Rambling through the Hills Above Kamloops Lake

Rambling through the Hills Above Kamloops Lake

Doug Smith  May 11, 2020 at 10:51 am

The rocky hills surrounding Kamloops Lake offer opportunities for exploratory hiking, but access is often a challenge.   Abbey Road is a short sideroad off the Trans Canada highway and it goes into the hills as an access road for a gasline and hydro lines.   there was a gate there in past years and now the gate is gone and high-clearance backroads connect to the Saltwort Pond area and beyond to Cherry Bluffs.   Much of the land is up for sale  so access may be more limited in the future.   For now, we can park at the start areas (past the homes) and walk along double tracks without crossing fences, enjoying views of open forest and grasslands.   The routes mostly go northwest and at some point drop down onto a bench above Kamloops Lake.   On this recent April day before cattle were out grazing on the hillsides, we hiked out to enjoy the spring weather in the hills above Kamloops Lake.

At a viewpoint 3.5 km  out, we could see Saltwort Pond below and Kamloops Lake beyond.

To the northeast, we had a clear view of Tod Mountain, still mantled in snow.

We looped back through the open forest, winding on double tracks and some off-track ridge hiking, respecting fences, leaving nothing but temporary footprints along our path.   Old pine snags with spiral grain wood dotted a glade o the hillside.

We spotted woodpeckers, deer, robins, and meadowlarks.   The first wildflowers were just emerging on the north-facing slopes.   The Abbey Road Hills provide a fine hiking area for explorers-at-heart.

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Doug Smith

Doug writes for Kamloops Trails, a not-for-profit (and ad free) website, offering information on trails, waterways, routes, featured spots, viewpoints, and explorations in the outdoors in the Kamloops area (and beyond).

Doug started exploring this area in 1976 and continues to follow tracks and routes wherever they lead, with the aid of map, compass, GPSr and camera. After many dead-ends, but also many discoveries, he chose to share this information.

The Kamloops Trails website has a massive number of interesting posts and would be of interest to anyone in Kamloops who enjoys the outdoors. Visit the Kamloops Trails website at: http://www.kamloopstrails.ca/

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