The Rivers Trail (West) is a well-used track for hikers, walkers, dog walkers, and cyclists. It starts at the end of Aviation Way and joins Tranquille Road just past the Cinnamon Ridge Compost Facility. An-out-and back hike on the double track is 10 km of level walking. On the river side is a jungle of wetland shrubs and trees. On the north side is the airport, then irrigated fields. A lesser traveled route leads off the main track and winds along an old track to a fenceline, then drops into a seasonal slough and then out to the river banks. The route winds through a user path through the shrubs then around two islands to broad sandbars on the Thompson River.

When the trail/route drops into the slough, it passes an old vehicle dump, sometimes called Dale’s Antique Beach. There are about 25 rusting vehicles in the willows under cottonwoods on the banks of the wetlands.

The trail continues west and over a sandbar island. At the next island, it is better to walk to the north side and follow a flood channel to the far end to get to the beaches beyond.

At the west end of this route is a wide sandbar beach with fine views down to Tranquille Bay and Battle Bluff overlooking Kamloops Lake. We usually make this the trurn-around point and follow the river shoreline back to create a loop.

Sometimes we have to go around small bays or water channels or hike inland to get past wet spots or overgrown banks and each time we do this hike it is different. Our favorite time to do the hike is in late winter when the snows melt on the exposed sand, but the sand stays firm and partly frozen. At that time, there is usually some interesting ice formations as the winds lap water onto the shoreline in freezing conditions.

The return along the soft sand surface is slow-going so we usually watch for a worn path back up to the Rivers Trail and finish the hike/walk along the established trail to the parking area. Our route was 8.5 km taking over 2 hours. Along the way we spotted some bald eagles as well as a large golden eagle, all watching the underbrush for the next meal.

At the end of winter the beaches are often the first to clear of snow so we will return to walk on the sandy route along the Thompson River.