This sensational high quality trail system from Vernon to Kelowna follows the shores of Kalamalka Lake, Wood Lake and, one day, Ellison Lake on a well packed and smooth fine aggregate surface. At the Kelowna end it connects downtown Kelowna to the University and Airport on a paved Trail.
The full length of the trail is 50 kms to the Okanagan Lake foreshore plus another 20-25 km Loop Trail in Kelowna that includes the amazing Mission Creek Greenway.
As of May 20, 2019, the whole trail can be done in one day if one is prepared to ride about 7 kms on Highway 97.
To avoid cycling along the Highway it is strongly suggested to do this in two parts likely taking two wonderful days of cycling.
- Part 1 – Vernon to the Woodside area doing a loop around Wood Lake on the way back for a 54 to 60 km cycle.
- Part 2 – The Kelowna Experience
- the rail trail to the airport and back – 22 km see blue route on the map
- add the university loop of 5 km
- add the Mission Creek and Okanagan Lake Loop of 23 to 29.5 km (strongly suggest doing this extension in red.
- Maximum 57 km.
It is thanks to the Friends of the Okanagan Rail Trail that this project is already a growing reality!
Another group located in the South Okanagan, the Trail of the Okanagans is helping to connect with the greenways vision of connecting communities between Osoyoos and Sicamous.
Be prepared for a fairly hilly and challenging 70 km cycle.
This Cycle Loop features greenways and parks in Langley and the Township of Langley. The greenways are linked with fairly lengthy but mainly quiet country roads along farmland, forests, industry, and communities.
The main parks consist of the Campbell Valley Regional Park and the Aldergrove Regional Park, part of which is actually across the Abbotsford boundary (walk your bike on designated non-cycling sections). Sections of the route are shared with equestrians following the 4th and 8th Ave alignment paralleling the U.S. border. The other main greenways follow the Nicomekl River system as it heads towards Crescent Beach and Hydro corridors.
Of interest, the route takes in significant sections of the Old Yale Road part of what is now the Fraser Highway. One section still has the original cement center sections from 1923. Here is a Wikipedia link explaining its historical significance due to the Gold Rush as part of a route from New Westminster to Hope and then to the existing route to Yale: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Old_Yale_Road  Here is a quote,
“Construction began in 1874 for a wagon road between New Westminster and Hope roughly paralleling the route of the Telegraph Trail of 1865. On maps it was called the New Westminster and Yale (Wagon) Road, but known locally as Yale Road.
The route of Yale Road ran from New Westminster in a southeasterly direction through Langley Prairie and Aldergrove to Abbotsford. The road proceeded to curve south to follow a path along the south shore of Sumas Lake and along the north base of the Vedder Mountains through Yarrow, Vedder Crossing, north to Sardis and Chilliwack. From Chilliwack, the road followed Reece’s old trail through Rosedale and Bridal Falls, then northeasterly along the south shore of the Fraser River through Cheam View and Laidlaw to Hope and Yale.”
It takes in greenways in South Burnaby and Lulu Island/Queensborough via the Skytrain Bridge and a number of parks. It does involve connecting roads as well. On a clear day there are great views of the mountains to be had from the Lulu Island side. Much of the trail follows the Fraser River.
When starting at 9:30 a.m. from the 22n St. Skytrain Station while proceeding counterclockwise, it is possible to have a coffee break at Roner’s Burger Bar on the Fraser Foreshore, lunch at the Lakeside Grill at the Mayfair Golf and Country Club, and finishing the day at the Frankie G’s Boiler House Pub in Queensborough. Visiting the Winery along the way allows for wine tasting.
This cycle loop best done clockwise offers a lot of variety: urban greenways, extensive dike trail along the Fraser River, quiet urban streets and rural roads. The route goes through urban parks, and Island 22 Regional Park. The main areas are Sardis, Chilliwack Centre, Fairfield Island, Promontory, and Vedder Crossing. The chief watercourses are the Vedder River, Hope River, and the Fraser River. Expect to go past quite a bit of farmland.
You are presented here with an enjoyable variety of possible bike loop or linear tours that features rail-trails that connect Ferry County in the USA and Boundary in BC, Canada. The loop and linear rail trail distances are listed in the Map Legend.
Some interesting features to note:
The Kettle River: It is 282 km long starting in Roosevelt Lake in B.C., hits the Trans Canada Trail at Westbridge, dips in Washington USA at Midway, returns to BC in Grand Forks, and south of Christina Lake heads back to Washington to empty in the Columbia River at Kettle Falls. In these tours, the route follows it for 60 km.
Parks, rivers, lakes, bridges, canyons, cascading water, valleys, and monuments, all with their heritage values, provide for a large variety of features. One could spend up to 4 or 5 days exploring the invigorating landscape along these routes. The loops provide for uniquely separate excursions. You are more likely to be in hilly terrain when choosing the roads as part of your journey.
For a more detailed description Ferry County rail trail here and here
Recent Comments