Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park — Attraction in Area B (South Fraser Canyon/Sunshine Valley)

I’ve never wanted Canada to carry a history of castles and crusades more than arriving at the Othello Tunnels. Firstly, “Othello Castle” is a cool sounding name for a medieval keep, so much so that there really is one (in Cyprus). Both the real castle and these tunnels are named after the same work by Shakespeare. Officially called the Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, visitors are able to walk the remnants of old railway lines from decades ago, passing through the tunnels and opening into beautiful cliffside views. Now picture these tunnels, virtually unmodified in their straight path, alternating from shadow to light, leading eventually to an epic-scaled castle sitting upon a mountain rock. It would be a page from Game of Thrones. I kept imagining—as I entered each mouth, passed over each bridge—knights leaving their home on a grand quest. I thought of fantasy monsters, like orcs or pagus (a plug to Amethyst) attempting a siege, making it through one passageway, only to discover a river and a drawbridge waiting for them on the other side, realizing yet more channels and bridges impeded them further up. When the sun greeted me, I looked up the mountainside, imagining a Tolkien-esque citadel poking above the trees. Alas, this is British Columbia, and you’d have be some bizarre fantasy writer to place a castle amidst apocalyptic ruins of man’s once great technological wonders. Heh.

As I snapped back to functional cognitive awareness, I realized how reality compared, one of the most picturesque hidden gems in BC. And I mean hidden. Unless you have satellite navigation, it would be tricky to find the Othello Tunnels. I kept thinking we’d gotten lost. Parking was decent, though upon our return, we found a pamphlet wedged under our wiper blade reminding of the dangers of leaving items unattended in a car. Apparently, so far away from anything resembling civilization does not protect one from break-ins…somewhat depressing. The walk is without stress, with the only downside being its abruptness. We were able to pass through the majority of the tunnels in less than thirty minutes. This does make it a useful tourist spot for those passing by. From Vancouver to Kelowna, it’s a short detour. It’s also free, which is a big deal. Worth it? Obviously. I jest about the castle of course, and I have no problem having such an image remaining in the recesses of fancy. The Othello Tunnels are a great visit with great views, and unless you’re in a rush between destinations, you should...

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park ⛰Othello Tunnels

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, popularly called the Othello Tunnels is a provincial park located near Hope, British Columbia focused on the canyon of the Coquihalla River and a decommissioned railway grade, now a walking trail, leading eventually to Coquihalla Pass. Originally part of the Kettle Valley Railway, five tunnels and a series of bridges follow a relatively straight line through the gorge, which is lined with sheer, flat rock cliffs.

In the early 90's, the Canadian Pacific Railway decided to connect the Kootenays with the southern coast of British Columbia, and it was decided that the best option was a route through the Coquihalla Gorge. Nowadays, the path has been restored as part of the Kettle Valley Railway Trail and no longer has any railway tracks. It is known for its gradual change in elevation.

The location of the Othello tunnels near the convergence of several historic trails--the Hudson's Bay Company brigade trail, the Dewdney Trail and the Hope-Nicola Valley Trail--has both historical and recreational importance. These early trails assisted in the opening up of the province for settlement and resource extraction beginning in the late 1840s. The Hope-Nicola Trail is now a popular hiking route.

The tunnels are the most important visitor attraction in the Hope area, representing both an economic and interpretive opportunity for the town of Hope. A destination for local and regional outdoors groups, the tunnels, park and trails are valued for the recreational opportunities they provide local citizens and tourists for viewing, walking, picnicking, photography and fishing. The site is also important for its extensive use by the film industry (the most well-known film being 'First Blood') and for the establishment of visitor facilities by the Hope Chamber of Commerce through a Canada Works Grant prior to the area being designated a recreation area.

⚠️TUNNELS & TRAIL Please Respect & Help to Preserve this Historical and Ecologically Sensitive Area by: - Using Garbage Containers - Staying on Trails - Reduce Noise Keep your Pets Restrained. Stay Safe - Have Fun.Please enjoy your visit and help others to...

We arrived at the Park not knowing what to expect having just recently been told about the tunnels and that they were worth a visit. The car park was spacious and we walked down the trail towards the tunnels, reading the information plaques as we went, these informed us of the amazing history of how and why the tunnels were built and why they were named after various Shakespeare characters. The engineering and bravery of the men is incredible and the secenery with the sheer cliff faces and the crystal clear waters below reminded me of the scenery from the film, Last of the Mohicans . I would disregard the comment from Clem Morton who should stick to lonely hiking trails where he may just encounter animals and wildlife and not other people who enjoy the views and relish in the history of these amazing tunnels and how they were built overcoming treacherous natural obstacles to build a railway in very difficult conditions.We encountered other visitors who were all polite and only interested in enjoying the views and scenery whilst wondering in awe at the achievements of the...