Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail development is top trail story of 2025

Trail story of the year

Photo: J.P. Squire

The current section of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail under construction involves repairs to the old Rosemond Lake bridge, above, at the south end of Mara Lake 14 kilometres south of Sicamous.

(The first of a two-part, year-end summary and analysis of the top story of 2025)

The trail story of the year is the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail.

SNORT has a long and complicated history but major steps occurred in 2025. Here's a brief outline of its recent history and the current status of completing its many sections.

CP Rail started decommissioning the 1890s rail line between Armstrong and Sicamous in 2009 and completed the process in 2014. The Regional District of North Okanagan and Columbia Shuswap Regional Distric bought 43 kilometres of rail line in 2018.

The $6.5-million RDNO/CSRD purchase was equally divided between provincial grant funding, and the two regional districts. Earlier, Splatsin of the Secwepemc First Nation purchased another seven kilometres.

The partners' short-term plan was to convert the line into a recreational trail. However, the long-term goal was to create a contiguous trail network between Sicamous and Osoyoos by connecting to the Okanagan Rail Trail and Trail of the Okanagans (West Kelowna to the South Okanagan).

The challenge was 35 kilometres in the B.C. Agricultural Land Reserve, so the RDNO applied to the B.C. Agricultural Land Commission on March 4, 2020 for permission to build the trail. On Feb. 24, 2021, the ALC agreed, requiring "signatures" from ALR landowners adjacent to the trail to show they were satisfied with the applicant’s efforts to identify and resolve issues of concern or conflict.

Photo: Columbia Shuswap Regional District

This Columbia Shuswap Regional District map shows the multiple sections of the Shuswap North Okanagan Rail Trail from Armstrong in the south to Sicamous in the north.

Funding was obtained and construction proceeded on small sections in Enderby and Armstrong. However, nearly five years later in December 2024, the RDNO expressed surprise at the "signatures" requirement and argued it didn't understand that part and requested reconsideration.

While awaiting an ALC decision, a Splatsin crew started working on the 14.3-kilometre section south of Sicamous, opening it in July. On Oct. 28, the ALC finally granted reconsideration with less restrictive conditions and construction began on most of the 27.8 kilometres to Enderby.

The current trail status, section by section, starting at the north end in Sicamous is as follows:

• The first half kilometre: Due to delayed construction of Bruhn Bridge on the Trans-Canada Highway, full access from Sicamous to km 0.5 will not be completed until 2027. The new bridge will include a separate multi-use pathway for pedestrians and bicycles from downtown Sicamous across Sicamous Narrows to connect safely with km 0.0.

• Kilometre 0.5 to kilometre14.8, Sicamous-Mara Lake: Officially opened on July 25, surfacing is complete but repairs to erosion damage are planned this winter. Free ferry service across the narrows to km 0.5 stopped at the end of September but the ferry society hopes to raise sufficient funds to resume service next year.

The new section brings the total to 19.8 kilometres now open to the public. Funding is currently in place to complete the rail trail from the start in Sicamous to kilometre 42.6 at Stepney X Road south of Enderby in the Township of Spallumcheen.

• Kilometre 14.8 to kilometre 35.5: Construction has commenced through the ALR to Stepney X Road and will continue through winter and into spring as weather conditions allow.

• Kilometre 35.5 to kilometre 42.6, Splatsin-Enderby: A pilot section heading south at kilometre 35.5 was completed in 2023. Splatsin crews completed an additional three kilometers south to the edge of forested Splatsin IR No.2. In total, an eight-kilometre walk or bicycle loop can be stitched together using local roads and trails in Enderby.

• Kilometre 42.6 to kilometre 49.15, both sides of Highway 97A: Design and costing for the final 6.5 kilometres is complete but not yet funded. That includes a pedestrian and bicycle overpass of Highway 97A required by the Ministry of Transportation.

Splatsin submitted the design and costing plans to Infrastructure Canada’s Active Transportation Funding program in April and is awaiting approval. Construction could begin next year with completion in 2027, along with the Bruhn Bridge connection. Without the funding, completion of a finished trail will push into 2028 and beyond as the final capital will need to be raised.

• Kilometre 49.15 to kilometre 50.15, Armstrong-Lansdowne Road: This section, completed in 2024, provides a short one-kilometre link between Armstrong and Lansdowne Road, adjacent to the still active rail spur. This allows cyclists and pedestrians to avoid using the shoulder of Highway 97A to connect to the country roads north of Armstrong.

The southwest trailhead is just east of Smith Drive in Armstrong on the north side of Pleasant Valley Road. Walking along the grassy treed north side of Pleasant Valley Road from Mill Street is the best approach.

The City of Armstrong plans to develop a connecting path here in the future, linking to public parking and the town centre. The northeast trailhead is at the junction of Lansdowne Road and Highway 97A.

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