Welcome to the Similkameen Valley
British Columbia, Canada
Rugged. Rustic. Real.
Fall in the Similkameen Valley is a season of colour, flavour, and adventure. Rolling hills glow with golden larch and fiery aspens, while crisp breezes make it the perfect time to explore.
This is harvest season in the Fruit Stand and Organic Farming Capital of Canada. Discover more than 20 roadside stands filled with apples, pears, and squash, sip award-winning wines and ciders, and taste farm-to-table meals that showcase the valley’s bounty.
Festivals and culture bring the season to life—from the Similkameen Sizzle Pepper Festival to the Grist Mill’s Heritage Fall Fair. History buffs can explore museums and heritage sites, while art lovers will enjoy Princeton’s bronze sculptures on a self-guided walk.
Outdoors, fall is prime time for hiking, biking, fishing, and golf. Drop a line in the Similkameen or Tulameen Rivers, or explore Manning Park, cycle dog-friendly trails at China Ridge, or tee off at the historic Princeton Golf Club. End your days under star-filled skies at a riverside campsite, vineyard guesthouse, or cozy B&B.
Check out our Fall Blog for trip ideas, and be sure to take in one of our local events.
Stay current with travel advisories – visit our Current Travel Info page
Linger longer this fall in the Similkameen Valley, where you will meet friendly locals in welcoming communities and small hamlets, and where waving to strangers is still the norm. Whether you’re road tripping, cycling, or touring on a motorcycle, every bend in the road invites discovery.
The Similkameen Valley is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Similamix and Smelqmix People.
Official visitor website for the Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada, including Cathedral Park, Cawston, Chopaka, Coalmont, Eastgate, Hedley, Keremeos, Manning Park, Olalla, Princeton, Tulameen, and Twin Lakes.
Top Rated Experiences
Getting Here Is Easy
The Crowsnest Scenic BC Highway 3 runs straight through the Similkameen Valley. Starting from the west exit from Hope, you will travel to Manning Park, then onward Princeton, followed by Hedley, Keremeos and Cawston. Further eastbound you will arrive at the junction of Highway 97 at Osoyoos and gateway to the Okanagan Valley in the Thompson-Okanagan Region of BC’s Interior. We are a 3-hour drive from Vancouver.
If you were to drive the valley from end to end, you’d cover 111 miles (180 km). Start at Manning Park in the west and end up at the BC Highway 97 junction in Kaleden (Hwy 3A) or Osoyoos in the east. How long it takes to drive it will be up to you, there is plenty to see and do! Check out our road trip routes to get you here from any direction.
What Does Similkameen Mean?
The Similkameen River and valley are named for their Indigenous people, the Similkameen, meaning “people of the river.” Learn more.
