While our jaunt north of the border was short, we were able to extend the our Canadian adventure with a magical drive across southern British Columbia. Because we were heading to Spokane, a city on the eastern side of Washington close to the Idaho border, we could take a different route, forming a kind of lollipop loop back to the United States. This trek took us through the more agricultural parts of the province- through the ranch lands and fields, orchards, and even wine country. Yes, Canada does have a wine country, and we did drive through the Okanagan Valley on the way back to the U.S.
We started our long drive back to Washington after a quick breakfast of coffee and donuts at Tim Horton’s and souvenir shopping in Vancouver. As we had mentioned to the border patrol agent the day prior, Sami had wanted to buy a Canada sweatshirt as a souvenir, and buy one she did. After dropping more than a few Canadian dollars on other tees and treats, we set out from Vancouver, heading east along Trans-Canada Highway 1. The Trans-Canada Highway connects all ten of Canada’s provinces and extends 7821 km (4860 mi), making it the longest trans-national highway in the world. We watched the scenery change along Highway 1 from the Vancouver metro area to the farms and fields of Fraser Valley and Chilliwack. Looking south, we could see the peaks of the Cascades, which were in a way, a reminder to us of the boundary between Canada and home to the United States. We continued east to Hope, and there we stopped for lunch before continuing east on highway 3.
Hope is a lovely town along the Fraser River. The municipality is small, however it is surrounded by lush green scenery, and there are a number of recreational opportunities in the area. There are many hiking trails to explore in the area around Hope, as well as rafting and kayaking. Even our lunch at Rolly’s was good, and the view outside was pretty. We enjoyed fried pickles and brunch fare, and finished it off with a bumbleberry pie to go. I learned that ‘bumbleberry’ is not a berry; rather the pie is a mixed berry and apple pie that is said to have originated in the eastern provinces. The dessert made a nice snack later on our drive.
After lunch, we hit the road again. British Columbia Highway 3 is also known as the Crowsnest Highway and traverses southern British Columbia starting at Hope and terminating in Alberta, Canada. The route passes through some beautiful campgrounds and scenic passes, and would be our main highway for the remainder of our drive through Canada.
As we followed the Similkameen River, we passed by a number of campgrounds and provincial parks, many of which offer some scenic trails and other outdoor activities. I wish we had time to stop; however it was still nice to be able to look out the window and enjoy the journey.
After miles of bright blue sky and a driver switch at the lone gas station about 40 kilometers from Princeton, the ‘bronze sculpture capital of Canada,’ the sky began to change. I saw what appeared to be puffy clouds riding above the mountains. At first I couldn’t discern whether they were thunderclouds or smoke, but as the air outside became more hazy and the smell more acrid, it became clear that what we were seeing was the result of growing wildfires in the region. This was confirmed as we passed by fire engines from the town of Oliver. We were driving in the smoke of the Okanagan wildfires, which we would later read, that forced evacuations of homes around the community of Kelowna, and destroy over 100 homes. There was also another fire burning closer to our next stop in Keremeos, a town known for its orchards and fruit stands.
We stopped in search of some buttered corn and cider; unfortunately I picked one stand of the many in Keremeos that had neither. However we did use the opportunity to have a nice stretch break and purchased some dried fruit and nonalcoholic pear cider. The apple orchards were pretty even with the smokey background as the afternoon sun hung red in the sky. After our snack we hit the road again, driving through the lovely, historic Okanagan Valley wine country. Unfortunately we didn’t have time to stop on this trip; I would like to return and spend a day for Canadian wine tasting.
Another place on the list to visit, in addition to the many provincial parks in the Okanagan Valley, is Osoyoos. Lake Osoyoos is a warm-water lake and is a popular spot for water activities. We saw many folks enjoying swims even on a warm summer Thursday. It appeared as though families were taking advantage of the warm weather to holiday before school started up again. As I was driving, I unfortunately was not able to capture any photos of the shimmering blue lake, but it did look like it would be refreshing on a warm summer day.
As we continued east and out of the Okanagan Valley, the towns grew smaller once again, and we saw more ranches and RV parks. After hundreds of kilometers and yet all too soon, we eventually came to the small town of Midway, where we anticipated crossing the border. There were signs all over for festivals and events in Boundary Country, which as the name suggests is the area between the junction of highway 33 and Christina Lake along Crowsnest Highway near the Canada-United States boundary. It had the feel of the old west in a way, but somehow different. We stopped for a short break and a snack at a gas station rest stop. The maple walnut ice cream was a nice treat before crossing the boundary into the United States and continuing another 2.5 hours to Spokane.
We approached the border and said our reluctant good-byes to Canada, hoping in our hearts that we would be able to return the following summer. I saw the sign for the border ahead and noted the hours, wondering what a closed border crossing would look like. Well, we found out it’s a locked gate- literally.
We arrived at the Midway crossing at 6:45 pm and the kiosks for entries into the US and Canada were shut by a low, locked gate. It took a few seconds to register that the gates of our country were closed to us in that instant. In my moment of panic, I also had half-second internal debate as to what might happen if I tried to get round the barrier, and figured that it would not only be logistically impossible, it would be exceedingly unwise (and criminal). Fortunately, slightly cooler heads prevailed, as well as Google, and we found that there was a port of entry 75 km east near Christina Lake, and we had just over an hour to get there before that gate would too close.
So it was a race against the clock at 100 kilometers per hour (the speed limit on most stretches of the highway). Our trek north and the east took us over the hills of Boundary Falls. We knew we were getting closer when Crowsnest Highway began to roughly parallel the Kettle River. We came to the town of Grand Forks and finally to Christina Lake. The sun was beginning to set and the trees and hills looked beautiful against the sun’s golden glow. But even as we enjoyed the last minutes of our Canadian road trip, I was glad to have made the Laurier, Washington port of entry before closing, with 20 minutes to spare.
Once again we had a round of questions regarding our time in Canada, as well as why we made such a long drive for a day’s trip. I again went with honesty as to the purpose of our visit to Vancouver as well as our reason for driving back to Spokane when we were all the way from Southern California. After having our passports scanned and suffering the indignity of the U.S. border patrol agent never having heard of Noah Kahan, we were wished a safe trip and waved through onto the U.S. 395 south.
We followed the Kettle River along this northernmost part of a route we’ve driven long stretches of every summer for the past several years. The setting sun and evergreen trees, along with a lone deer crossing the road made for an interesting and pretty drive back in our home country. Though only a day, our drive through beautiful British Columbia was an adventure to remember.
Some things to consider:
Be sure to have adequate fuel, water, and snacks. Our trip from Vancouver to what ended up being Christina Lake took us through some truly lovely places. Cell service was spotty in some of the areas, especially those that were far from towns. We started to run low on fuel and should have fueled in Hope. Fortunately the car made it to one that was near Manning Park, and we were thankfully able to continue on our trek without issues.
We learned the hard way that border crossings do indeed close, especially those that are in more rural areas. Be sure to check border hours when mapping out your drive.
If the border crossing happens to be closed on arrival, go with a plan B such as finding another port of entry or extending your stay if possible. Even as U.S. citizens trying to re-enter the United States, to have done so without a border patrol agent at an authorized entry point would have constituted illegal entry, an offense that can carry a fine and/or imprisonment.
At time of writing, wildfires are still an issue throughout Canada. Please check current road conditions before and while traveling. Google maps can show where wildfires are burning, just note there may be a delay. Also, please be safe. My thoughts are with those affected by the fires as well as those who are fighting the fires.
Our time ‘north of the border,’ though short, was definitely an adventure to remember. We had the opportunity to see the beauty of the southern part of the province while enjoying time as a family. I do hope to return and have the chance to explore more of beautiful British Columbia.
For more information or to plan your trip, visit:
Hope, Cascades & Canyons Visitor Centre
Okanagan Wine Country
Border crossings- Washington State
Border crossings- British Columbia information
References:
Inc., TransCanada FoundLocally. “Canada Highway Road Trip Planning & Travel Information 🍁.” TransCanada Highway, 20 Aug. 2023, transcanadahighway.com/.
The Cranky Camper 
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