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1. Helmcken Falls – Wells Gray Park Tour – 6hrs

Thursday September 09 and Friday September 10

Distance is approximately 335 kms return trip on paved roads.

General directions:

• From Sun Peaks head west to Hwy 5
• North on Hwy 5 to Clearwater
• Left on Clearwater Valley Rd
• Left to arrive at Helmcken Falls

Description:

Exploration and Destination tour.

Crystal clear streams and majestic Helmcken Falls. Three times higher than Niagara, Helmcken Falls is the crowning jewel of Wells Grey Provincial Park, which is home to 40 Grizzly bears and about 400 black bears; fortunately the falls can be viewed at the drive up viewpoint.

At over 2000 square miles, Wells Gray Provincial Park is one of British Columbia’s largest and most spectacular parks. On the southern border of the park within a day trip’s reach of Sun Peaks is Helmcken Falls, Canada’s 4th highest waterfall. You will have a short hike from the parking area (about a mile each way) so be sure to bring a warm jacket! The fast flowing Murtle River shoots over a volcanic cliff at Helmcken and falls 142 meters directly into a gorge in a roaring, misty display.

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy at the falls.

Links: Wells Gray Provincial Park

2. Cache
 Creek 
Lytton 
Tour – 7hrs

Friday
 September 
10

Distance is approximately 500 kms on paved roads

Description:

This goes through a typical variety of BC terrain and is a winner just from that perspective.

A graceful, sweeping road, along the Thompson River from Kamloops to Cache Creek. Drive beside the beautiful lakes of Marble Canyon to Lillooet, and follow the pioneer’s route along the impressive Fraser canyon to the famed ”Mile 0” of the old Caribou gold trail. The remote pavement to Lytton edges above the Fraser River to reconnect with the scenic Thompson River canyon.

Links: Cache Creek

3. Wine 
Tour, 
Shuswap 
S. 
Thompson – 8hrs

Friday
 September 
10

Distance is approximately 437 kms return trip on paved roads. Drive will take approximately 6 hours.

Description:

Scenic twisty driving tour with lunch at Table 24 located at the restored Old Courthouse in Salmon Arm and a visit to three regional Wineries. Lunch cost not include in tour.

4. Cayenne 
Tour

Saturday September 11

Description:

4 wheel drive tour.

For a true Okanagan adventure, explore the beautiful Canadian back-country on off-road 4x4 vehicles miles and miles of old logging trails criss-cross the backwoods of the scenic North Thompson, Shuswap, and Okanagan Valley regions of British Columbia.

Greenstone Mountain, Chuwhels Mountain, and the Logan Lake area southwest of Kamloops offers an extensive trail system, with multi-use trails criss-crossing the terrain and the many lakes in the area. Trail systems include the Inks Lake Trails, Bush Lake Trails, Greenstone Mountain Trails, and the Chuwhels Mountain Motorcycle Trails off Chuwhels Mountain Road (access from the Coquihalla Highway 5). Greenstone Mountain Provincial Park encompasses Kwilalkwila Lake and offers spectacular panoramic views of the surrounding mountains, lakes and the Thompson Valley from atop Greenstone Mountain. A forest service look-out at the top of Greenstone Mountain, but outside the park, is maintained by local snowmobile and ATV groups as an emergency shelter and viewing point.

Bring a picnic lunch to enjoy on route.

5. Ashcroft
 Spaghetti
 Western
 Tour – 7-8hrs

Thursday September 09

Distance is approximately 270 kms return trip on paved roads.

General directions:

• From Sun Peaks head west to Hwy 5
• South on Hwy 5 to Kamloops
• South on Hwy 5A to Merritt
• West then North on Hwy 8 to Spences Bridge
• North on Hwy 1 to Ashcroft
• Stop for lunch at the Central Cafe
• South on Hwy 97C to Logan Lake
• East on Meadow Creek Road to Hwy 5
• Continue East on Lac Le Juene Road to Kamloops
• North on Hwy 5 to Sun Peaks

Description:

Driving tour.

This tour covers the hills and rangeland west of Kamloops through some of the best scenery BC has to offer all the way to historic Ashcroft, the center of the “Gold Rush Trail” in the late 1800’s. Wind past the picturesque lakes of the Nicola Valley then twist through the farmlands and red rock badlands of Spences Bridge and Ashcroft on to the highlands of Logan Lake via a beautifully engineered route. Stop for lunch at Central Café a 1920’s vintage hotel on 211 Railway avenue in Ashcroft.

Merritt is located 271 Kilometers (168 miles) northeast of Vancouver in the heart of the Nicola Valley. With a population of approximately 8,000 and a trading area of approximately 15,000; Merritt is the commercial centre for the area.

The Nicola Valley has long been home to a number of First Nations who continue to call the area home. European pioneers searching for a trading route between the Coast and the Interior reached the area in the mid-1800s.

Links: Nicola Valley Information

6. Paul 
Lake 
Provincial 
Park 
Tour – 3-4hrs

Thursday September 09 and Friday September 10

Distance is approximately 100 kms return on paved roads.

General directions:

• From Sun Peaks head west to Hwy 5
• South on Hwy 5 towards Kamloops
• East on Paul Lake Road
• Return to Sun Peaks by the same roads

Description:

Exploration tour on a lovely twisting road.

Paul Lake Provincial Park is known for its beautiful scenery and wide variety of recreational activities.  The park's campground is popular with RV'ers as the extensive picnic grounds are with day trippers. The park features an easy, 13 km round-trip hiking trail, which leads to a great view of the lake and nearby Harper Mountain. When hiking to Gibralter Rock, remember that there are dangerously steep cliffs at the top of the bluff. Keep well back and watch your children.

Surrounding forests consist of interior Douglas fir, aspen and some stands of old-growth.  The park also provides habitat for falcons, white-throated swifts, bald eagles, coyotes and mule deer.

Paul Lake, stocked with two species of rainbow trout, is easily accessed with a car-top boat. For easygoing paddling, Paul Lake is perfect. The day-use area has a superb sandy beach, plus a safe swimming area that is buoyed off from boat traffic.  Biking is permitted on the roadways and canoe, kayak and paddle-boat rentals are available; contact the Park Facility Operator or the Campground Host for information.

This tour ends at the South Thompson Inn overlooking the South Thompson River. This Kentucky style Inn is the perfect destination for a relaxing casual pub lunch in the Bourbon Lounge which has a large patio for full enjoyment of the scenic vista. Alternately follow easy directions back to Sun Peaks (provided upon request).

Please note - the area is somewhat remote. If planning to picnic in the area you may want to bring picnic supplies. Local Sun Peaks merchants can assist with your personal needs.

7. Merritt
 Circle
 Tour – 4hrs

Thursday September 09 and Friday September 10

Distance is approximately 290 kms return trip on paved roads.

Description:

Scenic tour through the Nicola Valley

Imagine a magical place where the sun shines on most days of the year on grasslands, rolling hills, historic ranches and shimmering lakes. Such a place exists in the southern interior of BC, where the sun heaps over 2,000 hours of annual sunshine upon Merritt and the Nicola Valley.

The charming Nicola Valley is steeped in history; mining and railways, western lifestyle, and First Nations culture.

The name Nicola was given to the famous chieftain Hwistesmetxquen by the early fur traders for the obvious reason that they couldn't pronounce his Native name. When they tried it phonetically, it sounded vaguely like Nicholas or Nicola, and their mispronunciation has remained.

The range of wildlife and vegetation in the valley varies dramatically with terrain and elevation, and the entire Nicola Valley is filled with amazing natural attractions. Wind erosion has created unique formations in the walls of Windy Canyon near Merritt, and ancient Glacial Shore Lines of 10,000-year-old glacial lakes are visible in the grasslands, particularly along Highway 5A north of Merritt. Ancient volcanic Lava Cliffs can be viewed along the hiking trail at Monck Provincial Park, and amazing Hoodoos can be found along Highway 8, west of Merritt towards Spences Bridge.

Highway 5 follows the Coquihalla River to Merritt and is particularly scenic in the early fall, when rolling fields and forest foliage take on a golden glow. The surrounding Merritt Forest District supports stands of Engelmann spruce, lodgepole pine, and subalpine fir at higher elevations; Douglas fir and ponderosa pine are found on the lower benchlands. Extensive grasslands also occur at low-elevation areas, particularly toward Merritt. Moose, mule deer, bears, and grouse are the main wildlife species here, while small numbers of elk and mountain goats find refuge in the south.

8. Ashcroft
 Circle
 Tour – 4.5hrs

Friday September 10

Distance is approximately 320 kms return trip on paved roads.

Description:

A shorter version of the Ashcroft Spaghetti Western Tour.