Hiking Trails

Trail Networks

Waterfalls

Abandoned & Mysterious

Named after a wildfire that wiped out the mountain in the 19th century leaving only snags that looked like pins, this mountain provides excellent views of the city and okanagan lake. 

There are several steep sections and with loose gravel on the trail it is advised to bring a hiking stick or appropriate footwear to prevent slipping, especially downhill. if you plan to hike in the spring, snow packs may still be around also making for a slippery trail.

The moderate climb takes around an hour and if you follow the red #3 markers you will get to the peak, the yellow #2 takes you straight ahead. once at the top you have an excellent view and a great spot for a break or a picnic. 

Wildlife including deer, garter snakes and grouse has been spotted in the area. In recent years, residents of the city have been alerted to be on bear watch during the summer seasons due to the spawning of salmon nearby.

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Camping

Tenting

Sky Diving

Bungee Jumping

Cliff Diving

Paddle Boarding 

Caving

Mountain Biking

Will take your breath away. Either from the great views at the top or from the challengingly steep incline.

Definitely not an easy trail in my opinion but very enjoyable and beautiful views, well worth the effort!

Not an easy trail in my mind. Length was not challenging, but a fairly steady incline, the footing was a bit loose and sandy, so when combined with narrow steep trails I wouldn’t bring anyone here who isn’t very steady on their feet. Ascent wasn’t too challenging but the descent was a bit slippery! Very nice view of the valley when you reach the Canada Flag.

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Pincushion Summit

Summit

Parking

Needle Peak is a beautiful, 13km subalpine hike along the Coquihalla Highway. Starting this hike you’ll find a steep switchback climb through a lush forest. After an hour or so, the trail levels off and you’ll experience beautiful sweeping views of the surrounding mountains (including Yak Peak across the highway). Half way in you’ll reach a ridge covered in Inuksuks. To the left is Needle Peak and off the the right, another hour or two, is a pristine glacial lake (a wonderful place for backcountry camping). Behind the lake is the rise to neighbouring Flatiron mountain. 

The hike is well worth it and a must for serious adventurers in BC.

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Needle Peak

Waterfall

Needle Peak Lake

This all-season trail provides great spring, summer and fall hiking, biking and horseback riding and some winter snowshoeing. The trail

meanders along the side slope above the Kuskanax Creek from just outside Nakusp up the valley to the Nakusp Hotsprings, following the

pioneers’ original packhorse route of 1912.

The first three or four kms wander through lofty cedar and hemlock stands, which thrive in the ideal moist habitat created by rain from

eastbound clouds crossing the Selkirk Mountains. Under the towering canopy exists a diverse undergrowth of mosses, Western yew, Devil’s

club, huckleberry, oak fern, lady fern, maidenhair fern and smaller wild ginger, sarsaparilla, fairy slipper, Queen’s cup and wintergreen.

Remnants of burnt out tree stumps stand like sentinel ghosts from times past, providing evidence of the natural fires that used to regularly

sweep through BC’s interior valleys.

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In the fall, this place looks like something out of a Disney movie. It’s amazing.

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Nakusp Hot Springs Trail

There are plenty of reasons why you might want to plan an adventure to Well's Gray Provincial Park, and Trophy Mountain is one of them. At 2575 meters (8448 ft), it's one of the tallest mountains in the park. This subalpine hike provides an enjoyable trek with a wide variety of biomes.

Near the trailhead, you'll find a couple hours of young and old forests, both lush and thriving with easy to follow paths and a slow, enjoyable climb. A few kilometres in, the trail opens out into one of the hike's most well known features—seasonal meadows you're unlikely to find elsewhere. Glacier Lilies bloom gold in late June or early July, followed by a rainbow of colour when Mountain Daisies, Indian Paintbrush, Arctic Lupine, and a myriad of other flowers bloom (into early August). Towards the top, you'll find the subalpine firs bordered by glacier covered slopes. Trophy Mountain is also a popular backcountry ski touring and snow shoeing area.

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Trophy Mountain

This awesome alpine hike has a moderately challenging ascent that gains 500 meters over roughly 4 km. Pass through two open meadows before arriving at the pristine turquoise waters of Twin Lakes. Ideal for a backpacking camping experience for some serious solitude. To avoid snow, we suggest only doing this hike absolutely no earlier than the third week of July.


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Twin lakes is a beautiful, moderately difficult hike that can easily be done in an afternoon. Want a longer adventure? Camp at the lakes and make a day trip to explore further up into the Monashees.

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Monashees: Twin Lakes

This entire area was severely burned during by the Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park fire in the summer of 2003.  Please stay on the paths to prevent trampling sensitive, re-growing vegetation and to avoid other natural hazards left by the fire.  Charred timber has been removed along the trail areas only..

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Awesome hike with great views! A small path to the right base of the large cliff that you can follow to get to the top, well worth the trek up.

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John’s Family Nature Conservancy Park

This moderate coniferous forest trail gives you the chance to witness interesting geological formations and natural springs. 


Although water below the surface is heated geo-thermally to over 100°c, the above ground springs are lukewarm at about 25°c and can be identified by orange-coloured, 10 metre-high tufa deposits that they have created. tufa is a mineral formed when calcite crystallizes after water evaporation.


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An awesome calm trail that gives you the option for a quick or long hike. A few points of interest like the large elevated pipe, Concrete river structure with a swing  (at the time).  But not as interesting as many other local options. 

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Angel Springs: June Springs Rd

A hike offering great views of Okanagan Lake, Kalamoir park provides a walkway through the black cottonwood forest over remnants of ancient volcanic disruptions.

wildflowers are in bloom during the summer and include arrowleaf balsamroot and sagebrush mariposa lilies, the Oregon grape comes into bloom late August. prickly cactus pear and poison ivy are present in the park - please watch where you tread. the trail is also great for bird watching.

birds are prominent in the park for birdwatchers and sightings include that of the great horned owl. bears and other animals can be active in the area, in 2009 a cougar was found and shot after attacking a dog. dogs are allowed on a leash and there is a dog park located near the shoreline.

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An interesting & easy trail. The cave formation is shallow but very interesting. Offers great views over the lake. 

Really easy flat trail along the lake with other options to climb the mountain. Great views at the top, my kids love going here.

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Kalamoir Park

Roadside Parking

Rock Formation

Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park is a provincial park within the Okanagan-Similkameen Regional District of British Columbia, Canada, focused on the mountain of the same name and located on the east side of Okanagan Lake, opposite Peachland and immediately south of the City of Kelowna.

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Huge park with incredible views and endless areas to discover. Just the drive there is rewarding  featuring great views of Okanagan Lake. 

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Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park

McDougall Rim begins with an intense uphill hike along a rocky path, but eventually tapers off onto flatter land winding through the forest to reach spectacular views of West Kelowna and the lake. 

This trail is not clearly labeled and is marked by usage rather than signs, there are several trails you could end up on, so be sure you know which path you are planning to take beforehand. Be prepared to cross bridges, creeks and a variety of terrain. The trails were subject to wildfires in 2009 and thus the trail is still recovering in some sections. We highly recommend bringing our GPS trail maps.

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Very steep at the beginning however, worth the hustle once you make it to the top!

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McDougall Rim: Exterior Perimeter

Myra Canyon trestles are located 24 Km from the downtown, high up in the hills of south-eastern Kelowna area. It has around 16 mesmerizing ancient trestles to its credit next to the Kettle Valley Railway. The drive to Myra Canyon Trestles is magnificent with beautiful farms and orchards are seen along the route and the scenic beauty of golf courses and vineyards cannot be ignored. Myra Canyon which has 2 tunnels and 18 impressive trestle bridges run along the Kettle Valley Railway which was built in 1989 for mining purpose and is continually appreciated by different cyclists and hikers who visit Myra Canyon every year.

There are several ways to access the area. You can either hike on the Myra Canyon Trestles, or you can take a guided tour on a bike to the Canyon and you can even take a shuttle from downtown Kelowna, whatever you enjoy doing more, but visiting Myra Canyon will feel like food to your soul with its historical significance and breathtaking view. 
The road leading to the trestles is not smooth and is full of gravel and stones. However, it is not difficult for most of the vehicles to complete the climb while in the summer and fall season. There is a parking lot available for car park’ facilities for public restrooms and a separate passage available for physically handicapped people and their wheelchair. But there is no cell phone reception in the area which is a drawback. Also available are 14 sitting benches along the Kettle Valley Railway trail for people to sit and enjoy at the viewpoint.

Autumn in the valley is captivating. The orange, brown and yellow colours of the autumn go really well with the rustic trestles of the Myra Canyon. Also, the elevation of 1274m makes the valley a lot cooler than the rest of the area and if you wish to visit the valley, you must stay covered to avoid cold.

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We biked this trail and it was an easy ride, very flat. The views are awesome and the 17 year old train trestles are a highlight. Would highly  recommend this trail for everyone.

Not a difficult hike at all. The portion we did was completely flat. We did 4 kms round trip to the first tunnel. The road up to the trail is best for a suv or truck (quite rough). Pretty rocky and windy when we went. Amazing views and the trestles are very cool.

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Myra Canyon Trestles 

Can’t Miss Okanagan Waterfalls

The Absolute Best Views in Kelowna

Helmcken falls is a 141 m (463 ft) waterfall on the murtle river within wells gray provincial park in british columbia, canada. The protection of helmcken falls was one of the reasons for the creation of wells gray provincial park in 1939.

Helmcken falls is the fourth highest waterfall in canada, measured by total straight drop without a break. Higher canadian waterfalls are hunlen falls in tweedsmuir provincial park, takakkaw falls in yoho national park, and della falls in strathcona provincial park, all in british columbia.

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Helmcken Falls

Spahats creek falls, also called spahats falls, is a waterfall on spahats creek within wells gray provincial park of british columbia, canada. common references place the falls at around 60 m (197 ft) tall, but taking into account the second tier, it is closer to 75–80 meters tall. It is a popular stop for tourists and especially motorcoach tours since it is only 10 km (6.2 mi) off the busy yellowhead highway.

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Sphats Falls

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The park protects most of the southern, and highest, regions of the Cariboo Mountains and covers 5,250 square kilometres.

Wells Gray Provincial Park

Canada's oldest national park and was established in 1885.

Banff National Park

The Okanagan is a region in the province of British Columbia. It's known for its wineries and fruit orchards. The main city of Kelowna, on the shore of huge Okanagan Lake, is surrounded by pine forests and provincial parks.

Okanagan

A haven for outdoor enthusiasts and cosmopolitan adventurers alike.

Greater Vancouver

Crawford Falls also known as the Canyon Falls is located in the South Kelowna. This place is a short drive from downtown, approximately 20 minutes. It has two mesmerizing waterfalls which are quite large. There is a waterfall which is about 40-foot large and is not safe to access in winters and the other one is 20-foot large.

There are no bathrooms and power outlets available on the trail but cell phone reception is great which is why you see people uploading Instagram pictures instantly. It is not a long hike but it definitely is challenging because of the terrain. In order to hike in this mountainous area, you must have the right gear, such as the right pair of clothes and shoes, gloves and cap to keep you warm and safe in the winters during your travel and stay.

During winters, hiking is quite difficult in Crawford Falls. What makes the descent most difficult is the icy and steep slope. Tourist and hikers prefer to use ice crampons to stay safe and make the hike easier. The trail has metal staircase all around the place now since 2017 for easy access to the area. The staircase is found near the waterfall area which is at the far end which means the initial steep trail will have to be navigated safely.

The waterfall which is safe to access is hidden in the canyon. To reach the waterfall which is 20-foot large you need to move down the metal staircase towards the water where a trail leads you towards the fall.  Standing at the top of the staircase waterfall is visible. This frozen waterfall is a masterpiece in winters with its frozen waters. When some of the ice melts, it creates a window for the visitor to view the waterfall making it a mesmerizing and breathtaking view. This waterfall is very much visible through the trees and the sound of it is audible from far away. It is a dreamy place to be at and the best part is it is near to downtown which makes it accessible. Do not attempt to visit the upper waterfalls as it is quite unsafe to do so in the winters.

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One of the top quick trip waterfalls in the okanagan. Terrain can be challenging heading down and pathways to the large falls can be faded. Although I believe they are building a new stairway down for easier access. 

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Crawford Falls

Small Falls

Large Falls

It is no secret that Canada is one of the most beautiful places on Earth when it comes to nature. From striking valleys and breathtaking mountains to the sparkling glacier lakes, marvelous waterfalls and more. It simply has it all. Meet Christie Falls, one of those nature‘s creations you could simply stare for hours and it‘s hidden right here in the northwest mountains of Kelowna, BC, waiting to be discovered.

Christie falls is a spectacular gift situated on the edge of the area known as Fintry protected area. Fintry provincial park is at the east end of the shorts creek canyon where it opens onto the okanagan lake below westside rd. and features the very popular shorts creek waterfall.

The stunning waterfall doesn‘t come on a silver platter, rather the visitors have to earn the prize by completing a hike through the unique paths with every section being on a different difficulty.

As charming as the mountains are in winter, with their snow-white blankets, it is strongly recommended to only visit the waterfall in summer when all the snow has melted.
Even in the early spring months like April, there‘s a big chance that mountains still possess snow, possibly making the trail unreachable. Your earliest explorations should be somewhere Mid-May to June, with the best time being the rest of the summer, when both the road and the trail itself is clear and accessible.


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Love it here! Excellent hike that is quite strenuous at times, not the best for the elderly as it has a part where you need to rappel down a rope. Worth it for the waterfall and the view!

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Christie Falls

Cascade Falls is a scenic waterfall that can be experienced from a suspension bridge above the river. The short walk uphill to the falls makes the long drive worth the trip.

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The Cascade Falls are not comparable with really high falls, but they are pretty great. Specially the river nearby the picnic area , it's awesome.

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Cascade Falls & Bridge

Bridge

Othello Tunnels is an easy, but oh so worth it stop along the Coquihalla highway just north from Hope, BC. An old network of rail tunnels carved through large rock faces and next to some dramatic waterfalls. 

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Fast & easy. Really something to see if you get the chance! Can be quite busy however.

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Othello Tunnels

This route offers a substantially more enjoyable hike in than the route offered by the Trestles route. Beginning at the hairpin turn just after Field Rd on McCulloch Rd in East Kelowna, this moderate coniferous forest trail gives you the chance to witness interesting geological formations and natural springs. 

At the springs, the water below the surface is heated geo-thermally to over 100°C. However, the above ground springs are lukewarm at about 25°C (even colder during spring runoff) and can be identified by orange-coloured tufa deposits that they have created. Tufa is a mineral formed when calcite crystallizes after water evaporation.


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Angel Springs: KLO Creek

This hike provides an opportunity to visit the site of a Royal Canadian Air Force Canso 11007 that crashed shortly after takeoff on February 12, 1945. The plane still remains on the side of a hill and is surprisingly fairly intact despite the damage sustained from the crash. The trail to the site is located just south of Radar Hill and it passes through a bog that is extremely muddy, even during the late summer months. Besides this section, the trail is well marked and relatively easy but you should expect to spend a fair amount of time passing through the mud.

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Went in early July /17. Interesting hike and destination but as others have said, the trail through the bog is EXTREMELY muddy and can be difficult to follow due to the many attempted detours to avoid mud. Stay close to the rope in the trees, follow the yellow markers and flagging tape and you will be OK. Some people came back surprisingly mud free but clean clothes and shoes for when you get back to your car is highly recommended.

Canso Plane Crash Site

Sight / View

Crash Site

Trail Start

Trail Entry Point

Latourell Falls is the closest of the major Columbia River Gorge waterfalls to Portland, and it's also one of the most photogenic. A tall single-plunge waterfall of 224 feet, it spills over the lip of an undercut amphitheater of tall pillars of columnar basalt. An eye-catching splash of chartreuse-colored golden cobblestone lichen (Pleopsidium flavum) adorns the upper amphitheater and contrasts with the dark basalt walls. You can view these lower falls from a point just above the trailhead, but the loop hike here takes you up Latourell Creek to see two-tiered Upper Latourell Falls before winding down to the state park picnic area below the highway. Then you can hike up under the highway bridge to the base of Latourell Falls and admire the plunge and basalt columns from below. Between them, the two waterfalls and Latourell Creek flow over three different flows of the Columbia River Basalts, which backfilled this valley between 15.5 and 14 million years ago. The waterfalls are beautiful in all seasons, but in the summer, the water flow is very low, creating near misty conditions; in the winter, the splash can freeze dangerously across the trail.

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Latourell Falls

A scenic hike, this trail through Rose Valley Regional Park offers panoramic views, interesting geological formations and plenty of wildlife along the way. 

The path is a moderate to hard one, involving steep inclines and sudden drop-offs in areas, you may also come into contact with the lake, so be sure to wear shoes appropriate for muddy conditions, especially in the spring. 

Rose Valley was created by water during de-glaciation when a large block of ice occupied okanagan lake, eventually the melt water from the ice created a channel through the land. the park was also home to a volcano, the remnants of this provide caves created by lava air bubbles and different geological structures.

The trails are marked by usage rather than signs, steep inclines and sudden drop-off are common, if you are cycling be aware of the terrain, stunts are not permitted. 

Most of the trails loop back to the beginning. for a shorter route, you can backtrack providing you remember which way you came.

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This full perimeter loop begins with a quick right-turn to ascend to the top of the popular eastern summit, which over looks the city. then, after a brief descent into the neck of the valley, follow a winding trail northward around the brim of the lake to the west side, past marshlands featuring numerous bullrushes. approximately at the mid-point of the west side of the lake, turn right and head up the side of mcdougall rim (sweet st marker). continue to an incredible rock archway that you duck under (city on the edge of forever/cave) to progress to the true summit. meander down the mountain, keeping right at all forks to pass by a giant rock monolith and arrive at the trailhead.

Find your nextfavorite adventure.

Staff Picks

Crawford Falls

Crawford Falls

Christie Falls

Christie Falls

Pincushion Summit

Pincushion Summit

Needle Peak

Cascade Falls & Bridge

Cascade Falls & Bridge

Othello Tunnels

Othello Tunnels

Angel Springs: KLO Creek

Canso Plane Crash Site

Canso Plane Crash Site

McDougall Rim: Exterior Perimeter

McDougall Rim: Exterior Perimeter

Top

Christie Falls

Christie Falls

Latourell Falls

Pincushion Summit

Pincushion Summit

Crawford Falls

Crawford Falls

Needle Peak

Cascade Falls & Bridge

Cascade Falls & Bridge

Rose Valley Trail Network

Nakusp Hot Springs Trail

Nakusp Hot Springs Trail

Myra Canyon Trestles

Myra Canyon Trestles

New

Dilworth Mountain Water Tower

Lochview Trail

The Old Man of Storr

Rainforest Trail

Tonquin Trail

Tonquin Trail

Little White Mountain

Skyline Trail Cape Breton

Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park

Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park

Find your next
favorite adventure.