Our Trail

When local governments, with financial support from the Province of British Columbia, stepped forward to purchase the discontinued CN rail corridor, they provided us with an unparalleled opportunity to create a legacy for our communities.

A Pathway of Connections

Connecting Communities

Building this trail will provide much more than a pathway. It will create connections in our community that will benefit our communities today, and into our future.

Connecting with Culture and Recreation

Within 500 of metres of the trail there are 22 parks and 21 recreational and cultural points of interest allowing local and visiting walkers and bikers to experience our great amenities.

Connecting Families

The near level trail surface will support use and enjoyment by all ages and abilities and will enable intergenerational activities. Children, parents and grandparents can all enjoy the safety of walking and biking together away from congested roads and traffic.

Connecting with Nature

Every trip along the rail trail will offer a opportunity to learn about and enjoy the rich natural ecosystems of the lakes and creeks along the trail. Over 24 km of the trail will follow lake shore, creeks and truly unique natural environments.

Connecting with Health and Wellness

The Rail Trail will provide an attractive, easy way to get out to walk, bike or run allowing residents to incorporate exercise into their daily routines supporting a healthy, active lifestyle. It is estimated that the trail will receive 148,000 walking trips and 309,095 cycling trips per year (1). It will also provide us an alternative multimodal transport system enabling us to reduce automobile dependency and reduced vehicle emissions improving the liveability of our valley.

Connecting with our Economy

The Rail Trail will become a signature amenity that will help define this tourism destination. This truly iconic rail trail will attract additional active international travellers, especially in shoulder seasons. Economists project that an additional 107,400 visitors will be attracted to the Okanagan each year specifically to use the trail. This represents an additional $6.7 to $8.7 million to the local economy, and about 66 new jobs in related businesses. (1)

Connecting with the Syilx Cultural Heritage

The Rail Trail offers the opportunity to learn about the Syilx (Okanagan) people and their traditional territory.

Connecting with our Future

Future generations will be grateful that we acted today to protect this corridor and provide a trail that connected us in so many ways.

Trail Facts

  • $22 million – purchase price of discontinued rail corridor.
  • $50 million – asking price.
  • $7.8 million -  cost to construct the first phase of the trail.
  • 48.5 km – length of trail when completed (17.8 km in Kelowna, 2.3 km in Okanagan Indian Band, 16.3 km in Lake Country, 12.1 km in Regional District of North Okanagan).
  • 24 kms - total distance of lakefront, creeks and truly unique natural habitats along the trail.
  • 1.3 % - maximum grade of the trail.
  • 212,000 – combined estimated population of communities along the trail.
  • 588,000 – estimated # of annual uses by year 5.
  • 43 – number of cultural and recreational points of interest within 500 metres of the trail.
  • 1 – number of international airports along the trail. 

1. Information taken from 'Okanagan Rail Trail Impact Assessment Report', this report is available at https://okanaganrailtrail.ca/g...