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Othello Tunnels & Hope-Nicola Valley Loop: Rocks & Railway Adventure

Explore Historic Kettle Valley Railway, Embrace the Darkness of Othello Tunnels, May the Force of Coquihalla River Be With You!

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, near Hope BC, with its magnificent rocky terrain along forceful rapids of Coquihalla River, the majestic wilderness of the Hope-Nicola Valley Trail, is a unique place to explore and offers some of the most epic, yet still kid-friendly hikes in Fraser Valley. Located within the Park, are the famous Othello Tunnels, are a popular attraction with both locals and tourists alike, if not yet, then definitely should be on your list of Top Ten outdoor adventures to explore when visiting British Columbia.  

IMPORTANT: CLOSED. In fall 2021 Othello Tunnels have sustained significant damage due to devastating flooding of BC's Fraser Valley. Tunnels are not expected to reopen to visitors in 2022.

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Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, located near Hope BC, encompasses the entire canyon of the Coquihalla River leading eventually to Coquihalla Pass. The park was first established as the Coquihalla Canyon Recreation Area, then upgraded and renamed with full provincial park status in 1997. 

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park is most known for its unique attraction – the Othello Tunnels. These are a series of man-made tunnels carved through granite rocks, a former operational railroad – Kettle Valley Railway. The rail-bed crosses the Coquihalla River several times, the trestles have long been converted to walkways, and the views of the Coquihalla River are simply epic! Definitely worth a visit!

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Directions

GPS / Google Maps anchor point: Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park, Hope, BC V0X 1L1

If you are heading to Othello Tunnels from Coquitlam Centre, it will take you about 1 hour and 45 minutes to get there.

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If you are visiting Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park in the summer months, be prepared for a challenging parking situation. As Othello Tunnels are a popular tourist attraction, it gets busy. 

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Plan Your Visit

Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park is open to the public annually from April 1 to October 31. 

The Park and the Othello Tunnels that are located within the park are closed during the winter months for safety reasons. Since the area gets a lot of moisture from the river, the surfaces get icy and slippery and the tunnels themselves are a danger because of the falling ice.

In addition, a season’s opening can be delayed depending on the weather conditions.

We suggest that if you plan to visit – check the B.C. Parks’ website to see if the tunnels are open. There have been few occasions in the past ten years – tunnels were closed due to rocks falling danger.

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Othello Tunnels

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The Othello Tunnels are located within Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park just steps away from the parking lot, and are a truly epic man-made creation. 

The spectacular scenery of the canyon, impressive Coquihalla River, and ingenious engineering skill of early 1900ies, makes Othello Tunnels a local marvel to see and a fun place to explore. 

The Tunnels were originally built in 1914 as a part of the historic Kettle Valley Railway. 

As per the BC Parks website:  “In the early 1900s, the Canadian Pacific Railway decided a route was necessary to link the Kootenay Region with the BC coast by rail. The railway was built over three mountain ranges. In the Coquihalla Gorge – the river cut a 300-foot deep channel of solid granite.“

The story goes that the chief engineer of the building project Andrew McCulloch was a fan of Shakespeare’s plays, and named Othello Tunnels this way.

“The engineer Andrew McCullough was an avid reader of Shakespearean literature, and used characters such as Lear, Jessica, Portia, Iago, Romeo & Juliet to name stations of the Coquihalla subdivision.“

Referencing BC Parks website once again

Othello Tunnels are also known as Quintette Tunnels as there are five of these tunnels in total. 

The railway was operational for almost 50 years, after finally being decommissioned in 1961.

Today, Othello Tunnels are a popular attraction with both locals and tourists alike. Along with other epic places as Joffre Lakes, Stawamus Chief, Sea-to-Sky Gondola, Mt. Seymour, Grouse Mountain, and Hells Gate, are on the list of Top Ten outdoor adventures to explore when visiting British Columbia. 

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Othello Tunnels Hike

There are two options to explore the Othello Tunnels. 

The first option is to simply head straight to the Tunnels from the parking lot, through the tunnels, and back – we’ll call it Othello Tunnels Hike.

This route is level and well-maintained, easily accessible by wheelchair and is stroller-friendly. 

Bringing a flashlight with you is a good idea. Othello Tunnels are dark and pretty long. Although most of the surface is even. Kids can be scared (although Cosmos wasn’t). 

A source of light will help you walk through the Tunnels without tripping on the uneven surface, getting your feet wet in puddles, and without bumping into other visitors, kids, and dogs.

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Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop

Your second option to see the Tunnels is to take the Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop – a 6km loop through the entire Coquihalla Canyon Park. You’ll head to the Othello Tunnels, just the same as described above, but then continue on a hidden trail through some stunning forest and backcountry. 

Measured to be an “easy” hike, Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop can be done with small kids. Be warned: the full loop is not an accessible route. There are few rooty-rocky sections and climbs you’d need to do, so make sure to bring good hiking shoes for kids and adults alike.

We've explored many trails around Fraser Valley, and are always identifying kids-friendly hikes with tips on visiting. As always, check out Quick Facts about this trail – Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop.

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Accessibility and Hiking Safety

If you follow our family closely, you’ve probably guessed: we’ve hiked the full loop! At the time, Cosmos as just a bit shy of turning 2. He was able to hike Othello Tunnels by himself and had been carried by Alex much of the rest of Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop. 

We also had our grandma with us, who, although not a regular hiker, was able to complete the entire loop comfortably. 

We do not recommend the full Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop hike though, to anyone with mobility concerns or who had been through a recent trauma or surgery. The trail is very lightly trafficked, and there is no cell reception past Othello Tunnels' part. 

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As a reminder, we’ve posted on Hiking Safety in the past when hiking with kids. Check out our post here: Hiking With Kids: 12 Simple Safety Rules Every Parent Should Follow.

…and here is how to explore the wilderness the Leave No Trace way: Leave No Trace & Outdoor Ethics – Zero Impact Family Adventures

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Othello Tunnels – Photo Gallery

Please enjoy the photos we’ve taken when hiking Coquihalla Canyon Provincial Park via Hope-Nicola Valley Trail Loop.

We’ve visited the beginning of October and strongly recommend this time. For starters, there are many fewer tourists, and as such – much better opportunities for epic photos. On the other hand, surrounding autumn maple trees changing colors and pouring rain of pure gold upon your heads, make the experience absolutely magical! 

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Few More Things To Do This Fall

Here are a few more ideas on where it is best to enjoy changing colors of the Fall in Vancouver: Awesome Places To Experience Magical Fall in Vancouver, and if it so happened and you got a rainy day: Cool Rainy Day Activities & Awesome Things To Do With Kids in Vancouver

Or maybe you are looking for something unique and exciting to enjoy with your kids? Here is a suggestion you absolutely have to check out! Teapot Hill – Treasure Hunt Hiking Adventure Your Kids Will Absolutely Love!

Are you an outdoor enthusiast who loves unique adventures? Know more kid-friendly hikes in Fraser Valley? Share your ideas with us! Comment or send us a message!

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Latest outdoors and travel experiences in British Columbia:

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Enjoy!

Cheerfully yours,

Alexandra, Alex & Cosmos

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Share your pictures on social media! tag #PerfectDayToPlayHike to be featured on our Instagram! 

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