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1.1 miles
Distance
10 ft
Climb
-1,539 ft
Descent
00:44:03
Avg time
-1,529 ft
Altitude change
2,620 ft
Altitude min
4,149 ft
Altitude max
4,149 ft
Altitude start
2,620 ft
Altitude end
-27.542%
Grade
-60.339%
Grade max
10.331%
Grade min
196 ft
Distance climb
5,234 ft
Distance down
122 ft
Distance flat
00:44:03
Avg time
Upper Needle Details
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Activities
- Mountain Bike
- E-Bike
- Hike
- Trail Running
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Riding AreaThimble Mountain
Grand Forks, British Columbia -
Difficulty Rating
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Local Popularity40 in Mountain Biking [+]
- 70 in Trail Running
- 40 in Hiking
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Global Ranking
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Trail TypeSingletrack
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Bike TypeDH, AM
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DirectionBoth Directions[+]Popular Direction Shown
- Both Directions for E-Biking
- Both Directions for Trail Running
- Both Directions for Hiking
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Climb DifficultyBlue
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Physical RatingModerate
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Dogs AllowedYes
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eBike AllowedYes up to Class 1
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TTFs on TrailRock Face
Steep downhill along rock faces and sand/dirt.
Access Info
Trailhead coordinate: UTM 391356/ 5442938
Travel 16km up North Fork Rd. from Grand Forks, this is where the trail ends and there is parking by the junction. Continue up the west side of the valley and turn onto Brown Creek/Eholt road. Head up to the old rail grade and turn right onto Rathmullen FSR. Hang a hard left and go to the top of the mountain. Here you will intersect with the lookout loop on Thimble Mountain trail. Ride your bike to the lookout and as you look down into the valley you will see Needle shoot off to the left.
Local Trail Association
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Please consider joining or donating to the local trail association to supportDonate to earn trail karma!
trail development & maintenance.
Traditionally Indigenous Territory
Recent Activity on Trail
Past Week
- 0 rides
6 Months
- 0 rides
All
- 4 rides
- Last: Sep 28, 2025
| c1 | c2 | c3 | c4 |
|---|---|---|---|
January | February | March | April |
May | June | July | August |
September | October | November | December |
Upper Needle Trail Reports
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Trail Conditions
- Unknown
- Snow Groomed
- Snow Packed
- Snow Covered
- Snow Cover Partial
- Freeze/thaw Cycle
- Icy
- Prevalent Mud
- Wet
- Variable
- Ideal
- Dry
- Very Dry
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Directions to upper-needle trailhead
(49.133600, -118.482900)
Photos
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Routes with this trail
30 miles • 3,962 ft • 16 • Point to Point •
Route linking up trails to the tops of three mountains around Grand Forks. Start at thimble, Saddle in the...
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Nearby Trails
- Thimble Mountain Option 3,360 ft
- Thimble Lookout Loop 3,360 ft
- Thimblefish 1 mile
- Lower Needle 2 miles
- Bc Mine Link 3 miles
- By bcpunk
CL IMBA Canada & contributors - #48268 - 1,889 views
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Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Needle
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Where is Upper Needle located?
Upper Needle is located in Thimble Mountain, Grand Forks, British Columbia, Canada. It is part of the Thimble Mountain trail network. The trailhead is located at coordinates 49.1336, -118.4829.
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How hard is Upper Needle?
Upper Needle is rated as Black Diamond difficulty. The physical rating is Moderate. The average grade is 27.542%. The climb difficulty is rated Blue.
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What is the elevation gain for Upper Needle?
Upper Needle has 10 ft of elevation gain. The trail has 1,539 ft of elevation descent. The elevation ranges from 2,620 ft to 4,149 ft.
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Is Upper Needle a point to point trail?
Upper Needle is not a point to point trail. The direction is Both Directions. The trail type is singletrack.
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