We have been hiking these trails for over 30 years and many of the trails are the same, though mountain bikes have made new trails and widened others.   There has also been new building above on Juniper and a new home in the south central area with fences blocking the traditional trails.   At the eastern end there are some fences that seem to come and go.   The Three Gates Trail is widely used by hikers and mountain bikers as a high link across the south part of the map and as a route to Barnhartvale.    There are some signs along this trail to confuse users of the trails.   Anyone using these trails is encouraged to use good judgment and to leave nothing but your footprints.

There are several trailheads, but the one described here starts at Valleyview Arena.   Start the hike behind the City of Kamloops sign (Valleyview Nature Park).   Take the trail up the gully to the flat grassy mesa.   A maze of trails fans out, but the best route goes down a gully to cross the larger gully and up the other side.   Pick up the main trail and follow it all the way up to the Crossroads below Juniper.   The Three Gates Trail runs east west.   Go east as it winds along and crosses two gullies.   Beyond the trail goes to Barnhartvale.   Our route went down the big gully on a good double track and near the bottom on the either side we went up a good double track back to the crossroads.

On the day we hiked this route, there was dry trail, mud, and some ice in the gullies.   The area is mostly treeless, but snow or ice will linger under the north slopes.    This area is best in spring when the bluebirds and larks can be seen in the grasslands and the swallows in the silt cliffs.   It can be hot in the summer but is a great hiking area in the fall.   Enjoy the silt cliffs, sinkholes, gullies, and ridges of this unique area.