KVR (Kelowna to Penticton)
- by Josh
- 2014-Nov-02
Individual Trail
BC-Okanagan (Central) / Kelowna/Penticton
40 min driving from Downtown Kelowna
The Kettle Valley Railway trail is a historic path through the province, stretching from Hope to Castlegar. Although it is no longer fully functioning, the 100-year-old trail makes for a great hike and is popular with cyclists.
The full trail stretches 600km but the section mentioned on this page will take you across the world-famous Myra Canyon Trestles and lead you to the City of Penticton. You will cross at least 20 trestles and pass four tunnels. The route is 76.5km and has been completed in just less than seven hours, providing a ride back to Kelowna from Penticton is available.
In the summer of 2003 a lightning bolt hit a tree sparking a disastrous fire that destroyed a large part of the Kettle Valley area, since then trestles have been restored and the vegetation has started to slowly grow back. Several types of wildlflower including Indian Paintbrush, Wild Larkspur, Western Columbine and Lupines are now in bloom during the summertime.
During the summer it is recommended to bring water as it can get very hot on the trail, Fall can be a more manageable climate for hiking. There is still some debris lying around so keep an eye out for loose rock, holes and fallen trees which may occur on parts of the trail. If you are biking, make sure to bring the necessary equipment, it’s a long walk back if you get a puncture.
Wildlife includes coyotes, deer, bears, cougars and a variety of birds.
* Warnings were made in 2012 on leaving cars at the beginning of the Myra Canyon trail due to frequent break-ins.
Activities
Seasons Accessible
Basics
Kids & Pets
Features
Suggested Protection
None mentioned.
Notes
None.
We have a downloadable GPS map for this trail!
Last Updated on Wed, Feb 21, 2018
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Driving Time
From Downtown Kelowna, approximate travel time by car is 40 minute(s).
Trailhead GPS Co-ordinates
49.799297000,-119.312515000
Detailed Directions
From Gordon and Bernard in Kelowna.
-Proceed south down Gordon to KLO road
-Turn left on KLO and follow for 5.7 km
-Turn right on McCulloch Road
-Follow the signs to either the Myra on Ruth trailheads at either side of the canyon
-For Myra Trailhead, turn right on June Springs Road and follow it to the top.
-For Ruth, the better road, continue down McCulloch past Field Road, down the hill, over the single lane bridge until you get to N49° 50.147, W119° 21.299 and go up the logging road to the top. There should be signage.