Trans Canada Trail (TCT) & Kettle Valley Railway
The Trans Canada Trail (TCT) is a mixture of mixed-use and non-motorized trail that connects from Coast to Coast across Canada. In most provinces in Canada the TCT is mainly (or only) mixed-use, open for responsible motorcycle, ATV & snowmobile use.
BCORMA is working with ATVBC to keep the KVR open to motorized users, as it is a critical connection corridor between many communities and their recreational riding areas outside of the towns. Although the BC section of the TCT is unofficially regarded as & proposed by some groups to government to make it non-motorized, it currently is mixed-use designated in most sections, and open to ORV recreational use, like all trails on Crown Land in BC that are not legally closed to specific user groups.
A lot of the TCT in BC includes the old Kettle Valley Railway (KVR). The Myra Canyon section of the KVR in Kelowna (and other urban sections) are considered by BCORMA and other motorized groups as unacceptable for motorized use, due to high pedestrian & bicycle traffic, and Park designation (where applicable). We ask that all responsible riders do not use these sections, use your best judgment and do not tarnish the reputation of motorcyclists in general. Always slow when passing other recreational users & wave to improve our image. Stopping & talking (always remove your helmet first!) is good etiquette wherever you ride.
The best sections of the TCT/KVR for dualsport, motorcycle and ATV use are between Hope to Castlegar.
West section: Hope to Princeton
Starting at Shylock Hill (on Hwy 5 just north of Hope), riding up the Coquihalla canyon is one of the most spectacular views in BC, with original trail tunnels crushed by giant boulders, and ancient steel bridges draped over waterfall succumbing to the effects of corrosion. The KVR continues on through the old rail town of Brookmere, to Tulameen and finally into Princeton, the site of the 2010 ATVBC Jamboree.
Central section: Princeton to Kelowna
Leaving Princeton, the KVR continues eastwards into Summerland (just south of Kelowna). Please do not ride the Myra Canyon section in Kelowna, rent a mountain bike to fully enjoy this section responsibly, and show people that motorcyclists can ride bicycles too!
East section: Kelowna to Castlegar
This is the longest section of the KVR. The KVR heads southeast from Kelowna into the historic mining towns of Beaverdell, Rock Creek, Midway (home of the KVR museum), through Greenwood & Grand Forks to Castlegar, where the KVR ends. Please check for current trail status.
To contribute updates to the BCORMA Ride Guide, or on current conditions please contact BCORMA.
