The current situation for surfaced trails in the City of Penticton is a mixed bag. On one hand, we have an excellent lake-to-lake pathway in the form of an abandoned railway bed on the city’s west side. On the other hand, the balance of the dedicated walking and riding trails in Penticton are a hodgepodge of paved and hard-surface paths - most of which are roughly connected via roads or pavement-painted bicycle lanes. Penticton’s official Cycling Network Plan is an ongoing concern, much of it still unfulfilled.
As of 2010, the City of Penticton, along with the local Rotary Club, the Penticton & Area Cycling Association and community volunteers are working toward connecting the various sections into a homogenous trail network. Much work remains to be done, but in time the public will enjoy safe, vehicle-free mobility throughout the community.
This chapter highlights routes which keep riders and pedestrians separate from automotive traffic, on segregated pathways. Maps detailing routes which exist in the form of painted areas of paved roadways are available at many local retailers and at penticton.ca
To the north, I preset a route which reaches to Hillside Estate Winery, behind which lays the popular ‘Three Blind Mice’ trail network described elsewhere in this book. To the south is shown a route that reaches Skaha Lake, its beautiful beaches and extensive sports recreation facilities. East, the route travels along a picturesque section of Penticton Creek to a canyon mouth. To explore this canyon further, refer to the Ridgedale Avenue Trail chapter in this publication. West of the city, the Penticton Indian Band hosts the north-south footpath running adjacent to the Channel Parkway. It is open to the public and eminently useful in avoiding city traffic when travelling between Okanagan and Skaha Lake.
From the Peach in downtown Penticton, you have four options if using dedicated pathways:
- North - to the Three Blind Mice and beyond
- East - following Penticton Creek to the canyon
- South - to visit Skaha Lake and its beautiful beaches
- Through the heart of the city - KVR and Creekside
North - to the Three Blind Mice and beyond Make your way east along Lakeshore Drive, connecting with Front St. Proceed through the roundabout and travel up Vancouver Hill. Check out the Bench restaurant, then head north on Vancouver Place Rd. The head of this short road allows one to access the KVR / Trans-Canada trail. Enjoy a gentle walk or ride through vineyards on your way to many wineries as well as the trailhead of the Three Blind Mice cross-country trail network. You may also drop off the Trans Canada Trail early on, near the ‘cow-catcher’ on the outskirts of town. This allows you to enter ‘Hobo Jungle’ described elsewhere in the publication.
East - following Penticton Creek to the canyon Head southeast for a mellow trip towards the city’s xeroscopic garden by travelling east on Lakeshore Drive until it intersects with Front St. Continue across the street to the paved path. Stay on it all the way to the intersection of Government and Eckhardt Ave. Here it gets weird for a bit - cross the intersection, heading south, then follow Eckhardt east for one abbreviated / irregularly shaped city block. There you will find Ontario St. as a spur to the right. Follow Ontario St. for a block until it intersects with Forestbrook Dr. Follow along Forestbrook two and a half blocks and you will arrive at a small bridge over Penticton Cr. Just shy of the bridge you find a trail heading off to your right. Follow this trail all the way to the xeroscopic garden for an eyeful and a learning session.
South - to visit Skaha Lake and its beautiful beaches An extended trip, but chock full of interesting things to see. From the Peach in downtown, travel west along the Okanagan Lake shore, past numerous restaurants and motels. Visit the Okanagan Inland Marine Heritage Park. It contains the restored SS Sicamous - the largest remaining steel-hulled sternwheeler in Canada, the SS Naramata, a tugboat built in 1914, and two other vessels under restoration.
This busy area of Penticton, known locally as the ‘Sunset Strip’ is also home to three-season family recreation, including Penticton’s top-class skateboard park. Pass through the impressive rose gardens, over the dam and onto the Channel Parkway path. Turn left (south) to continue your journey towards Skaha Lake. The next 7 kilometers involve travelling on hard-pack two-track roadway or singletrack trail closer to the water.
Upon nearing Skaha Lake and the bridge that crosses the river channel, make your way up the wide flight of stairs and onto the bridge sidewalk. Cross the bridge, then use the pedestrian traffic controls to cross Hwy.97, allowing you to reach Sudbury Beach and Skaha Lake.
Once across the bridge and intersection, you may either use the sidewalk to access Skaha Lake Park a half-kilometer to the east, or travel the more interesting route along the sands of Sudbury Beach (aka; ‘Hully Beach’) to its parking lot. From there, travel 150m along Sudbury Ave. to its end, where you will see a trailhead. This 70m stretch of surfaced trail connects with the west end of Skaha Lake Park. Skaha Lake Park is long and laden with beachfront recreational opportunities.
Through the heart of the city - KVR and Creekside Beginning at the Peach on Lakeshore Dr., travel east along the winding path that shadows Okanagan Lake’s shore, making its way around the front of the hotel and casino, through sculptured parks and across Penticton Creek to the Penticton Art Gallery. Check out the Art Gallery and Japanese garden while in the area, they are both worth the trip. Head for the roundabout south of the art gallery, cross Penticton Creek via the Front St. bridge and begin to make your way up Front St. A windmill across the street marks the paved trailhead you seek.
This path follows Penticton Creek, crossing roads and alleys as it makes its way toward Government St. It soon meets and parallels Government, heading in a southeastern direction. Ignore the arched, wooden footbridge on the left for now. Four hundred meters up Government St. and just shy of the intersection, you will find another footbridge on your left and a pedestrian crosswalk on your right. The path crossing the bridge leads North - to the previously described Three Blind Mice and beyond route. Turn right and cross Government St. at the crosswalk.
The route now meanders across numerous streets and through sports fields before appearing to dead-end on Main St. Head south to the traffic light. Cross Main St., then Preston Ave. You will find the continuation of the path that runs one final block south, ending at a shopping mall. Plans are afoot to extend this path to a point at which it will connect with the channel parkway.
The final path that I will describe is currently an incomplete route that shadows Ellis Creek between Dartmouth Rd. and the Hwy.97 / Green Mt. Rd. intersection. The trail follows Industrial Ave. east and west, on either side of Main St., but is currently only complete in its west leg, between Dartmouth and Main St. The local Rotary club, in partnership with the City of Penticton and the Penticton and Area Cycling Association among others, is working toward the completion of this and several other trail projects within city limits in the near future.
Low: 344 m. | High: 491m. (Riddle Rd.)| Length: Varies | Water: Common | Cell Access: Full