Synopsis: The Rotary Trail is a great hike early in the season, on days when you only have a brief period of time available, or when you just do not feel like anything more strenuous. Entirely inside town limits, it includes riverside walks, great views, and (unique among the hikes on this site) has a pub halfway along. What more can you ask?
Access: The trail starts at the corner of 13th Street South, 14th Street South, and 7th Avenue South. If that sounds like an unlikely intersection, you will understand when you get there.
Trail: We will look at the Rotary trail in sections, going clockwise around town.
Section 1: West side of Golden
The trail begins to the south of the intersection, where you will see some boulders lined up on a grassy berm. Once you gain the berm, you turn west and come to the fence at the boundary of the Canadian Pacific Rail yard in about 250 metres. Here, the trail turns to the right and proceeds for another kilometer and a half to the Canadian Helicopters site. Another right turn and you gain Fisher Road in 200 metres.
This section is a pleasant route across town, but otherwise does not have much to recommend it. Views are limited, and the railway tracks are quite close.
Section 2: Kicking Horse River dikes
Undoubtedly the most popular section of the trail, this stretch is used by hundreds of locals every day. From Fisher Road, the trail follows the Kicking Horse River upstream. After 1.1 kilometres, you reach the timberframe pedestrian bridge, which gives you quick access to the other side of downtown. The dike then moves south to enclose a relief flood channel and Goulds Island before reaching the crosswalk on Highway 95 at 1.4 km.
After crossing at the lights, regain the river bank and continue upstream. At 1.8 km you will be outside the deck of the Mad Trapper pub, and if it is a hot day the temptation may be too great. Otherwise, continue east past the campground, the swimming pool and the high school until you reach the end of the dike (and the beginning of the Kicking Horse Canyon) at 2.8 kilmetres.
Section 3: the bench
At the mouth of the canyon, the trail leaves the dike and drops slighty into the forest at the base of the hill. It skirts the campground and reaches the high school playing field in 200 metres. Staying on the south side of the field, the trail climbs the hill until just at midfield, where it splits. The right fork continues for another 60 metres and terminates at Alexander Park Elementary School. Turn left, and you will switchback up the hill to the playing fields at Keith King Park.
At the top of the hill, you face another choice. Go right, and you reach the Mount 7 subdivision in 75 metres. Turn left, and follow the trail 200 metres to an overgrown baseball diamond to where there is a sharp right. Do not go straight ahead at this point, or you will be venturing into mountain bike terrain. Take the right turn instead, and follow the trail around the diamond to the concession stand. (You will reach you maximum elevation on this stretch of 840 metres.) Just past the concession you will pass under the power line. A trail goes up the hill at this point to connect with the Mount 7 Forest Service Road.
The Rotary Trail continues through the woods to until you reach the Reflection Lake Road at 1.7 kilometres. Cross the road, and the trail continues along the top of a huge bank. What you are looking at is the gravel pit left after the CPR used fill from here to build the rail yards across the highway. Be careful with young children here. It is a long way to fall.
A left turn will take you around to the rodeo grounds and Reflection Lake. Turn right, and the trail gradually drops down to the level of the lower part of town, reaching an old roadbed near the highway overpass and ending up in the Alexander Park subdivision. If you follow the lane that goes north behind the houses, you will end up at the museum and the old train station.
If you parked at the beginning of the trail, head 4 blocks west on 13th Street (across Highway 95). If you head west for half a block, you will be on 11th Avenue, Turn right (north) and in five blocks you reach the Kicking Horse River, one block east of the Highway 95 bridge.
Recommended: If you park by town hall on the south side of the Kicking Horse River bridge, you can walk either way along the river dike and have a very pleasant outing.