TOP SPOTS FOR SNOWSHOEING IN THE OKANAGAN

October 02, 2022

British Columbia… it’s hard not to be biased, being born and raised in B.C. I believe it is one of the most beautiful places in the world to live. From majestic mountain ranges and endless freshwater lakes to the Pacific Ocean and West Coast living, B.C has something for everyone to enjoy. When it comes to winter fun there are endless opportunities for outdoor adventure. Leaving the Lower Mainland and getting into the B.C interior is a great way to escape the crowds of people and perfect for those in search of more solitude. Overall the interior of B.C also offers much drier snow conditions as the temperatures are lower, which is perfect for winter sports. Before you head out to explore the trails of B.C interior make sure to pick up your men’s / women’s snowshoes packages on sale right now. Here is a list of trails that we highly recommend in no particular order. They are all awesome!

Sun Peaks

Located about 45 minutes from Kamloops, Sun Peaks is a great winter destination and offers everything from snowshoeing to skiing, tubing and iceskating on a full NHL size rink. Don’t forget to bring the kids snowshoes as there are five well marked snowshoe trails for all abilities that cover about 15 km. For those that are up for a great workout and a full day adventure I recommend snowshoeing into McGillivray Lake warming hut. This is approximately a 5 hour, 12 km trip with a 500 ft elevation gain. Make sure to pick up a $5 trail pass before you go. Dogs are allowed, but only on leash. Make sure you check out the Whitecroft Waterfall located at about a 15 minute drive outside Sun Peaks. It’s definitely worth the 30 minute round trip to be rewarded with a beautiful frozen waterfall view. For those who would like guided trail tours, there is a company called Discover Sun Peaks Adventures that offers many different guided trips to choose from. Offering everything from a evening snowshoe and fondue tour to a moonlight snowshoe and s’mores experience.

Big White

Located an hour from Kelowna, Big White is a great mountain that our family visits every winter. The mountain offers a great family vibe with plenty of activities. Bring the ice skates or rent a pair to take advantage of the outdoor skating rink offering cosmic skating in the evenings. If skating isn’t for you, grab a cup of hot chocolate to sip by the outdoor fire while you watch the fireworks display on weekends. Big White offers 25km of combined snowshoe and nordic trails. The trails begin at Happy Valley Adventure park. Make sure you pick up a trail pass.

Telemark Nordic Club

Located 30 minutes from Kelowna, 9 kilometres up the paved Glenrosa Rd is another great spot for snowshoeing. There are over 50 kilometres of maintained trails to explore as well as a lodge. This place offers a great family fun atmosphere with a mix of families and some athletes practising for biathlon. If you are up to a challenging adventure, there is Crystal Mountain Snowshoe trail that is a 15 kilometre trip and a 330 metre elevation gain which takes roughly 3-4 hours to complete. It’s highly recommended that you do not do it alone or in poor visibility. Only fit, experienced snowshoers should attempt this trail. If you want to bring along your dog there is 8 kilometres of designated dog trails. Don’t forget to pick up your trail map and a $5 trail pass at the lodge.

Nickel Plate Nordic Centre

This trail system is located just past Apex Mountain resort about 50 minutes from Penticton. There is 5 trails totalling 22.5 kilometres of marked snowshoe trails ranging in difficulty from novice to advanced. After a day of enjoying the trails be sure to warm up in the lodge with their real wood burning fire. They also have designated dog friendly trails. For a shorter beginner hike or to bring the kids along for a family snowshoeing excursion, I recommend doing the Quicksilver Snowshoe Trail which takes about an hour to complete. Be sure to download the Trailfork app on your phone before you head out so you can see exactly where you are on the trail.