Trail Name: John's Jump Lookout
Trail length: Over 5 kilometres
Trail Difficulty: Moderate
Directions:
From Kelowna, follow Highway 97 to Vernon. Turn right at the first set of lights, at College Way. Next, turn right at the bottom of the hill onto Kalamalka Road. Follow the signs for Kalamalka Provincial Park, Twin Bays. Turn right on Kinston Road and follow for 3.3 km and turn left into the parking lot.
There is the Red Gate parking lot on the left just before the turnoff for Twin Bays parking lot.
Description:
As in one of my previous articles on the Turtles Head Point trail, Kalamalka Provincial Park offers some great trails with endless views! The views along the trail and from the John's Jump Lookout are amazingly alluring!
From the Twin Bays parking lot, we went to check out the information board before setting out on our adventure. Here, we found an overview of the park with a great little trail map brochure to help us along the trails. As we started along the nice wide Grassland Trail, we walked through a meadow with pretty yellow wild flowers. As we continued on to the lookout Trail, the path got narrower with a few steep sections to bring us up to the top. With every step, the views got more outstanding overlooking Kalamalka Lake! Once arriving at the lookout, we had a nice little break enjoying the sunshine and the views. From here, you may return the way you came or continue on the trail to the Parabola or the Wall trail.
The trail map ended up being really helpful as there are a couple different trails that can take you to the lookout and back to the parking lot. You can also download your own pdf file of the trail map.
Be very cautious of rattlesnakes! Although I have not seen one, they are definitely around! If you do encounter a rattlesnake, make sure to walk cautiously around them without disturbing them.
Always remember to be aware of your surroundings, pack out what you pack in, stick to the trails and happy exploring!
Things to bring:
- Good footwear
- Water/Snack
- Sunscreen
- Bear spray (always a good thing to carry)
- Camera /Phone
Born and raised in the Okanagan, Kristy Draginda has always had a strong passion for the outdoors. Whether it be hiking to the top of a mountain or standing below a waterfall, she says there is no better feeling than being inspired by nature. Follow along as Kristy shares different hiking locations in and around the Okanagan. For more adventure photos, check out Hiking the Okanagan on Instagram or Facebook.
