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Divide Lake - Wildhorse Canyon

Divide Lake - Wildhorse Canyon near Kelowna, BC

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This trail was given a rating of 5 out of 5 stars

35 kms
9hours
difficult
Hiking, Mountain Biking
Spring, Summer
Kelowna, BC

mhook

LARGER MAP

This is an excellent trail through the magnificent wilderness area of Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. It's Mostly steep trail through Okanagan Mountain Park that leads to a small mountain lake.

The Trail begins at the entrance gate of Rimrock Road, and makes a steady uphill grade for about 3 hours of hiking before you reach beautiful Divide Lake. This lake is truly a gem set on top of Okanagan Mountain, and the water is so fresh that it is excellent to drink. The next part of the hike takes you down the Divide Lake South Trail for about 2 hours, and then onto Wild Horse Canyon South Trail, heading south to the south parking lot. All of it is spectacular, and the trail is very well marked, mostly with small orange trail markers on the trees.

Directions:

From Kelowna: Off of Hwy 97 after the floating bridge, turn onto Pandosy Street, and continue all the way along (it turns into Lakeshore Drive). Keep right when you get to Chute Lake Road turn off, and keep going for about 12 km until you get to Rimrock Road. Proceed up Rimrock road until you get to the access gate at the top.

From Penticton: follow Naramata Road 17km to Chute Lake Road which forks right. A further 5km, turn left on to Gemmill Lake Road for 1km to the south parking lot. The Last 1km Is Quite Rough. Reccomend Last Bit Drive Very Slow and/or Use A Truck/SUV.

By Posted By: Hiker Mike - Tue Aug 12 14:22:52 EDT 2008 Not Rated Question Current status of this trail?We're toying with the idea of hiking through the Wildhorse Canyon trail to Commando Bay area, then up to Divide Lake from that side (trail name escapes me) and back to the parking lot via the Divide Lake trail to Rimrock Road area. We'd like to do this around mid September.

Is the trail in decent shape for the whole stretch? Or is there a lot of thick parts due to the brush coming in after the fire and low maintenance? I've only done the shorter trail from the north parking lot since the fire and that was pretty thick with vegetation over the trail at that time, almost bush whacking at times. That was 2-3 years ago though.

Is there decent water access besides Okanagan Lake water for this loop, incidentally? Any word on bear caches at the campsites at Divide or Commando?

Thanks so much for any information, sounds like it could be great!
Mike - Mikesphotos.ca

By Posted By: motherferret - Wed May 21 20:54:12 EDT 2008 Not Rated Question divide lakei was wondering if you are allowed to used a motorized off road vehicle (dirt bike quad etc.) on the road to divide lake?

By Posted By: mdornian - Wed Jul 17 13:00:42 EDT 2002 Not Rated Comment The Mountain Goat Trail to Divide Lake is not suitable for mountain bikes.

By Posted By: mdornian - Wed Jul 17 12:59:09 EDT 2002 Not Rated Upside The trip down from Divide Lake has great views. Downside The trip from Rimrock Road to Divide Lake is on an access road used to get to the communication towers on the top of Okanagan Mtn. The road is 10 km long, is steep and extremely boring. There are absolutely no views and it is completely in the bush. Comment I would not recommend the trail from Rimrock road for hiking unless you really want to get to Divide Lake. It better for biking. If you really want to get to Divide Lake, and the other lakes on the west side of the summit of Okanagan Mtn, I would recommend the Mountain Goat Trail starting from the Penticton side of Okanagan Mountain Provincial Park. Although it is also steep, it is much more interesting, with better views, and it is shorter.