Visiting Penticton and feel like going for a run? Or maybe you’re a local searching for some new routes to explore? Either way, this post has you covered with the best places to run in Penticton.
I’ve been living in Penticton for almost a decade now and usually run three times a week. Whether you prefer flat road routes or challenging hilly trails, this small city has a variety of options. While I’m more of a road runner at heart, I’ve hiked many of the most popular running trails.
Let’s get into it – I’ll start with my favourite road running routes, then move onto some trails and then finish with some local race information.
Okanagan Lake Waterfront
Running along the lake never gets old – at least, not for me! A paved path runs along a long length of the Okanagan Lake waterfront. It’s completely flat and offers beautiful views of the surrounding area.
The widest section is between the iconic Peach and the SS Sicamous sternwheeler. It’s 1km one-way. To extend the run, head towards the Rose Garden and Loco Landing (west) or towards the Japanese Garden and Marina Park (east).
This is my favourite place to run in Penticton for a number of reasons. Obviously, it’s incredibly scenic. Second, I love that I can easily put together routes of up to 10km without ever crossing a road. Third, it connects to so many other areas of town. Finally, it is cleared quickly of snow in winter.
Oh, from late April to late September, there are many washrooms and water fountains.
The downside? It is busy in summer. If I can’t go for a run early (before 9am), I tend to avoid the Peach to Sicamous stretch in July and August, due to the amount of people walking and cycling.
Penticton parkrun
Penticton hosts a weekly parkrun on the Okanagan Lake waterfront. This completely free volunteer-run 5km running event takes place every Saturday in 22 countries across the world. Thousands of people run or walk a timed parkrun for training, exercise or just for fun.
Still a growing movement in Canada, parkrun is open to everyone, no matter your pace (walkers are welcome too!) A volunteer ‘tailwalker’ follows the group and is always the last person to cross the line.
I’ve recently achieved 100 parkruns, most of them at the Penticton event. I work parkrun into my running training (usually for easy runs) or, when I’m not following a plan, to challenge myself and try to beat my 5k time.
The Penticton parkrun event starts at 8am. Participants meet under the big tree in Rotary Park, next to the Peach. Aim to arrive about five minutes before.
KVR Trail – paved section from Vancouver Avenue to Main Street
The Kettle Valley Rail (KVR) Trail is one of Penticton’s best assets. Now a multi-use trail, the Kettle Valley Railway once travelled almost 500km between Midway and Hope.
The route of the KVR Trail approaches Penticton from the north via the Naramata Bench, runs close to the downtown area and then exits north again towards Summerland. The in-town section is paved and makes for a great destination for a short run or connector between other local trails.
The paved section runs from the south side of Vancouver Avenue to Main Street via Penticton Secondary, a distance of 2km. The first, mostly flat section, is the most scenic, with wonderful views across the city. It then heads dowhill to Government Street, where it starts to cross multiple roads.
I often combine sections of this paved route with runs along Penticton Creek, to connect with the Okanagan Waterfront (above). I also use it to access the Penticton Secondary Running Track (below).
Penticton Secondary Running Track
If you don’t want to think about planning a route and/or need to do some speed work, head to the running track next to Penticton Secondary. It’s easily accessible via the paved section of the KVR Trail (as described above).
I sometimes go to the track on weekends and I’m always surprised how well used it is – by other runners, walkers, kids on bikes, families playing ball in the centre. It’s never too busy though, with plenty of space for everyone.
There are tennis courts as well, so if you’re looking for a way to mix up your workout, this is a great place to go. There is another running track in McNicoll Park, close to École Entre-Lacs.
Penticton Channel
The Penticton Channel runs just over 6km between Okanagan Lake and Skaha Lake. This man-made waterway has a wide, flat multi-use trail on the western bank. The Penticton Channel trail is well used by walkers, cyclists and runners. There are usually a lot of dogs being walked as well.
I ran the Penticton Channel a lot during marathon training. It’s easy to combine with the Okanagan Waterfront – just run over the dam at the northern end of the Channel. The path is half paved, half gravel. The downside is that there aren’t many facilities along the route.
There are several different places to park to access the Channel. A large parking lot is located at the southern end, just off Highway 97. Note that it is very busy with channel floaters in July and August. More parking can be found on Green Avenue West. At the northern end, park in Riverside Park, by Loco Landing or on the waterfront.
KVR Trail
The rest of the KVR Trail offers plenty of opportunities for trail running. The surface is cleared gravel and is very wide in areas, so fairly easy to run. I’m not a trail runner at all but I often run on the KVR – some sections feel almost paved.
The easiest section to run is from Vancouver Place to the McCulloch Trestle. This is 2.5km one-way, perfect for a short run. It is almost completely flat with the exception of two hills around the 2km point. There are KVR distance markers every 500m along this route. A washroom and drinking fountain are located at 1.5km.
For a longer run, continue north along the KVR. The following 1.3km is still pretty flat. After crossing Naramata Road (another washroom and drinking fountain), the trail starts to narrow and has a 2.2% uphill gradient. It’s possible to keep going for many kilometres.
I once ran a half marathon entirely on the KVR Trail. JR drove me up the Little Tunnel parking area on Smethurst Road. I then ran north, turned around at the Little Tunnel and then back to downtown Penticton.
More trail running destinations
As mentioned, I’m more of a road runner with only occasional forays onto Penticton’s easier trails (KVR, Channel). For more challenging trail running in Penticton, head to:
- Campbell Mountain
- Three Blind Mice
- Carmi Recreation Trails
- Skaha Bluffs
Penticton running tips
If you need any running supplies while in Penticton, head to Peach City Runners on Main Street. It’s owned and operated by Neil, who is an experienced local trail runner. The store is open Tuesday to Saturday and has a great range of shoes, clothing, gear and nutrition items.
Feel like joining a race? The Interior Running Association runs both a road race and trail race series. I really like the variation of race distances, from 5k to 15k. I enjoyed the Oliver 10k when I took part a few years ago.
The Peach City Triathlon has been operating for over 40 years, which makes it one of Canada’s oldest. The standard event involves a 1500m swim, 40km bike and 10km run but there are shorter variations as well as relay options. It usually takes place in mid July each year.
For half marathon and full marathon races, the closest events are in Kelowna. There’s the Hungry Hungry Half in May, the Wine Country Half Marathon in June (along with a 5k and 10k version), the Apple Marathon (Full, Half, 8km) in late September.
