Painted Bluffs Provincial Park is an outstanding location to hike to, but its not an easy route. I have paddled there from Savona or Tobiano and i have hiked over the hills from every direction to get there each year. In early May a small group hiked over the hills from the Copper Creek Road, climbing over ridges through gullies … Continue reading…
The Barnes Lake Trails are a bit of a hidden secret. The trail system is maintained by the Barnhartvale Horse and Hiker Society in an area which is half in the grasslands and half in open forest. Good signage is posted and most of the trails are easy to follow, allowing hikers to choose their own route. We usually choose … Continue reading…
When the winds kick up, we can skip paddling for the day, or we can get an early start and find a protected spot. Tow of the lakes that have some good wind protection are Inks Lake and McConnell Lake. In the spring, Inks Lake is close by and provides easy access. A loop around all 3 arms of the … Continue reading…
We hiked over the hills between the Tobiano area and Brussels Lake in the fall ( Brussels Hills) and we enjoyed the area so much, we chose to return to the area to try a new route in April. We turned off the Six Mile Hills Road (to Pat Lake) and turned left at the junction, parking near the corrals. … Continue reading…
We have hiked in the hills above Walhachin a few times and we returned to do a loop route in April this year. Access is off a side road that climbs south into the hills west of Walhachin. There are several possible routes on double tracks, single tracks, and off-trail in the area. We chose one that followed a … Continue reading…
We have hiked to the top of Lions Head (link) several times, linking a series of rocky hills above the South Thompson River Valley. A few old double tracks and a few newer single tracks wind around and over the hills., some in the forest, and some in open meadows. On this spring day, we drover higher up the rough … Continue reading…
With a Reserve on the east end, private ranch lands on the south side, and some private homes on the west end, there is limited access to the hills around Neskonlith Lake (except with permission), but the McGillivray Forest Service Road climbs into the hills on the northwest side and a rough road winds along the north side of the … Continue reading…
I paddled out of Cooney Bay in April and instead of heading out into the bay and then farther out to Kamloops Lake, I chose to paddle upstream into the shallow river channels and explore the delta sand islands. At low water, the river divides into 3 channels near the mouth before entering Kamloops Lake. The main channel is about … Continue reading…
The rocky hills surrounding Kamloops Lake offer opportunities for exploratory hiking, but access is often a challenge. Abbey Road is a short sideroad off the Trans Canada highway and it goes into the hills as an access road for a gasline and hydro lines. there was a gate there in past years and now the gate is gone and high-clearance … Continue reading…
The unofficial tracks and routes around the Six Mile Lakes make good spring hiking. Pat And Morgan Lakes are busy fishing spots since they are the first ice-off lakes in the hills in the area so fishermen come up from Tobiano or over from the Tunkwa Lake Road to launch their boats. Surrounding the lakes are rocky open hills and … Continue reading…
In a time of social distancing it is recommended we find outdoor activities away from crowds of people. Every spring we hike on the Lower Rose Trails and it is rare to encounter anyone else. A series of interconnected trails provide opportunities for shorter loop hikes through the sagebrush slopes. the main access points are off streets like Parkhill Drive, … Continue reading…
One of the trail areas that clears of snow, ice,and mud early is the set of trails off Bunker Road, a section of open grassland benchland in Kenna Cartwright Park. Most of the trails are shorter and moderate hikes, but there are also outstanding views from the edge of the bluffs. We hiked these trails – Sage to Fescue, Fescue … Continue reading…
As the snows melt, we can climb higher into the hills. The upper slopes still have snow and the sheltered areas and north-aspect slopes still retain snow, but the south-facing slopes are fully into spring by mid-April. A few lakes were in “ice-off” status and others will not be thawed until later in April or even in May. We hiked … Continue reading…
A friend (Susanne) had visited the Six Mile Hill area lakes at the end of March and she had posted a photo of Turtle Lake which had turned pink, so I ventured up there to go for a hike, investigate the lakes, and take a few photos. Overnight it had snowed and there was a strong cold wind, so I … Continue reading…
Dewdrop Ridge may be my favorite hike in the Kamloops area, but it only offers routes, not much in the way of trails. The route to the top is easy enough. Just turn onto the Frederick Road and park at the first pullout area on the right. Cross the flats and start the climb, picking your own path. I usually … Continue reading…
A long ridge goes from the top of Mount Dufferin all the way down to the end of the Sunset Trail, then continues on in a west-northwest direction down toward the dump and the sewage lagoons. A series of rocky grass-covered hills go down from the end of the trails, past an old DND fenceline. The shape of the ridge … Continue reading…
