Really local family wheeling spots

[mainlander]

I know I don't post here often and I'm not a member of the CC but I thought I'd ask you all first.

I'm looking for some fun family wheeling spots that don't take more than 30-45 mins to get to from Abbotsford. I've been up Vedder before and well, it's kind of boring for the kids. I've been up francis lake from the weaver lake road, that's fun and been out around Davis lake a bit.

I'm looking for some other close spots to take the kids for some offroad fun.

Can you folks help me out? Thanks

Rod

 

[canucksafari]

Rod, the closest trail is up Sumas Mountain. Make sure you don't get locked in as they do close the gate. The Chilliwack valley has lots of trails to explore and driving time makes it close. Jones Lake (the off ramp just before the scales) is a short trip up the mountain and the kids will enjoy the lake. West Harrison has tons of trails as well. Buy yourself a back-roads map and go from there. If you want to go wheeling together one day let me know. My girls are a bit older now but my son is always up for a trip. Cheers

 

[Fantom]

Chilliwack, Mount Cheam has nice places as well as good little site off the Chilliwack River.

 

[mainlander]

Great suggestions, John, I'll certainly take you up on your offer one of these days as wheeling with other's is just more fun anyway.

I have several of the outback road maps of the local and interior area as well as the forest service maps for both lower mainland and interior, but I do find they are older and not to up to date.

I honestly done know how to get up to Sumas mountain (bad hey and I've lived here since 1981) so we'll have to make a date of it sometime John.

I'd love to go up Cheam Mat, how far can one get up there. I know there are tons of forest service roads up in the Chilliwack River Valley, but exploring with the young kids can get tiresome all to often, the just want a quick rip in the wagon sometimes.

Keep em coming, there must be some good stuff up around Maple Ridge ya?

 

[Enigma]

Keep em coming, there must be some good stuff up around Maple Ridge ya?

Nope.

Blue Mountain is gated. Eagle Ridge in Poco, gated (off and on..more on).

It's been awhile since I've been up the west side of Stave Lake, might be a little bit of stuff there.

West side of Harrison Lake has a lot of places to go.

 

[canucksafari]

You should be able to make it to the top of Cheam once the snow melts. Its a popular hiking destination. The easiest way is to take the Chipmunk FSR just past the prison. You will go over the Chilliwack River. When it comes to a T, turn left and follow the bench road until you come to the Cheam FSR (its marked). At the T if you go right then you will be going out the Foley Lake FSR. I tried it last winter o n top of the snowmobile tracks but had to turn aound at a sluff onto the road. Note, make sure you have a good spare with you and avoid running your tires over old fire pits. Some people like to use nail laced wood for there fire they start.

Probably the biggest hazard are the guys on ATVs and motor bikes. Seems that some of them reall want to be a 4x4 hood ornament. Sumas also has its fair share of 4 wheelers driving like no one else would ever be coming around the corner.

Like I said, when you want to go, let me know a few days in advance. Sumas is really a short run. Would be great for an evening but it is gated by then.

 

[Fantom]

If you have a backroads map then you'll see all the trails around Cheam, you can get from the Chilliwack river over to the North side and back up to the highway, if all the snow is gone. There is a lot of trails on both sides of Harrison Lake, and you can always stop at the Lake sore for some lunch or find a decent camp spot. On the East side, the first trip we did this year up to the hot springs was nice and there were a couple of really good camp spots right on the lake.