From gold rush to bicycle bliss in the Myra Canyon
They say if you want to reward your soul, you should head out to Myra Canyon
Gold attracted early settlers to the Kelowna region long before its wineries and fruit orchards emerged. The Okanagan gold rushes were minor compared to the Yukon Gold Rush. Still, along with other minerals, they prompted the Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR) to become involved at the turn of the 20th century to help connect the main CPR line with the Kootenay region. This line includes the world-famous Myra Canyon, home to the Kettle Valley Railway (KVR) Trail, which is designated as a National Historic Site of Canada.
During the railway construction, the canyon proved to be a challenging obstacle for KVR Chief Engineer Andrew McCulloch. The mountainous landscape and the deep irrigation chasms that would give rise to the fruit industry meant that McCulloch needed to navigate the terrain with a solution worth its weight in gold—a section of the railway that included eighteen towering wooden trestles and two tunnels.
They completed the Myra Canyon section in 1914, and passenger and freight trains began operating shortly thereafter. The railway has a rich and complex history, serving as a vital route for the increasing shipment of Okanagan fruit to Great Britain during World War II. It accommodated passenger and freight trains until the 1980s, when it fell silent and was replaced by other transportation methods.
You can hike this stunning, restored section of the Kettle Valley Railway, which runs along steep-walled canyons and stretches for 24 kilometres of flat trails, thanks to McCulloch’s brilliance. Today, a family from the Netherlands shares the canyon’s story on two wheels. The breathtaking views are so spectacular that Ben Voss came from the Netherlands with his family and decided to settle here. When they noticed the lack of bicycles on the trail, their McCulloch moment—a flash of brilliance—inspired them to start Myra Canyon Bicycle Rental and Tours in 2009. This family business aims to allow everyone to enjoy this historical and impressive engineering feat and witness the remarkable structures that cannot be found anywhere else.
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