Peterson Creek Trails

Name

Peterson Creek Trails

Location

Peterson Creek Park within the City of Kamloops

Road Access

City streets

Driving Directions and Trailheads:

There are several access points into the trail system.   The main trailhead is at the lower end of the creek at the end of Glenfair Road.

  • There are also 6 upper trailheads in Sahali using Summit Drive as the main corridor.   The trailheads are shown on the map –  Peterson Creek Map (pdf)

Trails:

  • The lower entrance continues up the creek valley to Bridal Veil Falls, though the last section is in a narrow gorge with a danger of falling rocks from above.
  • From the end of the lower route, trails go up both sides of the gorge with a vertical climb of about 126 m (400 feet).   Both sides go up to a benchland above the gorge.   As we hike south, the trails continue to climb.
  • One of the better trailheads to minimize the steep climb, with good views and good trails is found at the corner of Summit Drive and Whiteshield Crescent.   Trail signs can be found at this parking lot.

More information:

Parking

The main trailheads have good parking areas.

Meet-up Spot

At the trailhead is probably easiest

Optimal Group Size

For single track trails, keep the groups smaller (6 to 15)

Season

3 seasons.

Seasonal Notes

Trails can be icy in late winter.

Length

3 to 10km, depending on the route chosen.

Difficulty

Moderate to More Difficult, depending on the route chosen.

Climb

Most routes are hilly, but it is possible to do more moderate shorter hikes too.

Duration

1 to 2 hours, depending on the route chosen.

Fitness Requirements

Average fitness for most routes.
There are some steeper routes that are more demanding though.

Dogs

Ok for dogs, but limit numbers on the single tracks.

Trail Info

Generally the trails are sandy single tracks overlooking the canyon.   There are some drop-offs here and there that require caution.

General Notes

Peterson Creek has cut a deep gorge through the hills south of Kamloops.   Trails follow the benchlands and sidehills of the creek gully from the City into the hills.   The park area is 94 ha and has 30km of hiking trails.   Trails going north-south are more gradual.   All east-west trails have to descend into the gully and back out again making them steep choices.   The trails are along interesting routes and are fun to explore. 

References/Resources