I was introduced to the area around Mt. Keogan in the early 90’s while biking with Ron Granger on the White Lake and McIntyre Bluff trails. Several years passed before I returned, this time with friends Andy and Dino; they had been wandering the foothills west of nearby Mt. Keogan for several years prior, discovering long-established singletrack trails to explore. Lucky for me (and now you) they invited me along to learn and enjoy the area’s amazing trail network.
The look and feel of the singletrack trails, along with the hanging water barrels, cow-licks and scat along the route, suggest that many of these paths were created by cattle and wildlife. Keogan also has a long history of being worked by man and animal; evident in the numerous abandoned two-track paths which trace the mountain top to bottom. Some of these same paths act as the backbone to the area’s current trail network; the likes of which you will discover in this chapter.
Mt. Keogan is named in honor of Michael Keogan, one of the first settlers in the region circa 1876, along with Pat Gallagher and Peter McIntyre. Keogan led a storied life; born in Ireland of a broken family, he stowed away in a boat crossing the Atlantic at the age of eight. He was taken under the wing of a family onboard and subsequently traveled all across western North America.
The mountain and surrounding lands are situated within the White Lake Grasslands Protected Area, managed by BC Parks. The abundance of navigable routes on-mountain is both fortunate; from an outdoor adventurer’s viewpoint, and unsettling; from a BC Parks perspective. The latter lean toward allowing old trails to be absorbed back into the forest rather than seeing maintenance by interested parties such as hikers, bikers and equestrians.
While I understand their position, I feel that we can contribute to the guardianship of the area by following these simple rules:
- No unauthorized motorized vehicles are allowed in the area
- Camping is prohibited, though the Boy Scouts have special permission to do so
- Use only established trails, thus minimizing disturbance to plants and wildlife
- Prevent the spread of unwanted plant species by monitoring what adheres to your person
- Build no new trails, nor trail features in this protected park
In this publication, I highlight two trails, both originating from Mahoney Lake and leading to the summit of Mt.Keogan: Go East Old Man (GEOM) on the mountain’s northwest face and the DogTown trail, up from the southwest. GEOM is hiker and mountain bike friendly, though a bit of a challenge on the latter. DogTown trail is hiker-accessible only, due to its steep and easily eroded surface composition.
To that end, it should not be used as a bike descent, as this would entail constant braking, inevitably resulting in erosion; soon rendering it useless. I have ridden this route on two occasions; and found it a very boring, uneventful descent.
The Dogtown trail is also quite vague in spots; this isn't a detriment for hikers, as they have plenty of time to scout about for rock cairns, but for mountain bikers plunging downhill, the constant stopping and scanning for the trail makes for a frequently interrupted descent, and tends to create additional off-trail routes. For the record, DogTown was the original title of Okanagan Falls.
I cannot emphasize enough how tenuous our access to this Grasslands Protected Area is, and ask that you wisely consider your actions while you enjoy the park.
As noted above, hikers have the option of using either of the two trails discussed here. As for fellow mountain bike riders who may be upset with the idea of being excluded from one particular route down from the summit; I ask that you hike the DogTown trail once yourself, being honest in your evaluation of the trail’s pitch and vulnerability to erosion. View the trail from a long term perspective, imagining its state in fifty years and beyond. After doing so, I am confident that you will grasp my ‘hike only’ recommendation.
Keogan’s trail network is accessed from the south end of Mahoney Lake via an aggressively rising singletrack trail. The singletrack up from Mahoney Lake meets a two-track known as Poison Ivy Alley (PIA) 1.7km east of your roadside parking area. PIA runs north to south across the western flank of Mt. Keogan and provides access to the trailheads of both GEOM and the DogTown trail.
PIA appears as a flat two-track route, wide enough to support a vehicle; it is the only route on the mountain of this width. GEOM trailhead resides 1.1km northeast along PIA from the initial singletrack / PIA junction, while the DogTown trailhead is situated almost immediately across from the junction point. Once you join GEOM, begin to scout around for a large dead tree on the ground to your right. Behind and to the southeast of this log is the DogTown trailhead; its ascent up the mountain from that point is obvious.
Begin your adventure by parking safely off the road at the southern tip of Mahoney Lake. A small pull-off exists there for this purpose. Look across the road to the east and you will see a fence and small brown sign labeled ‘Park Boundary, No Unauthorized Motor Vehicles’. You will also see a small cattle loading ramp just behind the fence. Pass through the gate and follow the well trodden two-track trail as it leads through an open pasture and into the forest to the southeast.
The two-track trail which you set out upon soon gives way to singletrack, and remains that way for much of this adventure. Perhaps 100m into the journey, the trail splits left or right. While both trails eventually arrive at PIA; stick to the right hand trail and continue to ascend.
About 850 meters in from the parking area, you will notice a singletrack splitting off and dropping down to the right; ignore it as it leads to private property. 200m beyond that junction you face a steepening incline with two choices for its ascent; the steep trail on which you are traveling, or a faint trailhead to a parallel singletrack switch-back trail on your right. The choice is yours as they rejoin in short order; the singletrack option is easier to ascend on bike. At this point, you are approximately 900m from joining with the PIA.
Once you arrive at PIA, the route that you take to Keogan’s summit depends on your choice of travel. If riding a bike, access it via GEOM. If you are traveling on foot, you can use either GEOM or the DogTown trail. Remember that the DogTown trailhead is slightly concealed; poke around a few meters to the right, just east of PIA. The trailhead may be flooded in the springtime.
Keogan Summit via the DogTown trail (returning via Go East Old Man) This route is composed of approximately two kilometers of southeastern ascent; much of it without respite. The trail is obvious in spots, vague in others, but you can generally spot a rock cairn indicating the route. Near the summit, the DogTown trail is intersected on the left by the end of the GEOM trail. This trail junction is easy to miss; and perhaps imperceptible with significant ground scrub during high growth seasons. From that point, DogTown continues to head east, before turning south toward a look-off that provides amazing vistas over many km of beautiful landscape.
If you return to Mahoney via DogTown, the route is obvious. If however, you wish to check out GEOM, using it as a route to return to PIA, then you could trace the summit ridgeline north, following rock cairns as far as a small, generally dried up swamp atop the mountain. That, or simply back-track on the DogTown trail 500m, then begin hunting around on the north side of the trail. You are sure to find the vague singletrack leading to the swamp. Several variations of the route to the swamp exist.
Said swamp is situated 400m north of the DogTown / GEOM trail junction. Continue along the singletrack beyond this wetland, twisting and turning your way along an amazing section of well-trodden trail.
The length of trail north of the swamp to the next major junction does not see much use, and as this aspect of the mountain supports a hearty growth of bluebunch wheatgrass and rough fescue, this trail can be difficult to follow. If all goes well, approximately 700m beyond the lake you will arrive at a three-way junction with distinct trails leading off to the left and right. To the right, the trail soon peters off into numerous indistinct goat trails; none worth exploring. The left hand route is the continuation of GEOM, so head in that direction.
The well defined trail drops for 2.2km before it meets another major intersection. To the right is your route; to the left is the L.J. trail (shown faintly on the accompanying map). This steep, eroded and ill-advised route is a shortcut down to PIA. Hikers with excellent balance and hiking poles may wish to explore it; mountain bikers should avoid it at all costs. L.J. robs you of the fun offered by the balance of GEOM and in my opinion, is nothing but a brake-dragging, rubber-chewing waste of that Holy Grail known as ‘Vertical’.
Instead, head right for 410m, where you will locate and drop off the main trail via a singletrack rising on your left. Though it looks tempting, the route which continues straight ahead is short and simply leads to a two-track road and private property. Drop off to the left, and 485m of singletrack later you will be back on PIA. Head left and make your way back to your vehicle via the original trail used to access PIA from Mahoney Lake.
Keogan Summit via GEOM Once on Poison Ivy Alley, travel northeast along it for 1.1km. You must cross a mud bog, and 200m beyond it, stick with the main trail; ignoring the left-branching singletrack. Ignore also, the right hand junctioning L.J. trailhead which appears at 525m. At the 1.1km point you will see the entrance to Go East’ on your right. Begin your bracing ascent!
The route has been well-described in the earlier section, so I will not labor the details. As always; I strongly suggest that you acquire or borrow a GPS enabled device and load it with the free GPS tracks available at sweetsingletrack.ca This area contains an absolute labyrinth of tracks and trails; I have been there perhaps 50 to 60 times, and rare is the occasion that I do not happen upon a new route to investigate!
Getting there From the Peach in downtown Penticton, head south on Winnipeg St., turn right on Eckhardt Ave., then left on Highway 97. Head south toward Okanagan Falls. Turn right on Green Lake Rd., immediately prior to the OK Falls bridge. Drive south for approximately 8km. Park safely off the road.
Low: 477m | High: 912m | Length: Up to 14km return | Water: None | Cell Access: Weak low down