Agate Mountain Fire Lookout - Willis Creek FSR

Summary of Route

Type: Out and back; fire lookout

Rating: 3/5

Season: Summer

Length: 31.5 km one-way

Vehicle suitability: Stock 4x4

The Route

The Agate Mountain Fire Lookout - Willis Creek FSR overland route provides access to one of BC’s lesser known 4x4 accessible fire lookouts, particularly since the closure of the shorter access route via Wolf Creek FSR.

Access is found just outside of Princeton, BC, on Copper Mountain Road (GPS coordinates: 49.46152, -120.49801). Copper Mountain Mine is a large-scale mine, so expect industrial traffic on Copper Mountain Road all days of the week. That said, Copper Mountain Road is a wide, paved road, and you should not have any difficulties travelling it despite the industrial traffic.

After 15.1 km on Copper Mountain Road, you’ll bear left onto Willis Creek FSR at GPS coordinates 49.35442, -120.48507. Willis Creek FSR is similarly in excellent condition, albeit not paved. Continue on Willis Creek FSR for an additional 8 km, avoiding all spur roads. For the most part, the most well maintained road you encounter will be the correct one. This mantra becomes inaccurate at the 21.58 km mark (8 km into Willis Creek FSR, GPS coordinates 49.35935, -120.39592), whereby you must take the left road, leaving the better conditioned main road.

From here on, road conditions begin to slightly deteriorate, largely through a narrowing of the road. That said, conditions remain easy going. An additional 1.25 km will bring you to the below clearing.

The remaining of this route is 4x4 only. If continuing to drive, bear right as you enter the clearing. The next 100-200 meters is quite narrow and suggestive of this being an ATV only track; however, the track opens up shortly and become suitable for most, if not all, 4x4 trucks/SUVs. Aside from the narrowness of this section, the crux of this entire route is likely the steep loose hill climb that occurs shortly thereafter. While harder than many of the stock 4x4 routes on this blog, if you had success with Cabin Lake, Mara Mountain, or Blowdown Pass, this route will likely be manageable. As always, we recommend walking any difficult sections before attempting and, for this route, that would mean parking at the above clearing and walking the initial 1-2 km of the route.

Once on this section there are limited intersections and, for the most part, continue travelling upwards and you will reach the Agate Mountain Fire Lookout. Suitable turnaround spots do exist throughout this track; however, they are not particularly plentiful and are not a suitable substitute for first walking the crux.

If you’re looking for nearby overland routes, consider French Mine or Mount Thynne.