Quartz Creek is Golden’s most popular area with a cabin located at the end of the groomed trail, three alpine bowls and access to more terrain.   

Overview

• Elevation: 8,500 feet
• Distance: 14.4 km from the parking lot to cabin
• Difficulty: Beginner to advanced

Quartz Creek is the Golden Snowmobile Club showcase area and is groomed on a regular basis. This area is located approximately 40 kilometres west of Golden on Highway 1. You can ride in on a scenic groomed trail to the Golden Snowmobile Club cabin. Those looking for powder and more of a challenge can venture past the cabin into the famous Prairie Hills. Be aware of avalanche hazards in the Prairie Hills and check the map at the trailhead to ensure you are not entering the national park or heli-skiing areas, as sledding is not permitted in these areas.

Quartz Creek has excellent parking and is also a trailhead for the West Bench Trail which is groomed from Quartz Creek to Gorman Lake.

Check current conditions here.

Trail Fees

• Trail fees are being collected at the gate
• $25.00/sled per day. Credit card, flash debit, apple pay or cash accepted.
• GSC memberships available.

Parking

Quartz staging area is located metres off Highway 1, 40 km west of Golden. Quartz parking area has three large lots. Trucks with decks can park closer to the kiosk (turn right when arriving).  Trucks with trailers have to park in the two lots to the left of the main entrance.  There is a one-way traffic flow through this area – turn left just before the kiosk and then left again to enter the upper parking lot.  You can exit by descending to the lower lot and turning right to get back toward the highway.

More Information

Check the map at the trailhead to ensure you are not entering Glacier National Park or heli-skiing areas, as snow-machining is not permitted in these areas. Individuals snow-machining within national park boundaries may be prosecuted, resulting in a maximum fine of $25,000 and/or seizure of snow machine. Look out for the yellow boundary markers and large No Snowmobiling signs and understand where the height of land is during your trip, as these delineate the national park boundary. Park Wardens patrol the boundary regularly, so be prepared to produce identification at their request and be able to articulate where you are at any given time.