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Epic views across Okanagan Lake

Kelowna's Best Quick Hits

7 superb, short trips (one for each day of the week!) which are ideal for a post-work adventure.

Mountain Biking, Hiking Moderate, Difficult

Epic views across Okanagan Lake
Epic views across Okanagan Lake Photo: Charlie Boscoe

Description

Kelowna has a thriving economy (especially after remote workers left cities behind during Covid and relocated there) and remarkably quick access to some real wilderness. The idea of combining these 2 lifestyle elements is a popular one, and many of Kelowna's residents make a run for the hills as soon as the working day is done.

In this guidebook we've got 7 suggested adventures, one for each day of the week. 4 of them are mountain bike rides; 2 on Knox Mountain - the closest zone to Kelowna city centre - and then 1 in both Smith Creek and Crawford, 2 of the Okanagan's premier biking destinations. The other 3 routes listed in here are hikes, and they range from the short stroll to Paul's Tomb (a wonderful viewpoint over Lake Okanagan) to the 11.5k trip around Rose Valley Provincial Park, high above West Kelowna.

In the shoulder season, when the days are long enough for an adventure but not long enough for a big mission, the hikes and rides around Knox Mountain are probably the best bets. In the height of summer, when you can still be out on the hills at 10pm, there should be plenty of time for the longer hikes and rides a bit further from town.

Once winter begins to recede and the hills clear of snow, here is your to-do list!

Routes included

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