Train Wreck Trail (Whistler, BC)

After our difficult hike at Brandywine Meadows, Matt and I were planning an easy day of gondola rides and the spa, but Zoe had other plans. (Namely, refusing to be left alone in the hotel.) So, we decided to find an easy hike. We ended up at Train Wreck Trail, and I'm glad we saw it! This spot is more about sightseeing than hiking, but we continued along the trail for a bit after the titular train wreck, which made this feel a bit more hikey than walky.

The wreck is very cool. The abandoned cars have become a favorite of graffiti artists, and whatever trail organization oversees it has leaned into that, making the graffiti part of the draw.

This trail is one of many in the Whistler Interpretive Forest. To get to the train cars, you cross a suspension bridge over the Cheakamus River, which Zoe was not a huge fan of. The wreck is just on the other side.

Seeing a bunch of ancient train cars smack in the middle of a forest was truly weird and fun. We spent some time taking photos, then opted to continue on.

This trail is slightly easier to follow than Brandywine Meadows; although we did have to rely on markers for parts of it, it was packed enough to follow visually 99% of the time. Most people (namely families) stop at the wreck, so we had the trail mostly to ourselves.

The trail follows the line of the Cheakamus River from high above, giving us an incredibly view of the churning waters. We spent some time on an outcrop of rock, during which time the train went by. The tracks are just above the trail, and you have to walk along them briefly for part of it.

We stopped when we got to the waterfall, since we had dinner reservations to get to and didn't think the views would get any better the further we went. We did make a brief pit stop on another trail in the Interpretive Forest to hang up the hammock and relax for a little while.

This short hike had some good payoffs along the way, and I can see why it's highly recommended. I'm glad we got two completely different types of hikes in during our short trip, and I'm excited to check out the hikes at the top of the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains. We'll be back in September (without Zoe) for round two.

Bonus pics: Table-side bananas foster at our anniversary dinner. We clean up okay!

Ali