Trip 028 - August 10, 2010 (Tuesday)

Othello Tunnels Visit

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park Near Hope BC

Distance From Vancouver: 150 km via Highway 1 East to Hope, then 8 km through Hope.

Liked: Coquihalla River views. The tunnels are not bad either.

Of note: Crowded even on a weekday. Parking lot is a high theft area. Parking could be an issue on a weekend. The tunnels could be closed in off-season.

Vancouver, Coast & Mountains Backroad Mapbook (2010 edition) Coordinates: Page 15 (Hope) G6.

Other Trips in Hope BC Area: Thacker Mountain Trail, Flat Iron Peak Trail, Needle Peak Trail, Sowerby Creek FSR Hike, Dog Mountain Trail, Jones Lake FSR Trip to Jones Lake, Yak Peak Trail, HBC Heritage Trail, Sowaqua Creek FSR, Zoa Peak Trail, Skagit River Trail, Skyline II Trail Hike, Silver Skagit Road, Mount Outram Trail, Eaton Lake Trail, Mount Hope Lookout Trail, Town of Hope BC.

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Othello Tunnels used to house a rail track many years ago, but now is a part of Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park. There are a total of four tunnels, and one can see them all and return to the parking lot in an hour, if done at a brisk pace. There were around a hundred people in and around the tunnels on this Tuesday. The crowds would most likely be bigger on weekends, especially in the Summer. Finding the tunnels could be a bit tricky, so check out the photos below to see how to get there.

1. We are on Highway 1 East, approaching Exit 170 to Hope.

Highway 1 East Near Hope British Columbia Canada

2. Turn left at the first traffic light after exiting the highway, and then you will see these signs straight ahead. Turn right at the next intersection to go towards Highways 3 East and 5 North (towards Merritt and Princeton).

Town of Hope British Columbia Canada

3. After turning right, drive through Hope for several minutes, and get ready to turn left onto 7th Avenue.

Hope BC

4. Upon reaching 7th Avenue (the signs to the Hospital and UFV on the photo below are pointing that way), turn left.

Hope British Columbia Canada

5. After turning left onto 7th Avenue, drive straight and get ready to turn right onto Kawkawa Lake Road.

7th Avenue at Kawkawa Lake Road in Hope British Columbia Canada

6. Drive straight on Kawkawa Lake Road, cross the bridge seen in this photo, and get ready to turn right immediately after the bridge. A sign after the bridge says: "Coquihalla Canyon 6.3 km."

Bridge on Kawkawa Lake Road Hope BC Canada

7. Upon crossing the bridge and turning right, drive until reaching the sign below and turn right again.

Hope British Columbia Canada

8. Soon, on your left side, you will see Spectra Energy Compressor Station No. 8B, located in a very picturesque setting.

Spectra Energy Compressor Station in Hope BC Canada

9. Shortly after that, get ready to turn right one more time, upon reaching a BC Parks sign (seen straight ahead) stating "Coquihalla Canyon 1 KM ->". Note that turning left at this intersection would eventually lead you to Highway 5 (Coquihalla Highway). Thus, exiting from Highway 5 is an alternate way of reaching Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park and Othello Tunnels.

Hope BC Canada

10. Right after turning right you would see the following.

Tunnels Road Sign Hope British Columbia Canada

11. Drive straight and reach the park entrance in about a minute.

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park Entrance Near Hope British Columbia Canada

12. The parking lot can accommodate about fifty vehicles, as well as approximately ten buses. Parking along the Tunnels Road is limited. Additional free parking is possible in the area where photo #9 was taken. Just be careful, as your vehicle may get stuck on a soft shoulder, if the ground is wet. The yellow Warning Note you see in the photo below advises that this is a high theft area. Camping is prohibited.

Coquihalla Provincial Park Parking Lot Photo

13. Now it's time to start heading towards the tunnels.

Tunnels Trail Entrance Coquihalla Provincial Park Near Hope British Columbia Canada

14. Before reaching the tunnels, enjoy this fine Coquihalla River view.

Coquihalla River

15. Now we are ready to enter the tunnels. There are four of them, about 75-100 meters long each, and they are quite dark and somewhat creepy. The note at the first tunnel requests the cyclists to dismount, and it makes sense - the surface is uneven. Between the tunnels, there are bridges with good views of Coquihalla River. There are also a few information boards before the tunnels, which talk about the history of the tunnels, how and why they were built, and why these tunnels were named after Shakespeare's Othello.