The hills above Barnhartvale are remote and challenging   All of the approaches are steep and hard to figure out.   One of the routes we take starts at the end of Pratt Road.   Over the last few years construction of new homes at the south end has cut off two routes to the hilltops so now we have to drive to the end, park at the circle and start our hikes by going through the easement.

Follow the double track over a ridge and as it descends down the hill toward Campbell Creek, watch for a side road that goes up and parallels the power line to the west.   Follow this steep 0.7 km hill to the top.   As you crest the hill, watch for a double track heading north.   Follow this track ignoring side tracks, bearing steadily north to the destination, an open hillside above Barnhartvale, south of Sunrise Mountain.  Near the pond, there are some fences so it best to stay east wherever possible.   You may have to go through a gate on crown grazing lease, closing the gate behind you.  Near the north end there are several route options to go to the top of the viewpoint hill.   We went up one and came down another.   The whole area is a little hard to navigate so a GPS is helpful (use a base map and turn on tracking).   This is a remote area with lots of wildlife.   On this trip, we spotted a large cougar track and we have seen lots of bear sign over several trips.

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The viewpoint has outstanding views of Barnhartvale, but beyond to all the surrounding hills too.

Even after having done this route a few times, it is still hard to find the right route and we missed a turn on the way back and came down a different route, more direct, but we ended up behind some homes and had to skirt the sidehill to get back to the starting point.  If you choose to do these trails, you may have to explore and leave extra time to allow for the challenges of finding through-routes.

Some GPS coordinates:

• Start – N50 37.508 W120 10.193
• Turn at the top of the hill – N50 37.495 W120 10.786
• Destination – N50 38.549 W120 11.109