The best walks and hikes around Area J (Lower Arrow/Columbia)

It's easy to cross Glade Creek here on Glade Road, as there is a short wooden bridge built over the creek. It's a convenient way to cross the waterway and a scenic way to see the river flowing below.

Glade Road is a dirt road that is part of a part of the Trans Canada Trail. Hikers often use Glade Road to access Glade Creek Falls, which requires a short walk down the road then a turn-off down another short trail to the falls.

Glade Creek Falls is a peaceful 30-metre waterfall that can be reached via a short hike. It's tucked in an old-growth cedar and spruce forest, spilling into a deep canyon pool known as the “Green Lagoon” at the base of the falls. During the hot summer months, this swimming hole can get busy, with its cold, clear water enticing on a hot day. Spring (May and June) has the most powerful torrent of water due to mountain snow melt and autumn showcases golden foliage from larch and birch trees.

This exposed viewpoint along the Bluffs Trail looks out across the Columbia River Valley, with clear views over the city below, the Columbia River and the surrounding Rossland Range. From the rocky ridge, the forest drops away sharply toward the valley floor, creating one of the widest panoramas in the trail network. On especially clear days, distant peaks from the Seven Summits area are visible beyond the western ridgelines.

The Bluffs Trail is named for the exposed rocky bluffs and ridgelines that rise above the Columbia River Valley along this section of the network. After climbing through forest and switchbacks, the trail opens onto steep exposed viewpoints with wide sightlines across the valley, surrounding mountains and the industrial landscape below. The bluff sections are especially scenic near the ridge crest, where the forest falls away and the terrain becomes more open and rugged.

Miral Heights combines forested ridgelines with exposed bluff viewpoints overlooking the Columbia River Valley and surrounding mountain ranges. Part of a larger multi-use trail network, the area mixes shaded woodland trails with rocky lookouts that open onto wide views across the valley below. Several viewpoints along the ridge offer especially good sightlines toward the Rossland Range on clear days.

From here you can access the short Waldie Island Trail. Though only 1.5 kilometres long, the trail takes you through prime Great Blue Heron habitat, and if you're lucky you'll have a close encounter of the feathered kind.

The Waldie Island Trail is a scenic 1.5-kilometer path along the Columbia River in Castlegar, blending local history with a vital riparian ecosystem. As a non-motorized, multi-use route, it’s a favorite for hikers, dog walkers, and cyclists, though pups must remain on a leash to protect the sensitive environment. The trail’s standout feature is its proximity to the Waldie Island Heron Reserve, a crucial sanctuary for Great Blue Heron. By sticking to the marked paths and keeping noise down, visitors can enjoy a rare, up-close look at these majestic birds in their natural habitat.