Mel DeAnna Trail North Footbridge - Castlegar, BC
Posted by: 
T0SHEA
N 49° 14.051 W 117° 38.838
11U E 452877 N 5453690
The Mel DeAnna Trail is a 3 or 5 km. trail which begins at the rest area on Highway 3 about 6 km. south of Castlegar.
Waymark Code: WMM7NR
Location: British Columbia, Canada
Date Posted: 08/05/2014
Views: 2
After hiking the long 1.5 km. to the junction at the north end of Champion Lake(s), if one takes the right fork and heads down the west side of the lake, one will shortly encounter this, the first of two wooden footbridges on the loop around the lake. This one is about a third of the way down the lake while the other is at the south end. They are both simple bridges made of a pair of stout logs with 2X6s nailed on crosswise as a deck. They are only about 20 feet or so in length.
The trail heads upward from the toilet at the rest area to a viewpoint, then runs south for 1.5 km to a junction with a 2 km. loop. If one takes the loop, the total trail length is 5 km. as one returns on the same 1.5 km. trail. The trail is a great bird watching and nature trail with superb views of the Columbia River Valley and Castlegar, to the north, then descends into forest and eventually goes around a large pond with 16 interpretive stations. It was created by the West Kootenay Naturalists, Castlegar & District Wildlife Association, Selkirk College and the Ministry of Forests.
Beside the trailhead, just to the south, is a monument with a plaque dedicated to Mel DeAnna, "A Friend To Nature".