There are a number of basalt bluffs surrounding McConnell Hill and trails go by the ones on the west and southwest sides, but there is a set on the northeast corner too, forming a kind of “basalt amphitheater.” To get to the site, the route goes around the east side of Stake Lake, then turns onto trails to get to … Continue reading…
Near the fall Equinox we hiked from the Ridge Mountain FSR to a loop route above Lac le Jeune. We hiked a good trail along the Fire Break around the north flank of Ridge Mountain. We then took a flagged single track which brought us up on top of Ridge Mountain. This ridge is inconspicuous from the north side, but … Continue reading…
Painted Bluffs Provincial Park is located on the north side of Kamloops Lake, east of Copper Creek. It is accessible by hiking over the hills or by boat. There are no trails into the park so anyone wanting to hike there has to take a bearing and go over the hills, ridges, and gullies to the rim of the bluffs. … Continue reading…
Above the Valleyview area and below Juniper Ridge is a benchland area that was once submerged under a glacial lake. It has since been carved by erosion into ridges and gullies. Some of the ridges are now narrow “spines” and there are some informal trails and routes up, along, and down the spines. Some of the best ones are accessed … Continue reading…
Zupjok Peak is a lesser-known hike in the Coquihalla Summit, but it is a fine hike with excellent views from the alpine. Click an image for a lightbox view and a caption: A video is also available on YouTube. More Information: Kamloops Trails Channel on YouTube Zupjok Peak Trail Hiking Zupjok Peak
Continue reading...The Sparks Lake Fire of 2021 burned over 90 000 hectares of forest from Red Lake up over the Bonaparte Plateau, including much of Bonaparte Provincial Park. The trails are closed and the roads are not fully accessible. Where the fire burned hot, all traces of trail markers and even the trail itself is hidden by regeneration growth. … Continue reading…
Estekwalan is located above the village of Falkland between Kamloops and Vernon. It is accessed by backroads from Falkland or Westwold. On this September morning we drove in from Westwold (Station Road > Station Bay FSR > Rob Roy FSR) on dry gravel roads. All trails up and down Estekwalan are steep and difficult. Once on top of the mountain, … Continue reading…
Gulf Islands National Park Reserve has park lands on most of the southern Gulf Islands, including Mayne Island. Campbell Point, Georgeson Island, and a chain of islets on the east coast of Mayne are on the edge of Georgia Strait. There is a short trail along the ridge of Campbell Point which can be hiked. We hiked to the end, … Continue reading…
On a hot summer morning we got an early start and drove to the Tranquille /Slot Canyons Trailhead, just off the Tranquille – Criss Creek Road. We hiked down the steep trail to the river and established a base on the riverside. We waded and scrambled through the North Slot. On deep pool could be managed on tiptoes without swimming. … Continue reading…
We have hiked on the Mount Revelstoke Trails a number of times and on some of those outings, we hiked from the end of the Mt. Revelstoke Parkway along the Miller and Eva Lake Trail, then up the Jade Lakes Trail to Jade Pass. The hike to Jade Pass without going to Eva Lake is about 6.4 km (each way). … Continue reading…
Over the years we have hiked the Asulkan Trail in Glacier National Park many times. One winter we skied up into Asulkan Pass from Wheeler Hut and back. This is one of the most scenic routes in the province. A new Kamloops Trails video is now available on YouTube: Click the YouTube link for more KamloopsTrails videos.
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 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 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…
