. Leave your dogs at home and be sure to close both gates on the trail. There is livestock in the field along the trail, making the journey just a bit more interesting.

The well marked trail turns to road on the way. The open meadows are dominated by Juniper trees. There is a bear warning sign, but on a sunny day this popularity of this trail will keep bears far away.

You'll see a patchwork of farmland in the valley below. The Smithers Airport is to the west and you can see mountains that stretch from Hazelton to Houston. To the south, you can see the Telkwa Range that stretches to Houston. To the east are the Babine Mountains and to the west is Lake Kathlyn and Hudson Bay Mountain with remnant glaciers.

Photo from HiWay16.com

This a great trail for a short hike or a quick jog/bike in the evening or morning. It would be the perfect place to take out-of-town visitors for a spectacular view without a long drive or a long hike.

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