In response to some discussion, I had to post, in my opinion, the 3 top Kelowna Mountain Biking day trips to take. My opinion on these top 3 Kelowna trails comes from a viewpoint of mountain biking for fun without having to worry about suiting up with armour that one would need for riding the more extreme singletracks. Although, the McDougal Rim, Mount Hayman trip would be the most dangerous with some steep skinny sections that I would prefer to hike down!
- Myra Canyon on the KVR in Bellevue Provincial Park. – In a Provincial Park you know you will get quality trails and spectacular scenery. Now add the recognition of a National Heritage site and the fact that the KVR Myra Canyon Trestles are part of the Trans Canada Trail and you can’t go wrong with experiencing this historic area. You may want to look up McCollochs Wonder. The Trestles would be most enjoyable if you could catch a ride up to the North end and then bike over the trestles and down through Crawford Trails and into Kelowna or down through Little White Forest Service Road and into Kelowna. The Little White FSR would be a bumpy ride though and the Crawford Section may contain some steep single tracks that would prove difficult to ride for someone like myself – 40 years old and would rather walk down the steep trails than bike.
- Okanagan Provincial Park – A Provincial Park that you will grow to love! Even though it was quite thoroughly burned in the 2003 Okanagan Mountain Park Fire. The Wild Horse Canyon Trail is a popular OK Mtn. Park Trail and Divide Lake near the top of Okanagan Mountain is a real gem. Okanagan Mountain Park Map
- McDougall Rim Loop. The true loop takes you through Mount Hayman, Swite and Carrot Mountain and would be around 50km. The 50 km ride would inlclude a lot boring flat logging roads along Swite and Carrot Mountain with no views so most people enjoy the shorter version of McDougall Rim Loop. So to sum it up, the series of logging roads that make up the western portion of the loop create a confusing matrix of trails…but the East side of the loop on Mount Hayman is incredible! Here is the Mount Hayman post with the pictures.
Thanks so much for the valuable local’s opinion.
It is always best to have as much beta as possible, I’m sure we’d have fun regardless, however, with this intel we are less likely to waste time dicking around on routes that are way above, or way below, our preferred riding level.
So you reckon the trails will be a)snow free by May 15th, b) snow in patchy sections up high, c) clogged with snow till mid-summer at all upper elevations?
Do you know of anyone in town offering bike shuttle service to the start of some of the routes?
luvs2camp
You are welcome! I hope we can get some more comments on the subject. I would bet on “b” as the correct answer. Monashee Adventure Tours are the ones who have shuttle service. Check out their website for times and rates http://www.monasheeadventuretours.com/ and if you are interested in the Myra Canyon, I may be going up the same time you are here and if so could put your bike in the back of my truck. 🙂 Another good way to experience Myra Trestles is to get dropped off on the KVR at the Little White FSR and head North over the trestles and through the tunnels until you get to the Myra Canyon FSR exit which would take you down the South Slopes and into Kelowna. The Myra Canyon FSR exit is also the main parking lot complete with washrooms etc, most folks will drive up to that parking lot and down to a few trestles and then go back home. It will be super busy this summer!