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| The Kettle Valley Rail Trail |
 The Trail:
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail, one of the most well-known rail trails in
British Columbia, is located within the Kettle Valley district in the
Thompson Okanagan region of British Columbia. The trail covers
approximately 455 kilometres between the western city limits of Grand
Forks, British Columbia and extends to the eastern limit of Brodie,
British Columbia near the Coquihalla Lakes Lodge on the famed Coquihalla
Highway. The rail extends from here to Hope but at present this section
of the rail trail is not part of the Spirit of 2010 Trail. The Kettle
Valley Rail Trail is owned by the B.C. Ministry of Agriculture and
Lands.
Rail History:
In the early 1890's the need to find large deposits of copper, gold and silver and transport coking coal to the smelters, and metals out of the area created a push for extensive railroad development in Western Canada and the Northwestern regions of the United States. As rivalries between American and Canadian railway interests intensified, the pace of railway building in the Kettle Valley region of British Columbia quickened.
The result of the increased competition was a historic battle between the two railway powerhouses, Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) and the Great Northern Railway. Both companies were vying to build the first Kootenay-Coast rail line which would give them access to the Boundary district and allow them to secure the loyalty of businesses and residents of the region. CPR eventually won the battle and in 1910, the company pushed further to connect the CPR line to a railway from Midway, across the Southern Interior to Merritt. There were many difficulties that arose from rivalries between competing companies often resulting in physical battles between workers and battles in court. Environmental obstacles were another cause for concern along the route, particularly on the Myra Canyon stretch, a formidable but remarkable stretch of the line. Engineer Andrew McCulloch created this stunning section of the route with 18 trestles and 2 tunnels on a 2.2% grade. On May 31, 1915, what is now known as the Kettle Valley Railway was complete.
The Kettle Valley Railway was decommissioned in segments starting in 1962, with the Coquihalla subdivision. In 1973, the stretch between Beaverdell
to Penticton was abandoned and in 1978, the Carmi Subdivision was
decommissioned.
Communities:
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is located in Southeastern British Columbia
in the Regional District of Okanagan Similkameen and the Central Okanagan
Regional District. It begins at Mile 92.6 near the city of Grand Forks and
ends near Brodie. It comprises a total of over 48,000 acres along its 455 km
length. From the trail, visitors can access the towns of Tulameen, Coalmont,
Princeton, Summerland, Penticton, Naramata, Chute Lake, McCulloch Lake,
Beaverdell, Rock Creek, Midway, Greenwood and Grand Forks.
Trail Highlights:
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail provides an important link to the communities of the Kootenay-Boundary as well as the Okanagan-Similkameen regions of British Columbia. Connecting with the Columbia & Western Rail Trail in the city of Grand Forks, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail ascends the Granby River Valley and passes beautiful rural landscapes with glimpses of Granby and Gladstone Provincial Parks. The trail passes the ghost town of Eholt just west of Grand Forks, on through the historic towns of Greenwood and Midway "Mile Zero of the Kettle Valley Railway", the rural landscapes of the Kettle River Valley, past Rock Creek, Westbridge, and Beaverdell, up to the historic Myra Canyon before descending down to Penticton and the rich orchards and vineyards that reside in this Interior British Columbia city. The trail climbs once more in the Okanagan Valley, past the Kettle Valley Steam Railway near Summerland, to the summit at Osprey Lake and descends down to Princeton towards Tulameen and Brookmere before the final stretch towards Brodie.
The Kettle Valley Rail Trail travels through an incredibly scenic and picturesque rural area and includes several provincial parks, recreation areas and protected areas. It is home to numerous species of wildlife including, grizzly and black bears, moose, mountain sheep, elk, deer and cougar. The trail is biologically diverse and the terrain ranges from near-desert and ponderosa, to pine, fir and spruce forests, with sub-alpine meadows.
This section of the Spirit of 2010 Trail is among the more challenging. It climbs to an altitude of nearly 1,300 metres before descending towards Okanagan Lake. The Kettle Valley Rail Trail is home to numerous tunnels and trestles which tell the story of the local heritage and culture of this section of the Spirit of 2010 Trail. For more information on the Kettle Valley region, visit www.HelloBC.com.
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