Features
About this place
Distance: 8km (5 miles) roundtrip. Duration: 3.5 hours. Elevation gain: 625m (2,000 ft). Spectacular 360 degree mountain views from the summit. Great day hike close to Nelson.
The hike up Toad Mountain provides a great view over Nelson and it's surrounding mountain peaks. From the summit, a 360 degree view gives you a great spot to look at the distant Valhallas, Kokanee Glacier, Purcells and lower Selkirks.
The main challenge to hiking Toad Mountain is access. The road to the trailhead is quite steep and challenging - 4wd or clearance is recommended. To get to the parking lot, turn onto Giveout Creek Rd about 6.5km (4 mi) south of Nelson on HWY 6. From here, turn left onto Gold Creek FSR after 1.6km (1 mi). Follow this steep road up the hill, staying on the main road at all intersections. After 12km (7.5 mi) of climbing you will reach an obvious carpark where the old Silver King mine used to be.There is a small sign pointing up the road to the trailhead. It is worth getting a copy of a backroad map for this journey.
The trailhead itself is about 500m (0.3 mi) up the steep muddy 4wd road. From the trailhead, the trail is easily to follow, albeit very steep for the first 45 minutes to the first summit. Once the first summit is reached, traverse the ridge toward Toad and make the final ascent. The summit should be reached by fit hikers in about 1.5 to 2 hours. The ridgewalking gives you great views out over every direction and is some of the most enjoyable walking within the immediate vicinity of Nelson. Enjoy the views and keep an eye out for Toads!