Upper French Mine

Total Kilometers
2.6

Technical Rating

3

Easy

Best Time

Spring, Summer, Fall

Trail Type

Full-Width Road

Accessible By

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Upper French Mine
7

Trail Overview

This trail is a great adventure with great photo opportunities of the valley below and an old abandoned mine you can drive into! Please use great caution; this is an old abandoned mine with lots of loose and sharp rocks. Entering the mine is at your own risk--there are many dangerous places inside the mine shaft caves.

Photos of Upper French Mine

Upper French Mine
Upper French Mine

Difficulty

A high-clearance vehicle is recommended due to one washout and a small rock obstacle that a stock vehicle may bottom out on. The trail into the mine at the end is very tight with a steep drop-off top edge. Room is very limited at the entrance to the mine; no more than 2 vehicles should enter at a time.

History

This area is rich with old mining history with nearby Mascot Mine. Unfortunately, tours of the old mine with buildings that are hanging off the cliff have been shut down, and access to that area is patrolled with security.

Technical Rating

3

Status Reports

Juerg Moser
Jun 08, 2025
4x4
Open
Dusty
A breathtaking climb up the winding but well-maintained gravel road to the starting point. The trail itself became increasingly rocky, so we decided to lower the tire pressure. We were able to drive our Willis 2024 factory Jeep all the way to the mine. For all inexperienced off-roaders, I recommend leaving the vehicle at the lookout point and walking the short descent to the mine. We were absolutely thrilled with this trail, with its breathtaking views and the numerous mine caves at the end.

Upper French Mine can be accessed by the following ride types:

  • High-Clearance 4x4
  • SUV
  • SxS (60")
  • ATV (50")
  • Dirt Bike

Access Description

The track starts at Highway 3 and heads up to the Hedley Nickelplate FSR. You'll notice it spurs off to the right close to the peak of the hill. This first right takes you to the base of the mine, where there's an ore chute, a concentrator, and a small climb to an open shaft. The second spur, once you go back to the main road, takes you to the actual main mineshafts. In a well-set-up 4x4, you can drive right down to the mine entrance and even into the shaft. Otherwise, with a high-clearance 2WD, you can get to within a couple of hundred meters and can walk in from there. When you return to the main road, it's worth turning right and the road (well-maintained gravel) will take you up to Apex Mountain and finally out to Penticton.

Upper French Mine Map

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