Welcome to the Similkameen Valley
British Columbia, Canada
Rugged. Rustic. Real.
Winter in the Similkameen Valley
Linger a little longer in the Similkameen Valley this winter — where quiet mountain trails, snow‑capped peaks, and sweeping valley views invite you to slow down, explore, and breathe in the season.
Here, winter is simple, refreshing, and made for connection. Bring your friends and family and create new memories on tubing hills, outdoor skating rinks, and through charming small towns that light up the season. With cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, alpine terrain, frozen lakes, and wide-open winter roads, the valley is a perfect cold-weather escape just a short drive from the Lower Mainland and the Okanagan.
Glide along the Nordic trails at China Ridge and Nickel Plate Nordic Area, carve powder at Manning Park Resort, drop a line through the ice on Yellow Lake or Otter Lake, or skate on natural and indoor rinks throughout the valley. Snowmobilers will find deep, dependable powder from November through April in the backcountry around Princeton, Tulameen, and Olalla.
Prefer a slower pace? Sip wines and ciders at local tasting rooms, browse winter markets, enjoy seasonal events, or take a scenic drive to photograph the valley’s peaceful winter landscapes.
Plan Your Trip
- Discover even more ideas in our Winter Blog: Top 10 Ways to Enjoy the Similkameen
- Stay current with travel advisories on our Current Travel Info page
- Check out our local events
Official visitor website for the Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, Canada, including Cathedral Lakes, Cawston, Chopaka, Coalmont, Eastgate, Hedley, Keremeos, Manning Park, Olalla, Princeton, Similkameen Valley, Tulameen and Twin Lakes
The Similkameen Valley is the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Similamix and Smelqmix People.
Top Rated Experiences
Getting Here Is Easy
The Crowsnest Highway (BC Highway 3) runs straight through the Similkameen Valley. It travels from Princeton to the Okanagan Valley at Osoyoos 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 180 kilometres. Start at Manning Park in the west and end up at the BC Highway 97 junction in Kaleden or Osoyoos in the east. How long it takes to drive it will be up to you, there is plenty to see and do!
What Does Similkameen Mean?
The Similkameen River and valley are named for its Indigenous people, the Similkameen, meaning “people of the river.”
