The McDougall Rim Trail - a Falcon’s-eye View of Rose Valley and Kelowna
For the modestly fit, the McDougall Rim trail is a great hike, with terrific views down to Rose Valley Reservoir and across Lake Okanagan to Kelowna. Be prepared to spend from four to six hours exploring the 12 - 15 kilometers of trails.
This is NOT a trail for little children (or dogs who have a tendency to rush towards cliffs).
The trees and mixed vegetation are beautiful and more diverse than in the lower elevations, and there are some enchanting wetland areas. Watch for tiny desert plants – some seriously prickly - and wildflowers at your feet.
There’s plenty of shade, so you can go up to the McDougal Rim without being broiled, even on hotter days. (On the high-temperature days, though, we leave our dogs home unless it’s an early-morning hike.)
Where is it?
Funny you should ask ! It’s one of the Westside treasures that took some of us several attempts to find. If you can find Byland’s Nursery, near the corner of Highway 97 and Bartley Road, you’re part way there. It takes a little patience to find the trailhead.
From Highway 97 and Bartley Road, travel past the gravel pits toward the mountain along Bartley Road. The last intersection is Bartley at Lenz, with Lenz on the right. Passing a series of private properties and driveways, go very slowly and keep straight. A narrow valley is almost hidden there, with several charming farms, orchards, a horse paddock or two and a vineyard - all private property.
When you’ve passed these “civilized” properties and you’re headed downhill for a bit, watch for one last barbed-wire fence and an almost-obscure cattle guard buried into the road. There are now two informal turnarounds there, one on each side of the cattle guard; park here among the trees.
Make sure you have your water, snack and maybe a walking stick - the first hour of this hike is going to be VERY good exercise (uphill). It may take a few minutes to see the beginning of the trail here among the trees on the slope.
There are now twin beginnings to the trail, as two smaller ones connect to the main trail. Here’s the modest beginning to one of the Okanagan Westside’s most talked-about hikes. Once you’ve spotted it, it’s quite clear where you should go. Up!
Look for a rock-lined path. When you’ve locked up your car, head uphill and to the east, toward Kelowna, along the path, which ascends on a bias. You’ll have a ranch-type wire fence on your right as you start up. In just a few minutes, you’ll begin to see why this is a special place.
Facilities:
There aren’t any! You’ll have to go to the washroom before the hike, or be prepared to be discretely ‘natural.’ Make sure you Leave No Trace- bury or pack out any toilet paper. You’re having a backcountry experience.
Precautions:
NOT a trek to do alone. Take a first aid kit.
Watch for fast moving mountain bikes or motorcycles.
Learn about wildlife encounter strategies before you go. Good footwear is a must- there’s lots of breakaway rock. A hiking pole will help your knees on the way back down. Use sun protection. Again, there are some dangerously high cliffs - watch kids and dogs.
In winter, the trail may be green at the bottom and covered in snow at the top, so you may want to pack along your snowshoes.
Our Experience:
We did the “half–day hike” which was approximately four hours round trip.
It starts as a challenge : almost a full hour of stair-like climbing on an exposed hillside takes you up to the McDougall Rim. Once on the Rim, bear right in a northerly direction.
You can see the reservoir, Okanagan Lake, all of Kelowna, and beyond. Great diversity of trees here, pretty wetlands, and a nice easy stroll on top of the Westside world.
Travel easily now through dense forest, meadows, and wetland areas - you’ll want to have your camera loaded up. Watch for tracks of coyotes, bears, deer, and moose.
If you time yourself to travel for an hour along the Rim, and allow a good 2 hours to travel back, you’ll be able to stick to the round-trip times estimated for your highly satisfying “half-day” hike.
Disclaimer: Please remember to hike safe. Consider your level of fitness, the terrain, the weather, the wildlife, and the expertise/age of those you are hiking with. Since conditions of trails change over time, we do not guarantee the accuracy of our information. Hike at your own risk.
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