The Bush Lake – Timber Lake trails were designed and built for the 1979 (first) BC Winter Games in Kamloops.   They became our "home trails" for cross-country skiing.   Then the Coquihalla Highway was buillt and it cut right through the middle of the trail system so the Stake Lake Trails were built as a replacement system for cross-country skiing.   Sections of the eastern side of Bush Lake Trails were still used by a few skiers untracked, but the main ski trails ran east-west and the Coquihalla cut those off (they can be reached from the Timber Lake Road when there is not too much snow).  

Most of the old sections of the Bush Lake area trails dead-ended at the Highway, but over time a couple of loops have been worked out as single tracks through the forest.   These are subject to deadfall so skiers and snowshoers should expect to go around fallen trees.   No official trailwork has been undertaken, except for some minor clearing and marking in the last two years.  The north loop is marked and cleared for rough cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.   It is not suitable for motorcycles, quads, and most bicycles because of the fallen trees.   It is fine for snowshoers who can step over or go around the deadfall (paths have been cleared).     It is actually better to leave some of these obstacles to keep the motorized vehciles out.   Mountain bikes can do the loop, but it is only 4km so this will not be worth the effort.     In summer, there may be cattle grazing (Crown grazing lease areas) so hikers or bikers should follow best practices (link).   Once the south loops are finished, there will be about 12km in a figure 8 pattern.   These are not "official" trails, but do meet permitted activity under the Forest Practices Code.   No trees have been cut, no chainsaws have been used, and no earth has been dug.   We have only used flagging tape, some trail markers, and have cleared hazardous branches and small deadfall.

These are single track, low-impact routes through the forest, perfect for snowshoeing, but probably okay for hiking, cross-country skiing, and mountain biking too.