Perry Creek Falls Trail
Perry Creek was one of the first great placer creeks discovered by miners in the 1850s and 1860s and proved to be a very productive gold-bearing creek. Gold remains in the creek till this day. Today the hike to Perry Creek Falls is a popular way to experience this part of gold rush history.
If you've visited Fort Steele Heritage Town, you've may have seen the large water wheel that was relocated from Perry Creek to the Fort. This Perry Creek water wheel was originally located about 25 miles west of Fort Steele, where it was used to pump water from mine tunnels up to 150 feet deep. Built in 1934, it is 32 feet in diameter, 7 feet wide, and could produce 68 horsepower to drive 2 pumps. The water pumped from the tunnels was used to wash the gold-bearing gravels brought up from. The wheel was successful, but the mine only operated for another 2 years.
Old Town is a ghost town of British Columbia, located on the south side of Perry Creek, northwest of Cranbrook. The town contained dance halls, several saloons, hotels, three stores, and a jail. The town was created around 1867 and lasted about ten years. You can see it's historic location on Google Maps
→ Perry Creek Trail is a 2.4 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located 9.4 km past the Wycliffe Regional Park. The trail's destination features a waterfall and is good for all skill levels! If you're interested in hiking to the Perry Creek Falls, follow the link below to be redirected to an interactive trail map.
This is a busy industrial resource road. Proceed with caution, turn your headlights on and be prepared for large industrial vehicles coming your way. This road can be very dusty in summer