🇨🇦Othello Tunnels, Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park
💁♀️ Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, Hope, BC
This time I will visit a mysterious spot. 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 Othello Tunnels are five old train bridges and tunnels that pass over the wild Coquihalla River, cutting through stock granite walls. The tunnels are located east of the town of Hope in the Coquihalla Provincial Park of British Columbia. The trail is a short 3.5km return route.
The canyon itself is significant for its breathtaking immense scale, the sheer vertical walls, and spectacular views up and down the Coquihalla River and to the Cascade Mountains to the north. The canyon and tunnels engage all of the senses with the visual experience of passing through the tunnels and the canyon, the cool temperature and damp scents in the tunnels, and the sound of the swirling Coquihalla River below.
The tunnels express a continuum of time through the use of different construction materials such as wood, concrete, and stone. Aesthetic value is found in the design of the wooden support structure in Tunnel No. 1, the elaborate concrete columns in Tunnel No. 2, and the decorative concrete tunnel entrances.
The winter in this area is mesmerizing, but due to unsafe conditions, the tunnels are closed during this time. They can even be occasionally closed during the summer months if there are too many rock slides taking place. Taking this all into consideration, the best chance for a visit is from April or May to October.
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...
Read more
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AI.
