A. General Questions
This website is provided by Paula Sheridan, owner & operator of KVR Outfitters Bike Rentals & Tours. It is designed to help give you the information needed for a day or multi-day trip on the KVR which is a large and complex trail. The aim here is to cover a variety of communities/regions with one website rather than having to piece a lot of information together. You can also contact us for information on having a planned/self-guided or supported tour itinerary for yourself or a group.
Trails BC is a fabulous resource for this and many other trails and adventures to be found in British Columbia – we wish you a lifetime of happy trails!
We have “hibernated” our tours for the past two summers – 2020 & 2021. We have many cyclists who were already booked, for both seasons, and we are delighted to be “rolling them over” to 2022.
We are limiting our upcoming season to ensure that we can cater 100% to our guests as we always have done. The KVR is challenging in itself, and we want you to feel safe and looked after, so will be limiting our departures for the coming season.
At this stage we are NOT accepting overseas bookings, other than ones already in place. This is mostly due to further restrictions/complications and the fact that we are already nearly 100% booked for 2022 with prior bookings and wait lists.
If you are not already booked, or have not already contacted us for 2022, we can put you on a “wait list” and contact you once our current inquiries are confirmed to see if there are any places left.
No – Myra Canyon is about midway through the Carmi Subdivision section of the KVR. The official start, or “Mile 0” of the KVR is in Midway, BC. The Kettle Valley Museum is the former Railway station of the trail. Please note, the Station is a Museum, not a cycling information centre. We do update the staff at the museum as much as possible with current conditions.
If you are starting at Mile 0, traditionally you have been able to park your car at the Kettle River Museum – please check with them first for any updates before planning to do so, and be sure to leave a donation and let the staff know when you plan to return.
For a multi-day trip, we recommend not earlier than June and not later than end of Sept-early October. Although the Okanagan Valley is generally hot and sunny, the higher elevations before and after this area are prone to snow and flooding.
Typically the ride is broken down into sections – the most common, or area we recommend the most, is a 4-7 day ride from Mile 0 in Midway to Penticton. This is known as the Carmi Subdivision. This takes about 4 days comfortably and adding 2-3 days layover time to explore Naramata, Penticton and cycling south to Oliver is highly recommended.
Yes, this is known as the Columbia and Western Trail and is also part of the TransCanada Trail. The Columbia and Western Trail ends at Midway where the KVR begins.
We now have maps available for the KVR – designed and printed locally they are 100% KVR – with detail on how to get into places off the trail such as Beaverdell, Rock Creek and Naramata – these 11 x 17″ full colour maps are 2-sided. Midway to Beaverdell, Beaverdell to Myra Canyon, McCulloch to Chute including Myra Canyon and Chute Lake to Penticton comprise the Carmi Subdivision – or the popular Midway to Penticton route.
Add the city of Penticton plus the Southern Spur Route to Oliver & Osoyoos for a set of 6 – there is also a one-sided “overview map” of the KVR.
Have them shipped to help you plan your route or email us for information kettlevalleyrailtrail@gmail.com
or place an online map order