SNOWMOBILING in KAMLOOPS, British Columbia
A happy group coming home on a North Thompson Trail
With nine great sledding areas to choose from,
Kamloops is a snowmobiling destination that should not be missed. If you like to ride in challenging expert areas, this is the place for you. If you like to ride with your family in gently rolling hills and great trails, this is the place for you. The
Kamloops areas have something for everyone and the good news is the areas can be reached in as little as twenty minutes or as much as an hour and a half. Take a few days to explore the
Kamloops region and you will surely want to make it a yearly excursion and bring your friends.
Snowmobile Riding Areas near Kamloops
The information below is from the Kamloops Snowmobiling Association (KSA). Before riding in these areas, it is strongly recommended that you contact the KSA for updated information on riding, forestry activities, areas closed due to avalanche risk, weather conditions, and wildlife conservation. A link to their website is located at the bottom of this page.
Lac Le Jeune
Located 20 minutes south of
Kamloops , the Lac Le Jeune area snowmobile trails run generally towards the south and east of Lac Le Jeune. The elevation is 1300m to 1680m, there are many other users in the immediate area of Lac Le Jeune that must be respected. There are cross country ski trail systems and local residents. This area is managed by agreement with the KSA (Kamloops Snowmobile Association) and MoTSA (Ministry of Tourism, Sports, and the Arts). Once you are far enough south of Lac Le Jeune conflicts are not an issue (obey signage). The ungroomed trail system runs through picturesque rolling plateau terrain on unplowed forest industry and ranching roads, through numerous meadow complexes, lakes and old forest fire burns. Sightings of moose are common in this area, ice fishing is also popular. This area is also accessed through
Edith
Lake and
Rossmore
Lake .
Greenstone
Mountain
Located 15 minutes west and south of Kamloops off the Trans Canada Highway, the
Greenstone
Mountain snowmobile trails area is unorganized. Trails are made up of unplowed forest industry, mining and ranching roads. Rising to 1793m in elevation
Greenstone
Mountain was the site of a large wild fire in 2003 when much of the north side of the mountain was burned off. This area allows access to extensive trails to the south and west including the trails of the Logan Lake Snowriders. There are many lakes, meadows, burns and cutblocks. Sightings of moose are common in this area, ice fishing is also popular.
Tranquille Lake/Porcupine Meadows Snowmobile Trail System
Porcupine
Meadows
Provincial
Park is accessible by snowmobile only from December 15th to April 15th annually. No other motorized access is allowed at any time. The area is accessed (40 minutes drive from Kamloops) from the KSA (Kamloops Snowmobile Association) Chalet at 31.5km on Sawmill Main FSR (obey all signage) and through the
Tranquille
Lake area on trails groomed by the KSA. Trails within the
Porcupine
Meadows
Park are not groomed by agreement. This area is managed under agreement with the KSA, MoTSA (Ministry of Tourism, Sports and the Arts) and BC Parks. Trails outside of the
Porcupine
Meadows
Park are comprised of unplowed forest industry roads and registered snowmobile trails. Porcupine Meadows is the highest elevation (1790m) between Kamloops and 100 Mile House on the west side of the
North Thompson River . There are two shelters maintained by the KSA, one just outside the Park on the southern edge and an historic forestry fire lookout at the highest elevation. Limited services including fuel and snacks are available at Wendego Lodge on
Tranquille
Lake during normal business hours.
Jamieson Creek
At the present time Jamieson Creek just 30 minutes north of Kamloops on the west side of the North Thompson River is an unorganized area popular with
Kamloops area snowmobilers. The area is accessed via active forest industry roads and snowmobilers gain access to trails made up of unplowed roads and recreation trails to numerous meadow complexes and lakes. The area is isolated but easy riding.
Tod
Mountain (
Sun
Peaks )
Public access to the snowmobile trail system is through the
Sun
Peaks ski area village (follow the signage to Snowmobilers Parking), 45 minutes drive from
Kamloops . This area is managed under agreement with the KSA and MoTSA in cooperation with
Sun
Peaks . Near the
Sun
Peaks village there are boundaries which must be respected, obey all signage. The trails system extends from
McGillivray
Lake (1400m) to the south to Mt Leslie (1835m) to the north. There is access to the summit of
Tod
Mountain (2133m) from the “Old Horse Trail” on the north east corner of
Tod
Mountain this trail has been improved this past early winter by logging activity. Accessing the
Tod
Mountain alpine requires at least intermediate mountain riding skills. There are boundaries marked in the southern alpine on
Tod
Mountain defining the operational area of the
Sun
Peaks ski area, these must be respected. The KSA maintains a shelter on the western flanks of
Cahility
Mountain . Trails are groomed by Sun Peaks Adventure Tours. Trails are made up of unplowed forest industry roads and recreation trails.
Harp
Mountain
The
Harp
Mountain area (summit is 2275m) is accessed through both the
North
Barriere
Lake area 1 hour from Kamloops and Vavenby off Highway 5 north of
Clearwater . This area is managed under agreement with the Clearwater Sno-Drifters Snowmobile Club who maintain an “A” frame shelter on the mountain. This is a remote alpine riding area of intermediate difficulty with some avalanche hazards. It is an easy area to move around in with a difficult and an easy way to get from place to place making it popular with families. There is an historic range cabin along one of the southern access routes. Great views in all directions await snowmobilers at the top of
Harp
Mountain .
Harper Creek
Harper Creek is accessed through the
North
Barriere
Lake area 50 minutes north of
Kamloops on the unplowed Harper Creek FSR ( Forest Service Road). The Harper Creek FSR travels up the Harper Creek valley to the base of
Granite
Mountain (1950m) and
Foghorn
Mountain (1800m) which overlooks
Clearwater . Along the way
Dunn
Peak to the west dominates the skyline with
Harp
Mountain to the east. The trail to the
Granite
Mountain area is unorganized and not well defined near the top of Harper Creek (basically deteriorates to a skidder trail). There is a private range cabin on
Granite
Mountain and the Clearwater Sno-Drifters Snowmobile Club maintains a shelter in the
Foghorn
Mountain meadows. There is a trail off the north side of Foghorn which leads to
Clearwater . The degree of difficulty is intermediate the area is remote.
Adams Plateau
Adams Plateau is an unorganized area north of the
Adams
River between
Adams
Lake and Scotch Creek, 45 minutes drive from
Kamloops . The highest elevation is
Pisima
Mountain (1893m), trails are unplowed forest industry roads and skidder trails. There are natural meadow complexes and lakes. There is a shelter in the large meadows at the head of Nikwikwaia Creek; also there is a mining cabin open for public use at the edge of the meadows in the
Nikwikwaia
Lake area. This area is remote and requires at least intermediate riding ability, the trail in is usually rough, but worth the ride.
Crowfoot
Mountain and
Grizzly
Mountain
The
Crowfoot
Mountain ,
Grizzly
Mountain area are the home of the Crowfoot Mountain Snowmobile Club.
Crowfoot
Mountain (2450m) rises out of the
Shuswap
Lake valley the area includes Mt Moberly (2067m) and
Grizzly
Mountain real name Mt Fowler (2030m). The staging area with parking is accessed via Garland Road in Celista. This is a user pay area. The Crowfoot Mountain Snowmobile Club grooms the access trail to the area and they maintain three shelters in the area. This area has a large variety of terrain from the large old burn on
Crowfoot
Mountain to the steeper slopes on the north side of Mt Moberly and
Grizzly
Mountain . To access
Grizzly
Mountain horsepower and expertise in mountain riding are required. When approaching the old fire lookout on Mt Moberly caution must be observed as there is a cliff beside the trail at the lookout.
Information
· Visitor Centre - 1-800-662-1994
Kamloops Snowmobile Equipment, Parts, Service, and Clothing
· Kamloops Yamaha - 250-828-2750
· Shultz Motor Sports - 250-828-2200
· Leading Edge Motorsports - 250-372-8534
· RTR Performance - 250-374-3141
· Variable Rentals - 250-573-6073
· Alternate Cycle - 250-372-1096
· Domenic's Snow & Marine - 250-372-8699
· Coast Mountain Sport - 250-314-1602
· Sport Chek - 250-314-1602
· Valhalla Pure - 250-377-0157
|
|
 For detailed information on the Kamloops Snowmobile Association and Snowmobiling opportunities in the Kamloops area, visit our website!
"Your friendly Snowmobile destination"
|
