Start point was off Highway 97 at parking north of Oliver, British Columbia. Biking time round trip- 5 to 5.5 hrs allowing for stops. Round trip roughly 34 KM (21 miles), elevation gain-78M (255 feet). Best time is usually May to October.
Directions: From Penticton drive 36 KM (22.4 miles) south on highway 97 to Tuc-El-Nuit Drive which is just before a bridge crossing the Okanagan River. Turn left onto Tuc-El-Nuit Drive and then right into a parking area which is almost directly across from a winery. From the parking lot the trail heads west beside the bridge and then turns south onto the trail beside the Okanagan River. The trail is mostly not the Kettle Valley Rail bed but it does parallel the route the KVR took nearby. It passes by the KVR station in Oliver, heads south towards Osoyoos and ends at the north end of Osoyoos Lake. Osoyoos can be seen in the distance from this point. The route is very scenic, on a hot day there can be cool breezes from the Okanagan River. The trail is paved for most of the way and the gravel portion is easy to ride on. Coming back there is an altitude gain of roughly 78M (255 feet) but the grade is so low it is not really noticeable. One may see the occasional snake crossing the path. Best stay clear of them. Although rattlers are rare and are on the endangered species list they do reside in the area. The photos below show the route.
GPS Data: Right click on link to bring up menu to download (save) file.
Kettle Valley Railway Oliver to Osoyoos Lake, 2011/06 |
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