
Description
Kenna Cartwright Park is the largest municipal park in BC, encompassing almost 800 hectares of land. The park offers over 40kms of trails of varying difficulties that are used by walkers, dogs, hikers, mountain bikers, and families. The park offers many stunning views of Kamloops throughout the park as well as a number of picnic areas for families. Kenna is a great park for any time of the year, for any level of hiker, and is off-leash dog friendly.
Access Points
Hillside Drive Entrance
From downtown, take the Trans Canada Highway west towards Vancouver and take Exit #366 North along Copperhead Drive. Keep to the right and then turn left onto Hillside Drive. Follow this road for another 400m and then turn right into the Kenna Cartwright parking area.
Pacific Way Entrance
From downtown, take the Trans Canada Highway west towards Vancouver and take Exit #367 keeping to the right. Continue straight through the lights on Hillside Drive for another 1 km. You should see the parking area for Kenna Cartwright Park on your right, just after the turnoff for Rockcress Drive.
Home Depot Entrance
From downtown, take Columbia Street heading west. Turn right onto McGill Road. Continue past the Tournament Capital Centre and turn left onto Hillside Dr. Continue another 350m and turn right into the Home Depot parking lot. At the entrance to their parking lot, you should see some stalls on your left. These are reserved for people visiting Kenna Cartwright Park, park here.
Bunker Road Entrance
This entrance is probably the least well known of the entrances, but it means it is less busy than the rest!From downtown, take Columbia Street heading west. Turn right onto McGill Road. Follow McGill road past the Tournament Capital Centre, and continue all the way down McGill before turning left onto Bunker Road. Follow this road past the data centre on your right and follow the signs to the recycling area. Turn right into the recycling area. The parking area for Kenna Cartwright Park is located straight through the centre of the recycling bins.
Specific Trails
Sunset Trail
This trail is a local favourite, especially if you can catch a really fantastic sunset from the lookout at the end. This trail is also wonderful during the day with spectacular views over Kamloops Lake.
Tower Trail
This trail is fantastic for everyone! Although it’s a slow and steady climb to the top, you can always take as many breaks as needed. We’ve seen families with littles ones running all over this trail. The views of Kamloops at the top are fantastic and there’s even a picnic area for lunch!
Reservoir Trail
This trail is nice and easy and suitable for everyone! It’s wide, relatively flat, and leads to a covered picnic area, picnic table and outhouse. From this point, there are many other trails you can take to explore the park!
Doc Findlay Loop
A great loop through Kenna starting at the Pacific Way entrance to the park. It climbs nicely up to the gazebo on the Reservoir trail and then follows the ridge back down to the trailhead. It offers some fantastic views of the city!
Panorama Loop
One of our new favourite hikes! Although rated medium, we’d argue that it is easier than the Tower trail! This single track through the sagebrush leads to a magnificent viewpoint overlooking the Thompson Valley! If you haven’t checked this trail out yet – get on it!
Kenna Cartwright Trail Map
This is the official trail map for the park that highlights all the various trails within the park.
