Okanagan Valley Trip

[pnwexplorer]

I'm planning a trip to the Okanagan Valley at the end of June. I want to hit Kelowna and Kamloops at some point. I plan on camping the whole trip. I'm looking for places to go and sites to see, currently I have no plan. I would like to do some hiking as well. Anyone have any experience in this part of BC?

Thanks

 

[trikebubble]

Well, if you like wine......
I'm not sure which way you are traveling, but if it were me I'd take the North Cascades Hwy over to the Okanagan (have lunch in Winthrop) then head north up 97 and across the border. From Osoyoos up is wine country, their are easily a hundred wineries to stop and check out. If you are looking for easy hiking, the Kettle Valley Railway cuts right through the Valley and provided miles of easy hiking.

Their are good hiking paths, trails and pictographs around the Skaha Bluffs (a world class rock climbing area just south of Penticton).
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/skahaBluffs/

Their is a great hike up to Brent Mountain (close to Apes ski hill, not too far from Penticton). It can be a bit of fun finding the trailhead, but once you do the hike is well worth the reward. )
https://www.hikingaddiction.ca/trails/viewtrail.php?trail_id=133

The Myra Canyon KVR trestles are just above Kelowna and are simply an amazing way to spend a few hours hiking.
http://www.myratrestles.com/

If you are looking for something both a little touristy but very, very cool, thne I'd suggest this:
https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/

If you are looking for off-road trails, their are tons around. End of June the fire hazard probably won't be extreme enough for a back-country travle ban so you should be ok. For an easy trip, the #201 Forest Service Road heads East up into the hills from Okanagan Falls, and will take you all the way up close to Kelowna and Big White. It's easily do-able in a two-wheel drive vehicle and their are a number of lakes along the way. (You can connect from the #201 to Penticton, and to the Myra Canyon KVR trestles as well.

Did I mention the wineries yet?

 

[pnwexplorer]

Well, if you like wine......
I'm not sure which way you are traveling, but if it were me I'd take the North Cascades Hwy over to the Okanagan (have lunch in Winthrop) then head north up 97 and across the border. From Osoyoos up is wine country, their are easily a hundred wineries to stop and check out. If you are looking for easy hiking, the Kettle Valley Railway cuts right through the Valley and provided miles of easy hiking.

Their are good hiking paths, trails and pictographs around the Skaha Bluffs (a world class rock climbing area just south of Penticton).
http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/skahaBluffs/

Their is a great hike up to Brent Mountain (close to Apes ski hill, not too far from Penticton). It can be a bit of fun finding the trailhead, but once you do the hike is well worth the reward. )
https://www.hikingaddiction.ca/trails/viewtrail.php?trail_id=133

The Myra Canyon KVR trestles are just above Kelowna and are simply an amazing way to spend a few hours hiking.
http://www.myratrestles.com/

If you are looking for something both a little touristy but very, very cool, thne I'd suggest this:
https://www.kettlevalleyrail.org/

If you are looking for off-road trails, their are tons around. End of June the fire hazard probably won't be extreme enough for a back-country travle ban so you should be ok. For an easy trip, the #201 Forest Service Road heads East up into the hills from Okanagan Falls, and will take you all the way up close to Kelowna and Big White. It's easily do-able in a two-wheel drive vehicle and their are a number of lakes along the way. (You can connect from the #201 to Penticton, and to the Myra Canyon KVR trestles as well.

Did I mention the wineries yet?

Thanks, I'm going to look into all of that. My wife isn't really into wine but she loves cider. I do enjoy wine so I may stop in and do a tasting or two!

I'm going to check those hikes out. I defiantly want to hit up some off-road trails but since I'm still running a stock 4Runner I don't want to do anything too adventurous yet so I don't get myself stuck.

The Kettle Valley Rail sounds interesting but I'm going to have to pass on that since I"m bringing my dogs with me.

 

[trikebubble]

If you are hiking around in the South Okanagan with your dogs, be prepared to deal with the possibility of cactus, and take along some pliers or a comb to pull cactus from the dogs paws if need be. also be on the lookout for rattlesnakes in the more southern parts of the BC Okanagan Valley.
Have fun.

 

[pnwexplorer]

If you are hiking around in the South Okanagan with your dogs, be prepared to deal with the possibility of cactus, and take along some pliers or a comb to pull cactus from the dogs paws if need be. also be on the lookout for rattlesnakes in the more southern parts of the BC Okanagan Valley.
Have fun.

Thanks for the tip.

 

[RainGoat]

Well, if you like wine......
Did I mention the wineries yet?

Thanks! Great suggestions!