Barnes Lake Trails

The Barnes Lake Trails are wonderful trails, but most residents of Kamloops don’t know anything about them. They were developed as horse-and-hiker trails by the local backcountry horseback riders. Trails climb gradually through the grasslands to the forest. All trails are marked with color-coded markers and a good map can help hikers to stay on track.

Driving Directions:

Take Highway 1 east and turn onto Dallas Drive, then go up Barnhartvale Road. Follow Barnhartvale Road past Barnhartvale Hall and up the hill. Just ahead is Gardiner Road, one of the 3 trailheads. There are other three other trailheads.

For the Gardiner Road trailhead park across Barnartvale Road (on Gardiner Road). The trail is on the south side without any signs posted at the start. Follow the single track which is in a corridor between two fenced properties and you will arrive at the trailhead on the hillside. A map is posted there.

There is a another trailhead across from Barnhartvale Hall. A third trailhead is found a short distance up the Robbins Range Road by small hill next to Barnes Lake.

Trailhead Map:

Trails:

For the first time on these trails, use the Gardiner Road trailhead and then follow the main trail (#1) and make your own loop back.
You will arrive at a number of unsigned trailheads. We usually stay left at all trailheads to do the outer loop (10 km) until the end, but you can take any right turn to shorten the route.
It would be hard to get lost since the whole lower end is open grassland. Follow the numbered signs whenever you can
There is also a 4th trailhead called the Back Gate that comes in from Tree Flats, but it is quite hard to find.
If you encounter horse riders on the trails, step aside and let them pass. Established trail etiquette is that riders have the right of way. If you have a dog, restrain or leash it until the horses pass.
Tick season is early spring.
A hike on the outside loop is 9.5 km (3 hours).
The 4th trailhead is from Tree Flats. It requires good navigation on a network of motorcycle and ATV trails. We have done it, but can’t recommend it.

Highlights:

the standing snags on the east side of Trail #1, the Bunchgrass Trail
ponds on the east side of Quiet Meadow on Trail #4, the Outer Loop
the quiet forest in the area called Owl Wood, the high point on the trails
Kildeer Pond, in all 4 seasons
the open grasslands on Trail #2, Over the Top
views to the rocky hills in Barnhartvale on the way down the Over the Top trail
wildflowers in April and May
horse riders on the trails