I started exploring this area in 1976 and I continue to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, I chose to share this information. Getting out 12 months each year, I continue to explore trails, tracks, routes, and waterways of the Kamloops area and beyond.
On a hot summer day we got an early start for a 9 km hike over McConnell Hill. We hiked around the east side of Stake Lake, then followed a series of ski trails (Cartwheel, Sitting Bull, Rustler) to the shoulder of McConnell Hill. We watched for the single track snowshoe trail (Bushwhacker) that goes up to the rim of … Continue reading…
From a basecamp at Mahood Lake Provincial Park there are several opportunities to hike short routes nearby. Canim Falls and Mahood Falls The trail to Canim and Mahood Falls is 4.5 km west of the campground. A good trail leads to viewpoints of the falls. The falls flow over a lava dike which flowed over the Canim River Valley. … Continue reading…
We traveled to Sun Peaks Resort, then took the chairlift up to mid-station hike. We hiked up through Crystal Bowl and past Top of the World, winding north along the Westridge Trail. Our route continued up the Tod Mountain Trail to the summit, then returned by the Tod Backside Trail around the peak back to the way we had hiked … Continue reading…
We spent a few days on Saturna Island and we hiked trails and headlands in spring weather. The longest trail we hiked was the Mount Warburton Pike Trail. We drove to the parking lot and hiked along the top of the ridge. Except for the a peak on Salt Spring, it is the highest point on the Gulf Islands and … Continue reading…
The south-facing slopes above Tranquille were once submerged under a glacial lake. Glaciers rolled over the hills and left moraine deposits, but where erosion has exposed shales, we can sometimes find fossils. there are some small spots in the hills above Tranquille River and there are more extensive deposits in the gullies between Tranquille and Battle Bluff. On a hot … Continue reading…
The road to Dunn Peak can be difficult and the hike can be challenging at the wrong time of the year. A FAQ is provided here for interested hikers: Why hike to Dunn Peak? It is the highest peak in our area and it is a rugged and beautiful area. What are the challenges? A remote area with backroads requiring … Continue reading…
We have hiked through Wild Horse Canyon from Kelowna to Naramata a few times. We ran it once and backpacked it twice. Twice we day hiked the canyon, out and back, a long day each time. A Wild Horse Canyon video is now available on YouTube: Click the YouTube link on the menu bar for more KamloopsTrails videos.
Continue reading...Al Budreau, the author of Kamloops Backcountry Hikes (Vol. II), had developed two trails in Arrowstone Provincial Park and he had been working on a link route to create a loop. We contacted Al and he agreed to take us on a hike up through the hills to the volcanic vent and then down glaciated moraines to the Arrowstone Creek … Continue reading…
The Landstrom Ridge Trails are found across the river from Hope. Take Highway 7 and start at one of two trailheads near Stockholm Creek. The loop route over the ridge will be the choice for most hikers. Most of the hike is in the forest, but there are a couple of viewpoints on top of the ridge. Our hike was … Continue reading…
On a sunny summer day we hiked half of the Grasslands Community Trail from the top, then we looped back on a Connector Trail above McQueen Creek for an 8.6 km hike. We parked at the trailhead and followed the signed trail past Griffin Lake. After 1 km through the forest, the trail emerges into an open area with several … Continue reading…
Starting a hike on the Red Plateau Forest Service Road saves the steep hike (2230 vertical feet) from the Dewdrop Range. There are several trailheads off the backroad that allow is a moderate route out to the rim of the Red Plateau Escarpment. On this most recent hike, we followed know trails, but to do a longer route along the … Continue reading…
There are a number of trails off the end of McLeod Drive – Uplands Drive. Some are single tracks on the grasslands bench and some climb the steep rocky hills above. On a mild July day, I hiked two of the Uplands Hills to enjoy the forest, ridges, and viewpoints. The trailhead area follows the gasline track west. A single … Continue reading…
Reinecker Creek flows from the Shuswap Highlands down to Shuswap Lake, passing through Herald Provincial Park. A loop trail climbs the hill to a viewpoint on the east side of the hill above Margaret Falls, then we can loop back by crossing the creek on a bridge. An unsigned side trail parallels the upper canyon and goes down to a … Continue reading…
Hiking from the Lac le Jeune Campground to the Vista Lookout and back on the Stake Lake Trails is a summer favorite. We start at the beach and then we follow the shoreline trail around the campground and out to Lac le Jeune Drive. A short distance east the Rossmoore FSR turns off and we follow it to access the … Continue reading…
Wheeler Bluffs is prime destination for a hike, but all routes to the top of the cliffs are long. We sometimes come up from the Tranquille area by following the road from the Mara Trailhead to Pruden Pass and then up the Wheeler Mountain Road. We have also come from Lac du Bois and from Mara Mountain, but all of … Continue reading…
There are many miles of trails to hike on Greenstone Mountain. On the northeast side are a number of trailheads off the Greenstone Mountain FSR. A few trails were established by off-road motorcycles, but in this area, most have fallen into disuse since there are many trails on the northwest side of Greenstone Mountain. The mountain biking community has now … Continue reading…
