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Driving |
| There's one thing that hasn't changed over the years - the dramatic beauty of the North Okanagan remains, studded with brilliant blue lakes and sandy beaches; Ponderosa pine forests opening to grassy meadows and gentle hills rolling into rugged mountainous terrain. Whatever your choice for a driving trip, one thing is sure. The diverse and distinctive scenery you'll see along the way will make you want to stay an extra day or come back and visit again! | |
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Glenmary & Gardom Lake Tour |
| For a breathtaking view of the Shuswap River Valley and North Okanagan, take a drive up into the hills west of Enderby, total distance, 30 km (this route can be cycled but has steep hills at the beginning for 5 km). Pack a picnic to eat at the lovely Gardom Lake
0.0 km - At the lights in Enderby (junction of Highway 97 and Cliff Street), travel North. 3.2 km - Turn left on Old Salmon Arm Road, bearing right keep traveling up the hill on Glenmary Road. 3.3 km - Glenmary Road becomes gravel at approximately 3.5 km. You travel up the road through this rural community with switchbacks. Follow the narrow, winding road up the hill. The road levels out to follow the ridge North. 4.3 km - Remain on the main road through this rural community, go past Nathan Road which is on your left and Helmcken Road which is on your right. 7.9 km - Bear right at the Saltwell Road turnoff to stay on Glenmary Road. 8.7 km - Road bears left and the road name changes to Crossman Road. 10.1 km - T - junction left turn on Gardom Lake Road. Travel approximately 3 km. 12.3 km - To view Gardom Lake turn left at Park Road. The lake is popular for bird watching, ice fishing, swimming, and canoeing. Gardom Lake Park offers excellent hiking and cross country ski trails, with interpretive signs throughout the whole area. Return to Gardom Lake Road. 12.3 km - Stay on Gardom Lake Road; you will see a sign for the Ball Park on your right, drive west to the t - junction with Mallory Road. 13.0 km - Stop sign, t - junction, turn left onto Mallory Road. 13.2 km - Schoolhouse Road, turn right, continue across the field to the fork. 14.7 km -Bear left at the fork. 14.9 km - Stop sign, turn left onto Deep Creek Road. A beautiful drive through a pastoral valley that is a very rich agricultural area. You will see dairy and beef cattle, quaint historical farmhouses; a lovely road and valley. 21.0 km - Looking to your left, usually you can see quite a large herd of buffalo here. 24.0 km - You will see the Welcome To Spallumcheen sign. 25.0 km - 3 way stop sign, Hullcar is the crossroad, you can turn left to go back to Highway 97. Deep Creek Road becomes Knobhill Road and will take you directly into the town of Armstrong. |
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Spallumcheen Tour |
| The tour is also quite suitable for use as a cycling route. This trip takes you through some of our farmland and past some of the interesting home based business that have sprung up in our area in recent years. If you become tired enroute, it is easy to find a cut - off road to take you back to Armstrong more quickly
0.0 km - Highway 97A at the Armstrong turn - off, the traffic lights (near the Esso & Petro - Can gas stations). Start traveling north on Highway 97A towards Enderby. 1.5 km - You will see the turn - off for Chickadee Ridge to your right. 3.8 km - You will pass Hidden Pasture Ranch Llama farm to your right. 4.5 km - Enderby Back Road, turn right. This is a strong agricultural area and makes a nice drive; the little coulies and ravines that spot the landscape make this region particularly interesting. 9.5 km - Stop sign, turn right and then to the left. You will pass some of the hand hewn barns that make up the heritage of the agricultural region. 10.3 km - Road bears left. 11.5 km - You will see a beautiful farm on your left with a large heritage home featuring interesting fish scale shingle detailing on the exterior. The property has several new buildings which incorporate some of the same architectural features as the barns. 13.5 km - Great views of the Enderby cliffs and the rich agricultural valley floor. The fertile valley is largely made up of glacial silt. 13.9 km - Road bears left. 15.0 km - The road turns to the right with an attractive solid brick farmhouse on your left. With a final bend to the left at approximately 16.1 km - The road changes into Fortune Road. 17.1 km - Brings you past Vernon Road which will take you into Enderby. 17.4 km - Highway 97 stop sign, turn left and prepare to turn right very quickly. 17.5 km - Canyon Road. You will be surrounded by trees and a winding ravine as you follow the long climb up from the valley floor to the upper bench. 21.2 km - Dunwoodie Road, go straight through, Welcome to the Municipality of Spallumcheen, it is also the start of the Canyon hiking trail. You will encounter people on horseback; please slow down when you pass them on the back roadside. 22.4 km - T- junction, turn left onto Lansdowne Road. Wonderful to drive through in the early morning with mists rising and clinging to the hillsides, allowing the sun to stream through. 22.7 km - Junction of Lansdowne and Hullcar Roads; turn right on Hullcar Road. Here you will see ginseng farms and lots of horses since this valley is home to many horse breeders and trainers. 23.6 km - Bear left at the Pyott Road junction, continue on Hullcar. 25.3 km - Stop sign, a three way junction with Knob Hill Road. Stay straight on Hullcar (if you want a short route back to Armstrong take Knob Hill Road to the left). Ginseng farms nurture a demanding but rewarding cash crop which requires mounded beds and filtered light provided by the unusual dark mess screens. 26.9 km - Junction of Parkinson Road, continue straight. 29.7 km - Will bring you to Hullcar cemetery on the right as you begin a descent to the valley floor, very pretty, you will pass both equestrian and ginseng farms 30.9 km - the road becomes gravel but this is a great example of our farms surrounded by the comforting treed hillside. 31.7 km - Bring you to a t - junction; turn right to stay on Hullcar Road, Matheson Road is to your left. 34.1 km - Hullcar Road meets Salmon River Road, turn left onto pavement. 35.0 km - Salmon River Bed & Breakfast is to your right. 37.2 km - The world famous Caravan Farm Theater which puts on two enthralling and unforgettable outdoor performances each year; one in the summer and one over the Christmas season. 37.9 km - T - junction, stay right to stay on Salmon River Road. Parkinson Road will be to the left and soon takes a sharp bend to the left. 38.9 km - Go straight, Crawford Road with Mostly Minis Farm is to your right. 39.4 km - Circle Square Ranch is to your left. 40.0 km - T - junction, turn right to stay on Salmon River Road; Knob Hill Road is to the left. 41.9 km - Find Mariposa Greenhouses to your right, yet another example of home based entrepreneurs. 43.1 km - The road bends a sharp left. 44.0 km - T - junction, at which you will turn right (Round Prairie Road goes left from here). 45.0 km - A final left bend blends Salmon River Road into Wood Avenue towards the picturesque City of Armstrong. Stay straight ahead on Wood Avenue. 46.5 km - The fairgrounds are to your right, home of the Interior Provincial Exhibition and Stampede which always starts the Wednesday before the Labor day long week - end in September. 47.5 km - Turn right onto Bridge Road to see the Chamber of Commerce on your left as well as the Armstrong Museum. Turn left onto Pleasant Valley into the centre of town. When you are ready, simply follow Pleasant Boulevard eastward to Highway 97A to your starting point. |
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The Camel's Hump Tour |
| 0.0 km. - Your tour starts at the Lumby Info Centre located on Hwy 6, west of the village of Lumby. From here you head east for approximately 2 km, turning left at the Lumby Golf Course and proceeding up the hill to the Lumby Lookout (at 2.5 km) for a dazzling view of the Lumby and Whitevalley areas. The village of Lumby is nestled at the junction of three valleys. The large formation to the east is the Camel's Hump, which is visible from many points along the tour. Proceed east another 0.6 km until you come to Creighton Valley Road, turn right off Hwy 6, follow the road for 4 km and turn right onto Harris Creek Road. Proceed for another 4.2 km to a managed forest selectively harvested three times, most recently in 1982. Follow the road back to Creighton Valley Road, turn right to 17.1 km, where you will come to a small family owned sawmill where they produce cedar shakes and studs. Continue to 28.2 km, the site of Barb Lake. It is a shallow lake that tends to freeze solid every winter, making it an unfavorable choice for fishermen. The lake and its surrounding stands of Larch, Pine, Birch and Western Red Cedar give the feeling that you are in a wetter subzone. At 33.2 km, you reach Echo Lake. This lake encompasses an area of 76 hectares, with an average depth of 16 m, 481 meters at its deepest point. Across the lake is a BC Parks, day-use only camp. Fishermen have been
traveling to this lake since the '40s to catch Kokanee, Rainbow and Lake trout. Continue along Creighton Valley Road to 37.5 km, where you will reach Ferry Creek. To the left of the bridge along the creek stands a pocket of 'oldgrowth' cedar approximately 300 years old that are reaching the end of their lifespan as evidenced by their bare tops. The vigorous cedars to the upper side of the road are about 50 years old. In 1988, Western Red Cedar became BC's official tree. Finishing your trek along Creighton Valley Road, at approximately 44.8 km, you will come to the junction of Hwy 6. At this junction, turn left towards Cherryville. At 61.7 km is BC Hydro's Shuswap River Canoe Launch where there is ample parking, tables and river access. Follow Hwy 6 back to Lumby where you started. |
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