The Kettle Valley Railway, which was completed in 1914 to link coastal communities to the burgeoning mining camps in Kettle River valley, became one of the Okanagan Valley's top draws after it was converted into rails-to-trails pathways for hikers and mountain bikers. Unfortunately, the massive forest fires of 2003 burned a number of the historic wooden trestles that bridged the route through steep Myra Canyon, closing it at least for now for most hiking and biking access (there are lengthy detours around the burned trestles, though they aren't for novice bikers). Public and private funding initiatives are in place to rebuild all destroyed spans and reopen the entire route.
One section of the Kettle Valley Railway, however, remains intact, and is in use by original steam trains. The Kettle Valley Railway Society, 18404 Bathville Rd., Summerland (tel. 877/494-8424 in B.C., or 250/494-8422; www.kettlevalleyrail.org), offers a 2-hour journey on a 16km (10 mile) section of the original track west of Summerland, 16km (10 miles) north of Penticton. From June 28 to Labour Day, the train runs Thursday through Monday at 10:30am and 1:30pm, departing from the Prairie Valley Station off Bathville Road; from late May to June and from Labour Day to mid-October, the train runs at the same times Saturday through Monday only. Fares are C$19 (US$17) for adults, C$18 (US$16) for seniors, C$15 (US$13) for youths, C$11 (US$9.50) for children 3 to 12.
