The Ride Itself
The route runs along an old rail bed, which means the grade barely moves the whole way. I want to be specific about this because "mostly flat" gets thrown around a lot in trail descriptions and is often misused. Aside from a short hill getting on and off the trail at either end, this is as flat as a trail gets. So you will just be cruising beside the lake the entire time.
From Oyama to Vernon is 18 km one way, so 36 km round trip if you're doing the full out-and-back. On a regular bike that's a decent but manageable ride. On an e-bike, which is what I'd recommend and what most people out here are using, it's a breeze. You spend more time looking at the lake than focusing on your leg muscles.
And the lake is the whole reason to do this. The trail follows the edge of Kalamalka Lake almost the entire way, and Kalamalka is generally considered the most beautiful lake in the Okanagan. I'd go further than that. The water has a turquoise colour I haven't seen anywhere outside the Adriatic, and it shifts in tone depending on the light, the depth, and the time of day. There are stretches where you'll want to stop just to look at it, and other stretches where you're tempted to jump right in.
Along the way, there are a dozen or so proper rocky beaches, plus another dozen smaller swim spots that don't have much in the way of actual shoreline but still get you into the water easily enough. Bring a swimsuit just in case. You will want to get in at some point.
Where To Start: Why Oyama
The best place to start this ride is Oyama, a small community sitting right on the narrow strip of land between Wood Lake and Kalamalka Lake. This is where Pedego Electric Bike Rentals operates, and they're who I'd recommend for the bikes themselves.
Their fleet is comfortable cruiser-style e-bikes with real power behind the pedal assist, which makes the trail even more fun. The combination of a flat trail and a strong motor means you spend the ride enjoying the scenery instead of negotiating with your own cardiovascular system.
Technically, the rail trail is much longer than the Oyama to Vernon stretch, and you could start all the way back in Kelowna if you wanted to turn this into more of a challenge. I wouldn't. The section between Kelowna and Oyama is fine, but it's not the reason people talk about this ride. Starting in Oyama means you skip straight to the part everyone's actually here for.
If you've got your own bike and want to cut things down even further, there's another option worth knowing about. Drive up to Kekuli Bay Provincial Park and start riding from there instead. The stretch between Kekuli Bay and Vernon is about 9 km, and it happens to be the single most impressive section of the entire trail. It's a good call if you're short on time, already have wheels, or just want the highlight reel without the full commitment.
Arriving In Vernon
The trail spits you out at the south end of Vernon, and whoever planned this section deserves credit, because you land in exactly the right spot. There are three good options waiting for you, and depending on your mood, your energy level, and how hot the day's been, any one of them works.
Rail Trail Cafe & Market is the obvious first stop, and it's what we did. After 18 km of dusty trail, an iced coffee hits differently. The patio out front is large and mostly outdoor, and you'll be sharing it with a dozen or so other riders who just made the same trip, all looking equally dusty and equally pleased with themselves. There's a real sense of shared accomplishment sitting out there, even though "accomplishment" is a generous word for a flat trail and an e-bike. There's also a small market attached if you'd rather grab a cold drink or a snack and carry it across the street to the beach instead.
Kal Beach sits directly across from the cafe, and it's a big, sandy, lively public beach. It tends to be packed, but there's enough sand that the crowd gets absorbed without ever feeling cramped.
A large T-shaped dock extends out into the lake if you want to walk out over the water rather than just sit beside it, and there are washroom and changeroom facilities around the midpoint of the beach if you'd rather get out of your biking gear before cooling off properly. This is the move if the ride left you hot and the iced coffee wasn't enough on its own.
Alexander's Pub anchors the other end of the beach, opposite the cafe, and it's exactly what you'd expect from a classic Canadian pub. Cold beer, big burgers, a patio out back. Nothing here is reinventing anything, and that's fine, because sometimes what you actually want after 18 km is a burger and a pint before turning around and doing it again. It's a good refuel before the return trip.
Whichever one you pick, or if you do all three, this stretch of Vernon gives you a great reason to linger before the ride back rather than just turning around immediately.
The Ride Back
Once you've had your coffee, your swim, or your burger, the return trip is the same 18 km in reverse, and it doesn't get old the second time through. If anything, the light tends to shift as the day goes on, and the lake looks a little different heading south than it did heading north.
Use the ride back as another excuse to stop at one of the trailside beaches for a second dip, especially if the day's gotten warm. You've already done the hard part, or the closest thing this ride has to a hard part, so there's no reason to rush the last stretch.
By the time you're back in Oyama, you'll probably be ready for dinner, and there's a pizza spot right there that makes an easy, uncomplicated way to close out the day. Sitting down with a pizza after a day spent riding beside turquoise water is about as good an ending as this kind of day trip gets.
A Few Practical Notes
Book your bike rental ahead if you can, especially in peak summer, since Pedego and similar operators do get busy on weekends. Bring sunscreen and a hat regardless of what the forecast says, because there's very little shade along most of the trail and the Okanagan sun doesn't play around.
Pack a swimsuit, obviously, along with a small dry bag if you want to keep a phone or wallet safe while you're in the water. And bring more water than you think you need; the same advice that applies to basically everything outdoorsy in this valley.
If you're deciding how to spend a day away from Kelowna, this is the one I'd point you toward first. It's low effort, high reward, and it puts you right up against one of the most striking lakes in the province for the better part of an afternoon.
FAQ
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