Old Cascade Highway is a wilderness sightseeing highway exploring the Monashee Mountain Range. The scenic highway goes by many names such as the Old Cascade Highway, Santa Rosa Road and the Old Cascade-Rossland Highway.

The historic transportation route connects the communities of Rossland, BC and Christina Lake, BC via a narrow, gravel backcountry road traveling over two summits. The gravel highway route is popular for day drives, mountain biking, hiking, dirt biking, atving and horseback riding in the summer. During the winter the highway, after a large snowfall, is very dangerous for vehicles and, therefore, is mostly traveled by snowmobilers.

The highway road measures approximately 72 kilometres and is divided into three sections - the Cascade side, the middle and the Santa Rosa side. Closes to Rossland is the Cascade side. The highway road is a mixture pf pavement and good gravel roads. The road contains many switchbacks while navigating up through forests and along mountain ridges leading to a summit and peek-a-boo views.

Closes to the community of Christina Lake is the Santa Rosa side of the gravel highway. The roads are rough, with loose gravel sections. There are switchbacks leading over big hills and through mountain valleys leading to the Santa Rosa Summit and some great views. The best views are found on the Christina Lake side, just before the summit.

There are no services on this highway. Be prepared and always drive with a spare tire and water. Weather and temperature can change quickly in the mountains. There are a few sections along the gravel highway which are really rough and some say 4x4 only which is what we were driving.

The Cascade Highway is also an access road to wilderness adventures. Trailheads to some of the popular recreation trails in the region are located on the Cascade Highway like the Seven Summits Trail and the Dewdney Trail.

How to Get to the Old Cascade Highway

Travel to the community of Rossland, BC. When in Rossland, BC travel west on Hwy 3B, past the Rossland Historical Museum, and Black bear Road. On your right is a small sign and a gravel road going up hill. Turn here.