Finding your way on Kelowna best cycling trails

Photo: City of Kelowna

Kelowna has the most extensive bicycle network in Canada for a city its size.

(This is the second column in a series detailing of the best trails to explore city by city and regional district by regional district, throughout the Southern Interior.)

It will come as no surprise to diehard cyclists that the City of Kelowna boasts the most extensive bicycle network in Canada for a city its size.

According to the city website, Kelowna has 280 kilometres of bike lanes, 70 kilometres of off-road pathways, including Mission Creek Greenway, and more than 412 kilometres of sidewalks and walkways.

Those off-road pathways and walkways also accommodate those out for a stroll, so they are not specifically just for bikes.

The Sheriff and Constant Companion Carmen are always discovering new places to hike and bike and to its credit, the city is aggressively building new active transportation routes, such as the new multi-use paths on Sutherland Avenue (Ethel to Burtch), Leckie Road (Dilworth to Harvey) and Houghton Road (Lester to Harvey and Okanagan Rail Trail).

Photo: City of Kelowna

A printed Outdoor Guide brochure produced by Tourism Kelowna covers Kelowna, Lake Country, West Kelowna and Peachland. It has a huge Kelowna map on one side, plus detailed maps of Knox Mountain, Black Mountain, Myra-Bellevue and Okanagan Mountain parks on the other.

You would think the natural place to look is the city's "Active by Nature" route map. However, city staff admit the map is out-of-date and the website is difficult for even them to navigate but a revamping is coming. There is, however, no completion date yet.

So, with patience—lots of it—here are a few tips to finding a suitable trail on that complicated route map.

On the left side of the home page, you have three choices—"Find Route By Name," "Find Route By Activity" and "Turn Map Layers On/Off." If you click on Find Route By Name, you will find two featured routes (of three) with puzzling names like “Flat Out Fun” and “Go with the Flow.” Why not just say “Rotary Beach Park to City Park and Mission Creek Greenway?”

It's the same with the list of the 23 routes which follow. That would be another 23 clicks on the name and 23 clicks on “Search” at the bottom because you have no idea what “DDG Loop 1: City Pride” refers to.

Then there are “Drop Dead Gorgeous (DDG) Loop 2, 3” and an unnumbered “DDG.” There’s “Park Run,” “Grapes of Wrath,” and “Wine to Water.” It will drive you click-crazy to go through them all, one by one.

So, go to “Find Route By Activity: Blade or Road Bike or Skate, Hike or Trail Run, Mountain Bike or Mountain Board, Paddle or Swim, Walk or Run.” Choose your distance in kilometres ( 1-5, 6-15, Over 15). Choose your surface (Gravel, Pavement, Trail, Lake View, Mountain View, Orchards, Wineries, Waterfront, Triathlon Training).

Don't go to “Turn Map Layers On/Off” because you will have to decide on “Shared-use Pathway - Paved, Shared-use Pathway - Unpaved, Protected Bike Lane - Both sides of road, Bike Lane - One side of road, Connecting or alternative route, Section Under Construction, Neighbourhood Cut-Through Walkways.”

You just got your workout but it was by using a computer mouse.

A better bet is the city's online Kelowna “On the Move” bike map. The printed version has a simple map of the main routes on one side and detailed biking info on the other side.

Even better is Tourism Kelowna's printed “Outdoor Guide,” covering Kelowna, Lake Country, West Kelowna and Peachland. It has a huge Kelowna map on one side, plus detailed maps of Knox Mountain, Black Mountain, Myra-Bellevue and Okanagan Mountain parks on the other.

Both printed versions are available at the Visitor Centre in downtown Kelowna.

Photo: City of Kelowna

The original concept for the Grand Okanagan Triangle route came from a city map posted online years ago showing connections between bike routes. It was deleted when the city website was subsequently updated and improved.

Here is the Sheriff's simple guide to the best trails:

• Grand Kelowna Triangle—20 kilometres. Absolutely three of the best Kelowna perspectives—waterfront, Okanagan Rail Trail and Mission Creek Greenway. (See map.)

• Okanagan Rail Trail—Flat, paved, 14 kilometres, downtown to Kelowna Airport (still has ancient Rails to Trails signs at Spall). Don't ask again about the ORT from the airport to Winfield. The Sheriff is just as frustrated as everyone else.

• Knox Mountain Park—There are so many trails in the city's largest wilderness park—Apex Trail from Ellis Street climbing to first lookout (Apex),the 1.5-kiometre Paul's Tomb Trail from the lookout down to Scenic Bay (best lake views are while descending) and Lochview Trail (rollercoaster to Clifton Road). (See Outdoor Guide map.)

• Paul's Tomb Trail from Poplar Point Drive—Limited parking but you get the entire waterfront path.

• Knox Mountain East—Trailhead on Granger Road, east of Clifton Road. Trails are only partially sign posted and joins the undeveloped Wilden wilderness trails. Call it exploratory.

• Brandts Creek Linear Park—3 kilometres. The best small creek walk or cycle in Kelowna. Numerous small parks, tennis courts, playgrounds, duck ponds from Summit Drive through North Glenmore.

• UBCO/Quail Ridge—UBCO Pine Loop, 1.7 kilometres. Quail Flume 3.3 kilometres. Eagle View loops back to Pine Loop (steep hill), an eagle nest opposite the power lineand the best area for arrowleaf balsamroot blooms in spring.

Photo: City of Kelowna

The city's online and printed Kelowna On the Move Bike Map has a simple map of main routes on one side and detailed biking info on the other side, including general bike resources, bike shops and rentals, and mountain bike and regional trails.

This article is written by or on behalf of an outsourced columnist and does not necessarily reflect the views of Castanet.