Naramata lies nestled in the heart of the Okanagan wine country. The spectacular views of the valley feature orchards
and vineyards surrounding beautiful Okanagan Lake. This area has been a vacation destination for families and wine tourists
for over a century. What is less well known is that the Naramata area offers a great trail network and some of the best
hiking and biking trails anywhere.
The setting is a valley wall that takes hikers from low level semi desert grass and schrublands all the way to subalpine
forest near the summits of Mounts Atkinson and Randolf, which stand 1430 m (4690 feet) above the lake. Cool creeks run down
shady ravines, offering respite for hikers and unique oasis for plants and wildlife.
This site describes many of the great trails that can be accessed from the Naramata area. There are detailed directions
to the trailheads as well as trail descriptions to help you pick the right trail. Usefull and printable maps help keep
you on track and the "What to look for" sections point out some of the attractions such as birds, wildflowers and the plant
and animal comunities.
These trails are rated as to difficulty level, length and time required. Good footwear such as light hikers is required
and a walking stick helps on steep or loose sections. When hiking in semi desert terrain a small pack with water and some extra
gear will help.
Every hiker should carry some essentials such as;
a rain poncho or shell, water, first aid kit (with moleskin), knife, matches, headlamp, compass or gps, bug repellant,
sunscreen, whistle and map (print your own off this website or buy the Topo map for this area (82E12). Most of the area has
good cell phone coverage and a call to 911 will get help.
Of course binoculars and camera come in really handy too.
