The Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail and the Columbia & Western Rail Trail connect in Midway, BC, making this the longest rail trail network in British Columbia extending from Hope to Castlegar. Together, they form a 492.58 km segment of the Trans Canada Trail featuring intricate trestles and tunnels built by early pioneers.
As the longest trail network in the world, the Trans Canada Trail connects Canadians and visitors to nature and to one another, from coast to coast, through accessible and inclusive outdoor activities.
The Trans Canada Trail is a national legacy, a Canadian asset, and a sustainable gift that fosters unity, collaboration and connectedness.
Once a comprehensive railroad system built by manual labour in the early 1900’s with pick and shovel, connecting dispersed communities, the decommissioned KVR tracks, historic bridges, trestles and tunnels are now home to an extensive recreational trail providing almost 650 km (400 mi) of connected pathways throughout the region.
Experiences on the trail can be self-guided or part of an organized tour, with sections ranging from family-friendly day-trips to overnight legs for experienced trail enthusiasts.
British Columbia Rail Trails are made up of decommissioned rail beds crossing provincial, regional and municipal jurisdictions. The trail is a diverse experience with sections of trails utilized by non-motorized recreation activities, and others with mixed use recreation (off-road motorized and non-motorized shared use). As well, some segments of trail travel on or near public roads and can be occupied by on-highway motorized vehicles.
The rail trail corridors are extensive and cross remote terrains. Some sections have experienced washouts and landslides that require navigating around the obstacles, or may have closed the trail entirely. Please check individual trails for further trails details and refer to the additional resources below for more info on trail conditions.
The bcrailtrails.com website is managed by the Thompson Okanagan Tourism Foundation and strives to provide current trail information for the Kettle Valley Rail Trail however due to the nature of trails, and the impacts of unexpected weather events, the information and data posted serves as a general reference only and may not reflect the current conditions or closure situation.
We welcome and encourage trail enthusiasts to Contact Us to share their trails experience and provide current trail condition updates to allow us to post the most up-to-date information. Help us keep the trails community informed!
Remember to also check the Know Before You Go resources for more information on trip planning and safe travel.
We look forward to seeing you on the trail!