Day Trips & Getaways
A hot semi-desert valley with a still-working 1877 grist mill, roadside peach stands, and an alpine park of six turquoise lakes.
Keremeos / Similkameen Valley
More infoThe Similkameen is what the Okanagan tells its kids about to make them grateful: a hot, semi-desert valley of roadside stands selling sun-warm peaches and samosas, an 1877 water-wheel grist mill still grinding flour, and a 1907 covered red railway bridge. Towering above is Cathedral Provincial Park, 33,000 hectares of alpine meadows and six turquoise lakes reached by 4x4 shuttle. Desert heat and alpine grandeur, one trip.
It's ~3.5 to 4 hours from Vancouver via Hwy 1 to Hope, then the scenic Crowsnest Hwy 3 over Allison Pass through Manning Park to Keremeos, one of the prettier highway drives in BC, so leave time for Manning Park viewpoints. (Driving is the move here; flying isn't practical for the Similkameen, though Penticton/YYF is ~45 min away if you'd rather fly part-way.) Make it two nights. Spend day one in the valley: graze the dozen-odd fruit stands for peaches, nectarines and milkshakes, tour the historic Grist Mill & Gardens and its working water wheel, photograph the 1907 Red Bridge, and taste at Similkameen wineries like Clos du Soleil or Orofino. Day two is the big one, Cathedral Provincial Park: book the private 4x4 shuttle up to the core area (the only sane way in; the lodge and shuttle run June 12, Oct 12, 2026) and hike the lake-to-lake trails past Quiniscoe, Glacier and Ladyslipper lakes beneath glacier peaks. Photo spots: the turquoise alpine lakes, Red Bridge, the grist-mill gardens, and the desert-valley vineyards. Couples: a cabin at Cathedral Lakes Lodge with dinner included is a stunning off-grid romantic night; or a winery-view stay down in the valley. Solo me-time: the alpine loops and quiet wine patios are perfect for a solo recharge. Don't-miss: a samosa-and-peach combo from a roadside stand. Confirm Cathedral shuttle dates and park access before you commit; head home Sunday over Hwy 3.
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door to door
~3.5 to 4 hours
from Vancouver
285 km
how long
2 nights
best window
July to October (Cathedral lodge & shuttle June 12 to Oct 12
Drive Hwy 1 to Hope, then Crowsnest Hwy 3 over Allison Pass through Manning Provincial Park to Keremeos, a gorgeous mountain-and-desert drive. Cathedral Park's core is reached only by the lodge's private 4x4 shuttle (booked separately). Flying isn't practical, though Penticton (YYF) is ~45 min away as a fly-part-way option.
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