Penticton Note: You will be riding on an abandoned railbed; expect a wide range of surface conditions, from hard packed gravel to loose, unconsolidated railway ballast. This trail is generally unsuitable for street bikes, and will require a bike with wider tires for soft surfaces. Main > Communities > Penticton > Trips Map Info

Day Trip - Penticton to Little Tunnel Along the Kettle Valley Railway
(12.5 km one way/25 km return trip)

Trail Condition and Grade: steady uphill grades (about 2%) with hard packed surface and some loose gravel sections. Travellers may experience extremely hot and dry conditions with little or no water available along the trail. Trail users MUST be prepared for potentially long periods of sun exposure, and must bring sufficient water supplies.

From Penticton, you can access the trail where the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) crosses Naramata Road, in the immediate vicinity of Hillside Winery, approximately 5 km north of Penticton. Plans to restore and reopen the trail between this point and Penticton are currently being developed by the City of Penticton. Please be advised that there is NO PARKING at this location; parking arrangements should be made in Penticton.

An alternative connection can be made by cycling from Penticton northward along Naramata Road until you reach Smethurst Road, about 14 km north of Penticton. Turn right and travel up Smethurst Road for about 1.5 km until you reach the trail/KVR grade.

The route takes you through wine country with a number of wineries offering tours and tastings. Continue on up the east side of Okanagan Lake to Little Tunnel, a 48 metre-long tunnel. This stop offers great views of Okanagan Lake and the valley. Return to Penticton.

Overnight Trip - Penticton to Chute Lake
(40 km one way/80 km return)

This trip is uphill all the way from Penticton, past Little Tunnel and Rock Ovens Regional Park. The trail continues on to the Adra Tunnel bypass, a short bypass trail (watch for the signs) that cuts off the loop and rejoins the railgrade. The curving Adra Tunnel, at almost 500 metres long, is the longest tunnel on the Kettle Valley Railway. Located on a switchback in the grade, the tunnel has been closed off to public access, as the roof has collapsed in several places and there is often fairly deep standing water in places. Unfortunately, the tunnel has been also subjected to some vandalism, with some fire damage resulting to some of the interior cribbing and wooden supports. Please DO NOT enter the tunnel, as it is not currently safe to do so.

This trip from Penticton to Chute Lake is on one of the longest uphill grades on the Kettle Valley Railway, and late spring/summer travellers may experience extremely hot and dry conditions with little or no water available along the trail. Trail users MUST be prepared for potentially long periods of sun exposure, and must bring sufficient water supplies. In addition, some of the trail surface in this area may be loose gravel, making a long uphill trip seem even longer.

Stop in Chute Lake for an overnight stay where you will find the Chute Lake Resort. There is also limited camping at the southeast corner of Chute Lake on the Elinor Lake Forest Service Road (for more information contact the Penticton Visitors Centre).

Return to Penticton the next day.