The Columbia & Western Railway from Midway to Grand Forks begins as a pleasant stretch of trail with at first sandy surface conditions. With the motorized use this route is getting rougher, but it’s worth the ride to not be on the busy highway. At Boundary Falls it levels out to Greenwood and be sure to take a moment to check out the town of Greenwood when passing through. Large bell-shaped coal slag heaps (called “Hell’s Bells” by the locals) are one of many attractions. Also, a stroll down Greenwood’s main drag is a trip back in time!
The Tunnel of Flags is located north of Greenwood at the highway crossing. Watch for traffic at this, as well as the other highway crossing just west of Eholt. It’s a gentle uphill to Eholt, through pastureland and a great birding area. Please stay on the trail and close gates! Though little to nothing remains of Eholt Station, it once rested at the summit of the pass – and northernmost point between Greenwood and Grand Forks. Eholt became the CPR’s divisional point and ore hauling headquarters. Due south and higher still was the growing city of Phoenix with its rich copper and gold mines; a branch line with spurs was built to carry Phoenix ores to local smelters. Eholt yards included a roundhouse, and powerful Shay locomotives which made daily trips to Phoenix. By 1920, an amazing 15 million tons of ores had been shipped, but the mines soon closed, and Eholt like Phoenix was abandoned.
Further east from Eholt, the north-facing forested area between to Granby tunnel can be a dark and perhaps gloomy place, but after turning south and passing through the tunnel, views of the Granby river valley below will lift your spirits! An emergency shelter is located immediately south of the tunnel with bunks and tables, however there is no water source until you reach Fisherman Creek several kms to the east.
The Columbia & Western runs downhill from the flanks of Thimble Mountain at the Granby Tunnel, through the streets of Grand Forks.
98% of this section of the Trans Canada Trail is enjoyed on greenway along the Coquitlam River, Hyde Creek, the Pitt River, and Fraser River. Allow 4 hours of quite easy riding.
To get detailed descriptions select the Trans Canada Trail routing options on this website.
Here are the main features: (all sensational!)
- Coquitlam Centre Park with Lafarge Lake
- Coquitlam River Loop
- Loops to Crystal Falls
- Smiling Creek Greenways all the way to Hyde Creek
- Hyde Creek Greenway
- Coquitlam Lake lookouts
- Burke Mountain Village
- Burke Mountain Summit makes up Pinecone Burke Provincial Park
- Deboville Slough
- Minnekhada Regional Park
- Widgeon Slough Regional Park
- ETC.
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.
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
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