There are a number of established hiking trails in the Barnhartvale area and a larger number of informal trails, mostly known to locals. A few of the trails are displayed here in the Google Map. Click the full screen icon for a larger view and use the pan and zoom controls to tour the area. Click an waypoint to see … Continue reading…
The Batchelor Range spans the distance from McQueen Creek on the north and the lower Batchelor Hills on the south. There are a series in the range with the highest ones at the north end. The North Batchelor Range is not accessed by hikers very much since the routes are all longer and involve longer climbs with only a few … Continue reading…
When we hike it is easy to look ahead and get lost in talk, but when we hike along quietly, we can take the time to watch for what is all around us in June – blooming wildflowers and the insects that pollinate them. Other insects feed on the leaves and lay their eggs or are predators. We have to … Continue reading…
The Ragged Red Ridge Route is not a designated trail in Lac du Bois Protected Area. The official trail from the Dewdrop Range to the rim of the Red Plateau Escarpment is the 3.75 km (one way) climb to Red Plateau. The Ragged Red Ridge is a parallel route that goes straight up the 410 m (1345 ft.) climb in … Continue reading…
The Park Hill Trails are in the forested area on a hill overlooking Shuswap Lake, west of Canoe. The approach is either from the Park Hill Road in Salmon Arm or Canoe Beach Road There are trailheads are at various points, but many hikers start at the Canoe Beach parking lot and hike up the hill. There are about 10km … Continue reading…
There are several routes to get to the top of Mount Mara but each year we go up from Pruden Pass and ascend the northeast slope to the top. This year we went out to the west summit then went back through the gully and back up to the east summit before returning by the same northeast slope. Because we … Continue reading…
The Gattling Gorge Trail has been an informal trail in Wells Gray Provincial Park for many years, but it is now signed and the trail is a good one, with some caution. the route goes right from the Helmcken Falls viewpoints and continues along the rim, offering fine views for 2 km. When the trail starts to go downhill into … Continue reading…
The Mara Canyon Trail is sometimes called the Cinnamon Ridge Trail or the Hoodoos Trail. There are two deep canyons on the south side of Mara Mountain and the trail goes through the western one. It is a narrow canyon with many eroded features reminiscent of canyon hiking in the US Southwest. Access is best done by using the level … Continue reading…
The Six Mile Hills are above Kamloops Lake on the south side of the Trans Canada Highway. The area near the lookout is now Six Mile Protected Area. We hiked the ridges that run down to the gullies adjacent over to Tobiano last year (link). The hills above are grazing lands, a combination of private lands with public … Continue reading…
The trail to the top of Battle Bluff is a popular hike in 3 seasons in the Kamloops area. It has one of the best viewpoints at the end of a moderate route. On an early May day, though, we explored the shoulder of Battle Bluff and found it quite rewarding. Although we struck out across the hills, hikers could … Continue reading…
There is an endless variety of routes to hike in the Dewdrop area on the north side of Kamloops Lake. Most of the hikes are within Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area. There are a couple of official trails, but many of the routes are off-trail or pieces of tracks and trails that have to be connected. In the end … Continue reading…
We hike the Barren Hills every spring once the trails dry out. The trailhead is off a short side road just past Batchelor Hill. Mountain bikers call this area Batchelor Hills which is an accurate name, but since both sides of the Lac du Bois Road are the Batchelor Range and the Batchelor Hills, we call the small area north … Continue reading…
The Frederick Bluffs area is a rugged series of rocky hills in the Dewdrop Range overlooking the seasonal community of Frederick on Kamloops Lake. Access to them is on a good gravel road but from the start, there are no trails to follow. By exploring the area we have worked out routes and variations to fit the season and conditions. … Continue reading…
The Barnes Lake Trails are one of our best-kept secrets. these lovely trails offer a combination of double track and single tracks trails, routes in the grasslands and in the forest, and number of route options. We usually choose to hike them in shoulder season, but they are good hiking option for most of the year. There are 3 trailheads … Continue reading…
Access to Painted Bluffs Provincial Park is limited and fairly difficult except by boat. We have gone overland several times, but we find it easier to paddle over in our kayaks and walk up to the bottom end of the bluffs. On this last outing, we hiked overland from the Sabiston Creek Road – Copper Creek road over the hills, … Continue reading…
The first wildflowers to emerge when the snows melt are spotted on south-facing open slopes at lower elevations (The Fist Wildflowers of Spring. Sagebrush buttercups appear first followed by arabis and yellow bells. By the first of April we can spot western spring beauties. The corms are edible and were often harvested by First Nations people. We can usually … Continue reading…
