Old Yeller

Old Yeller in Harrison, BC is a solid choice if you want a shorter hike that still makes your legs work. This 5.3 km loop gains about 311 m and tops out around 1,198 m, so it feels like a real climb without eating your whole day. Most people clock it in just over three hours, and the mix of quiet forest and ski-area edge makes it feel a bit more adventurous than your average resort loop.

The loop starts with a punchy climb right out of the gate, then rolls into a mix of steady ups, short flats, and a long descent. You wind along old forest service roads and ski boundaries with peekaboo views of the village and surrounding mountains when the clouds cooperate. It’s not technical, but the constant elevation changes make Old Yeller a good workout and a nice change from flatter valley trails around Harrison.

Old Yeller is mainly a snowshoe and winter hiking route, with the best conditions from November through March. Reviews mention everything from soft, squeaky snow on warm bluebird days to icy, hardpack that can make the steeper sections tricky, so bring microspikes or snowshoes depending on recent weather. The trail is usually well marked, but some sections can be confusing, so download a map, carry the resort map as backup, and expect a few rocky patches once the snow melts; keep an eye out for bear tracks in shoulder seasons and be ready to turn back if conditions on the steeps get too slick.