One of the first snow-free backpacking or day-hiking areas of our area is the Stein Valley Heritage Trail. To reach the trailhead, drive two hours to Lytton and take the reaction ferry across the river. Follow the signs north to the trailhead:
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The trail follows the Stein River as it flows from the headwaters in the Coast Range down to the Fraser River. The east end is grassland-sage habitat and the trail follows a relatively flat route among boulders and pine to Asking Rock, a spiritual location for First Nations people. Further on, two locations have pictographs a side trail. As the trail continues west, the ecosystem changes to become wetter and cooler. Fir dominates, then cedar and cottonwood. Granite boulders flank both sides of the trail. At 2km, the first official campground is seen – Loop Camp. Continuing on to 4km, the second campsite veers off to the right – Devil's Staircase Camp, a good spot for camping after a late arrival to the Stein. The campsite sits under a north bluff so is a little less sunny than campsites farther on. Campsites have pit toilets, a bear-proof food cache, a campfire pit, access to the river, and lots of room for tents.
From this camp, the trail climbs through switchbacks up a talus slope to a high viewpoint of the Devil's Staircase and Christina Creek Falls. the next section weaves through rocks before descending to the river. A side trail of yellow flagging tape leads to pictographs. At 9km, the trail goes past Teepee Campground on a flat, grassy bench next to the river. Two easy kilometers beyond the trail passes Eddie Earl's cabin. We was a prospector and trapper who was killed in WW1. Earl's Camp is in an open meadow/alluvial fan between Earl's Creek and the cabin. the trail continues on past Earl's Creek and along the rivershore to the suspension bridge. On a previous trip, this was a cable crossing, a challenge with a full backpack. Now it is an easy crossing of the river and a good place for a mid-bridge photo.
Beyond the suspension bridge, the trail continues for a half-day of hiking alongside the river. There are lots of nice spots, but the trail is generally wetter and more overgrown. For most hikers, the suspension bridge is a good turn-around point for a day hike (28 km return) or for a one or two night backpack. The Stein Trail really has no end point. Ambitious backpackers can try the traverse from the headwaters to the mouth. We talked to a hiker who had been to the Stein 14-15 times, including a 9-night traverse. He confirmed what others have said. It is a long, difficult route with many challenges (route-finding, deadfall, wet areas, and so on). For most of us, the Lower Stein is a fine destination for 1-4 days of hiking or backpacking. We talked to another hiker who has come to the Stein many times. He spoke of the spirituality of the area. This theme is reflected in the lore of the First Nations people, in the literature on the area, and in the words of the people we met. I spent a few hours on a large flat boulder out in the river, listening to its song of enchantment. The Stein is one of those places where we can understand this connection to the wild. We need to return to these places to find this balance in our lives.
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