Trail: Mount Nkwala
Located just before Penticton, head south along Hwy 97 and turn right onto Sage Mesa Drive. Follow along until you reach a stop sign and turn left to stay on Sage Mesa Drive. Turn right into a gravel parking area across from Wow Golf Course and park there. It is also an entrance to the Kettle Valley Rail Trail. (There are many different entrance points along the KVR with different parking areas, such as Summerland at the KVR Trestle, Forsyth Drive and up Bartlett Drive just past the Peters Brothers Gravel Pit in Penticton.)
There's something about the views that keep me going back for more! This week we set out to tackle Mount Nakwala aka 'Gerry Mountain.' In 1949, Dennis McDonald mapped this area out for the BC Forest Service for a fire lookout that operated until 1969. Dennis named the lookout after his wife Geraldine, calling it Gerry's Lookout.
From the parking lot, we headed right along the KVR. Once you reach One Hills Drive, follow it until you see a narrow trail veering to the left. We took this trail which lead us to an abandoned dirt road. Now, following the dirt road, we worked our way behind the Pine Hills Golf course. We soon found a great view point along the right that had a picnic table. On the left, there is an orange ribbon marking the single track trail which we took to start the long hike up to the top of Mount Nkwala.
As we continued following the trail that is marked with the orange ribbon, we soon started heading north, working our way up. The trees started to become sparse and the views opened up! Once we reached the top of this ridge, we found the first radio tower. Overlooking Penticton, Skaha Lake and the Okanagan Lake, the view is very rewarding!
After a little break, we continued on the single-track trail to reach the top. From here, the next 2kms becomes a little more difficult, with a few steep sections, but the view from the top is worth the uphill battle! With a 360° view of Penticton, almost all of Skaha Lake, Okanagan Lake, towards Summerland, Giants Head Mountain and many more mountain ranges! Sitting at 1,019 m high, no wonder this area was once used as a fire lookout station!
Dogs on leash welcome
Good footwear
Hiking Poles, if needed
Bear spray is always a good thing to carry
Layers, as weather can change quickly
Water/ Snack
Phone/ Camera
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.
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