Mayo-Ailsa Lakes Trail (Kimberley)

Site Description: Both Mayo Lake and Ailsa Lake can be visited in one day. The lower elevation Mayo Lake is reached by following a well defined trail along the creek. The impressive 750 m headwall of Mount McKay, with cascading waterfalls, makes a dramatic backdrop for this subalpine tarn. Ailsa Lake is for skilled route finders and strong hikers, as it gains another 270 m in 1 km. The beginning of this route is 100 m from the shore of Mayo Lake, on the trail that you walked up. From here, a trail scrambles up through alders and crosses a talus slope, roughly following the stream that flows out of Ailsa Lake. Ailsa Lake is a classic cirque lake tucked into a narrow basin in the Mount McKay massif.

Driving Directions: Access: Commencing at the junction of Hwy 3/95 and Hwy 95A, follow Hwy 95A for 23.4 km to the north end of Marysville. Take a sharp left (south) onto the St. Mary Lake Road. Set your odometer at zero. Follow this road for 16 km to the junction with the St. Mary River Road. Turn left, onto the St. Mary River Road and cross over the bridge. Within 0.6 km, cross a cattleguard and turn right onto the Hellroaring Creek Forest Service Road. Follow this road for 1 km, then turn right onto the Meachen Creek Forest Service Road. Reset your odometer to zero. Follow this good, 2WD, gravel road for 17.8 km (44.5km road marker). You will see the recreation trail blade sign on left. Park at the trailhead sign on road landing.