Two titles; same trail...

Some folks refer to it as the "Bylands Loop", others "McDougall Rim"; M.R. is likely more accurate, as the trail parallels McDougall Creek during the ascent (clockwise) as it meanders its way up to the Mount Hayman ridge line.

One fine morning in May of 2013 myself and two friends played hooky from work and drove up to West Kelowna in order to re-experience this classic trail; one that the three of us regularly rode “back in the day” before there was much in the way of developed trails in our beautiful valley. Doug, Eric and I set out shortly after 11am with vague recollections of riding the trail - none of us clearly remembering just how big of a ride it is.

We had heard through the grapevine and via Internet web sites that the trail had been savaged by motorized trail users and was no longer worth riding; but being long-time fans of the route, we had to see it for ourselves.

As it turns out, the forest service road component of the trail was a lot longer than we had remembered and the route quite complex due to countless intersections of roads and minor dual-track paths. Luckily, I carried a GPS track from a friend loaded on my GPS as well as a smart phone with the same file as a backup to guide us. A note to the wise; if you try this route, make sure that you are riding with a dependable and knowledgeable guide or have a GPS device loaded with the accompanying track. Bring a second form of GPS or trail-map backup as well as there are a stunning number of route options in these mountains and one is quite often ensconced in the forest, with nary a visual reference to go by.

As there are far too many, I'll not provide a turn-by-turn synopsis of the route. Consider this adventure to be a GPS-track or knowledgeably-guided exploration. As always, the Google / GPS representations of this track are available for download elsewhere on this website.

Regarding the Internet chatter about the singletrack portions of the trail having been obliterated; I’m pleased to report that rumors of the McDougall-Byland route’s death have been greatly exaggerated! It’s still a highly recommended mountain bike ride, but only for extremely fit individuals, as it’s a truly Kong-sized adventure! I’d further suggest that it be tackled in late May to early June and beyond, as we experienced snow on-trail early-May.

For adventurers on foot or horseback, I suggest tackling the route counter-clockwise, attaining the summit, then back-tracking to your vehicle. This will remove a mind-numbing amount of dual-track / roads from your trek.

All in attendance agreed that the singletrack sections of the loop were supremely enjoyable, and in no better or worse condition than we collectively experienced nearly twenty years ago. The ascent features a section of firm-surfaced, cedar-laden quad-trail, running creek-side through the forest; really beautiful! En route, we encountered crossing of McDougall Cr., Hayman Cr. and Hidden Creek; all of which were raging in full aquatic springtime regalia. With a little ingenuity, one can still manage all three crossings without getting soaked.

The route is approximately 24km long and rises from 630m to 1429m - thus a raw elevation gain of 799 vertical meters or 2621 vertical feet. This doesn’t include the (many) small climbs and descents found within the route as a whole. I’m guessing that there is in excess of 3000 vertical feet of rise overall to the experience; yup’, it’s a whopper of a ride! Five hours and much tree-clearing later, we popped out at our vehicles - luckily we each had a cold one on ice awaiting us!

Access the trailhead by turning north off Hwy.97 at Bartley Rd. Follow it for 330m, to where it junctions with Shannon Lk. Rd., take a left. Drive Shannon Lk. Rd. for 350m where Bartley Rd. resumes on your right; hang a right. Follow Bartley Rd. for 2.3km, transitioning from pavement to gravel road along the way. The route passes through a beautiful little rural community and numerous farm-gate operations.

The parking lot is on your right. The cyclists route leads off to the north via the gravel road. For hikers / equestrians, its likely better to head up the trails to the northeast of the parking area; don't be tempted to use the steep, loose and visually tempting trails which you can see from the parking area; the actual trail is a little more to the east, somewhat subtle and not nearly as visually obvious.

Ditto if you are descending via bike and find yourself nearing the completion of the ride; this position becomes apparent as the trail enters a large clearing and you can both see and feel that you are near the end of the ride. At this point a trail appears on your right, dropping rather aggressively. If you take it, despite the various logs strewn across its path, you are in for a slip, slide and away descent to your vehicle. Instead, keep heading more or less straight down the singletrack that you are on, weaving to the left, then back around to the right. This - the actual route - is significantly more flowy and enjoyable then the aforementioned erosion slope.

Get fit, be prepared - and giver er’ a go!

Low: 630m | High: 1429m | Length: 24km Loop | Water: Not potable | Cell Access: High Points