Just a few hours drive from downtown Vancouver lays a pristine valley. The Town of Princeton is its gateway. It is a leisurely kind of place, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. There isn’t a traffic light or parking metre within one hundred kilometres. Time slows down; watches are forgotten. There are lots of open places, trails, water ways . . . to take you away.

Nature is pretty much unchanged here. Nearly every type of outdoor recreation can be enjoyed . . . away . . . where the only sounds are the gurgle of streams, the wind in the trees or the cry of an eagle.

Click here for a downloadable map of Princeton.

Ride the Kettle Valley Rail Trail

The Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail, part of the TransCanada trail system, follows the Tulameen River through a colourful rock canyon, then across high range and forest. Princeton sits at the mid-point of the trail and it is downhill to Princeton both ways. The Vermilion Trails Society maintains over 100 kilometres of urban and rural trail system on the KVR including the 5 kilometre paved and lit section that goes right through Princeton. Don't forget to stop on the "Bridge of Dreams" along the urban section. Completed in 2010, this award winning pedestrian bridge is the site of the last bridge that was constructed to complete the Kettle Valley Railway. To learn more about the "Bridge of Dreams" and other great parks in Princeton visit our parks section of the website or click here.

Hikers enjoy a variety of terrains: old-growth forest, open pine forest, range land and alpine meadows. Trails lead to lookouts, waterfalls, lakes and alpine meadows. The China Ridge Recreation Area is a year-round playground minutes from downton Princeton offering groomed cross-country ski trails in the winter and hiking and mountain biking trails in the spring, summer and fall.

Camping

There are many public and private campsites and RV parks. The Town of Princeton operates the Princeton Municipal RV Park and Campsite; a 73 RV and tent site park on the banks of the Similkameen River. Other area camping includes: Princeton Golf Club & RV Park, Manning Park Resort, Princeton Castle Resort and Apex Mountain Resort offer year-round hospitality and recreation.

Fishing

Floating

Water, water everywhere. Two rivers run through it. There are more lakes than you can count, most of them full of trout and free of people. Kayakers, canoeist, tubers find the right challenge on the Similkameen River.

Skiing

China Ridge cross-country ski trails offer vistas as wide as the great, blue sky. Then away you go into the silent, snowy old growth forest. Princeton snow is dry and light like Interior BC snow. That is because we are on the east side of the Coast Mountains.

 

 

For information on these and other great outdoor ventures, contact the Princeton Visitor Information Centre at 250-295-3103 or visit the centre located at 105 Highway 3 East, Princeton, BC