Back in the early 1950s, Cunard cruise lines launched one of its most memorable advertising campaigns, with its slogan “Getting there is half the fun!” So successful was that line that it was adopted into the travel vernacular, and people still use the expression today whenever the means of getting to a place is as much fun as the destination. Nowhere is this concept more true than in Penticton, British Columbia, where Henk and I embraced the city’s own “Fuel Free…almost” tourism campaign by renting e-bikes and cycling 34km on a piece of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. While our destination, the Little Tunnel lookout, may have given us one of the most spectacular views in the area, the actual ride itself along the KVR Trail was definitely more than half the fun.

About the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

The piece of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail that runs through Penticton is part of a 660-km decommissioned rail line that stretches from Hope to Castlegar in British Columbia. The initial construction of the railway happened between 1910-1916, but extensions of the line from Penticton to Okanagan Falls and farther on to Osoyoos were added in 1930. Trains used these lines for passenger travel and freight until 1989, when the last train rode the rails here.

Fortunately, the demise of the train service didn’t mean the end of the Kettle Valley Rail route altogether. What was once the railway track bed has been repurposed in recent years as a popular recreational trail for walkers, runners, sightseers and cyclists. The KVR Trail actually forms part of the Trans Canada Trail system and thanks to the growing popularity and availability of e-bikes, it’s easier than ever for anyone to cycle it.

Proximity to Penticton a Plus

One of the best things about the Kettle Valley Rail Trail is how close it is to the town of Penticton itself. It’s also one of the reasons why it’s easy to go ‘fuel-free’, because there’s no need to drive by car to the trail access points if you are staying in the city. Henk and I were staying at the Penticton Lakeside Resort right on the waterfront, and it was only a short walk to Pedego Electric Bikes downtown where we picked up our rental e-bikes, and then a short bike ride to Vancouver Avenue where we picked up the Trail.

TIP: Make the most of your KBV Trail ride by packing along a picnic lunch! We picked up delicious sandwiches and baked treats at The Bench Market right on Vancouver Ave, and stowed them for later in the saddle bags that came on our e-bikes.

An Easy E-Bike Ride to Stunning Views

After taking advantage of our e-bike’s motor assist to climb the hill on Vancouver Avenue (the steepest part of our entire day), the trail took us by our first overlook where we were rewarded with a beautiful view of the city of Penticton to the south and Lake Okanagan stretching out in front of it.

This overlook was also the site of The Wreck of Little Joe Raymond, where in late November of 1949, a passenger train en route to Penticton encountered a stretch of the rail bed that had been compromised by heavy runoff from recent rains. According to the train engineer, Joe Raymond, the engine just “toppled over” and slid down the bank, taking a mail coach with it down the embankment.

Luckily no passenger cars derailed and no one was injured, but the locomotive was severely damaged and the cow catcher from the engine actually ended up in Lake Okanagan. Years later it was recovered from the bottom, and in 2000 it was placed along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail to commemorate the event.

Into the Heart of Wine Country

Leaving the cowcatcher behind we continued cycling and before long we found ourselves on the picturesque Naramata Bench, where apple orchards and vineyards stretched out beside and below us, almost down to the water’s edge.

We were now in the heart of the Okanagan wine region with the lake stretching below us and row after row of grapes lining the hills beside it. It was late summer so the grapes were literally dripping off the vines, and the terraced landscape and sun-drenched slopes were reminiscent of European wine regions we had seen along the Danube and into the Douro valley in Portugal.

There was definitely a European feel to the day and even the McCulloch Trestle bridge (named after the chief engineer of the Kettle Valley Railway) had its own collection of love locks, a lovers’ ritual made popular in cities like Paris and London.

The Scent of Pine and Panoramic Views

As we continued to effortlessly climb in elevation, the landscape began to change: fragrant sage bushes alongside the trail were replaced with Ponderosa Pine trees and before long we found ourselves cycling under a shady green canopy. With the scent of Christmas all around us, our last leg of the 16km ride to the Little Tunnel lookout lay just in front of us and it was the most spectacular yet. We had climbed to more than 700 metres in altitude at this point, and the drop on the lake side of the trail was noticeably steep. But this height gave us an amazing vantage point with panoramic views from Penticton in the south to Peachland in the North.

Even the so-called “Little Tunnel” was impressive: at 80 feet long, and carved through solid rock, this took more than a ‘little’ effort to build, especially given that it was done by blasting through the rock and clearing the rubble by hand with picks and shovels.

FUN FACT: During the construction of the railway here, the immigrant workers (many from Italy and central Europe) constructed rock ovens near the worksites so they could bake bread in them. You can still see some of these at Naramata’s Rock Ovens Regional Park.

While it had taken us considerably less effort to get to and through Little Tunnel than it had the railway crews who built it, we thought it was the perfect place to enjoy our own picnic lunch (even if we didn’t bake our own bread along the trail.)

Penticton Wineries and Craft Breweries Along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

It was now time to turn around and enjoy the downhill-all-the-way return trip to Penticton –but not without taking advantage of another feature of the Kettle Valley Rail Trail: the trailside wineries and craft breweries we had seen along the way.

Our favourite stop was at the Abandoned Rail Brewing Company, literally steps from the Trail at what had once been an orchard with a retail store famous for its apple slushies. Today, the property is a new family-run brewery that has seen amazing success since owners Scott and Nicole Breier started it in 2018: a month after opening, one of their craft beers won gold, and today their brews are currently sold in 100 outlets. Not bad, considering neither Scott nor Nicole were farmers, and had to learn everything from scratch, including how to grow their own barley.

FUN FACT: The flights of beer at Abandoned Rail are served on boards that were hand-crafted by Scott from some of the trees that were cut down on the property. And keeping with the tradition (and to avoid an outright revolt from the locals!), the Breiers still serve apple slushies here, too.

Wine, Please

Having viewed grapes everywhere along the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, sampling some local wine seemed to be in order as well, and there were a couple of wineries right near the trail where we could go for a tasting.

Just a little off-trail on Lochore Road is the boutique D’Angelo Winery where the tastings may be informal but wine making is serious business. We sampled some of their estate reds (their specialty) and picked up a bottle of Tempranillo for the road. (Thank goodness for those saddle bags!)

TIP: There are no reservations required for a tasting at D’Angelo Winery, which works out well if you are not sure exactly when you might be cycling by.

There is also another winery literally steps off the Kettle Valley Rail Trail, appropriately named Hillside Winery, but this winery does require reservations for their tastings, so if you would like to visit you’ll need to plan ahead.

Best Thing About the Kettle Valley Rail Trail?

Whether you love the spectacular scenery, the proximity to the town of Penticton, or the opportunity to enjoy a trailside libation, the Kettle Valley Rail Trail in Penticton offers something for everyone. We saw hikers, strollers, runners, cyclists, e-bikers and even a horseback rider enjoying the trail. Some were out for an hour and others like us, were making a half-day of it.

But the best thing about the KVR Trail is that it’s an eco-friendly, fuel-free way to experience the beauty of Penticton and the Okanagan valley. And with e-bikes literally removing any ‘uphill battles’, absolutely everyone can do it, without having to be a road warrior.

That’s what I call making getting there ALL of the fun!

Special thanks to Visit Penticton for hosting Henk and I on our visit to the city and giving us the opportunity to e-bike the Kettle Valley Rail Trail.