Blue River: Trails and Winter Ski Trails

Blue River is easy to explore through specific outdoor activities. The Blue River Trail Network includes hiking and cycling trails; in winter, groomed cross-country ski trails are also available. If you’re looking for a vacation rental, you can start by considering what you want your stay to focus on: hiking or cycling, or cross-country skiing in winter. Parking locations in town and options in the surrounding area offer additional guidance.

Trails and a bridge over the Blue River

A provincial announcement from 2023 lists 27.5 kilometres of hiking and cycling trails in the Blue River Trail Network. For winter, the same announcement lists 11.8 kilometres of groomed cross-country ski trails. These figures illustrate the different uses: hiking and cycling trails alongside ski trails specifically designated for winter.

The Blue River Pedestrian Suspension Bridge was completed in December 2022. On August 17, 2023, the province reported that the bridge was open, connected the Trail Network on both sides of the Blue River, and provided a route to year-round recreation. This timeline is relevant to the description of this crossing and its role in the trail network.

Lake, park, and options in the surrounding area

A new dock was installed at Eleanor Lake in Blue River Community Park to provide safer access to the lake. The TNRD 2023 annual report noted this improvement. As infrastructure details can change, check the conditions before your visit. The toboggan hill at Herb Bilton Way Park was cleared in October 2023. If you’d like to include it, check its current condition and public access in advance.

Murtle Lake is in the area surrounding Blue River; only canoes and kayaks are permitted there. Check the current regulations in the BC Parks information. The Blue River Safari departure point is north of Blue River on Yellowhead Highway 5. Confirm departure arrangements directly with the operator before your trip.

Choose the focus of your accommodation search

A simple comparison can help when looking for a vacation rental: do you want your stay to focus mainly on the trails and ski trails in Blue River, or would you also like to include lakeside and park locations, as well as options in the surrounding area? If Murtle Lake or the Safari departure point is part of your plans, check the current park information or contact the operator. This will help you decide what you want your vacation to focus on without overlooking the different conditions at these locations.

Thompson-Nicola as the broader setting

The broader travel destination of Thompson-Nicola encompasses a variety of landscapes. The Thompson-Nicola Regional District includes areas of temperate inland rainforest in the upper North Thompson Valley, the gently rolling grasslands of the Nicola Valley, and desert and semi-arid climates at Kamloops Lake. Wells Gray Park is known for its old-growth rainforest, alpine meadows, and numerous waterfalls.

Activities also vary across Thompson-Nicola: Sun Peaks Resort offers snowshoeing and cross-country ski trails in winter, and hiking, mountain biking, and golf in summer. Seasonal offerings may vary. In Kamloops, the Secwépemc Museum and Heritage Park features three galleries, an educational theatre space, a memorial garden, and a nature park. The offerings also include an informative guided tour of the Kamloops Indian Residential School. These regional examples add to the picture of Blue River, where the local points of reference remain the trails, the bridge, and the parks mentioned above.

Discover more destinations: Kamloops, Logan Lake, Sun Peaks, Savona, 70 Mile House, Clinton, Barrière, Monte Creek

For the broader travel overview: Thompson-Nicola.