Road trip: Vancouver to Osoyoos on the Crowsnest Highway

Roughly four hours separate Vancouver from Osoyoos via Highway 3, and they're four of BC's most scenic: coastal forest to alpine passes to orchard valleys to desert, a full climate tour in an afternoon.

The route

Take Highway 1 to Hope, then climb onto Highway 3, the Crowsnest, through E.C. Manning Provincial Park, over Allison Pass, down through Princeton, and along the Similkameen Valley to Keremeos before the final descent into Osoyoos.

Stops worth stopping for

Hope: fuel, coffee, and the famous chainsaw carvings. Manning Park: alpine viewpoints and leg-stretch trails. Princeton: classic small-town lunch. Keremeos: the "fruit stand capital of Canada", arriving in cherry season without stopping is legally questionable. Spotted Lake: ten minutes before town, the perfect trip finale (see our guide).

Arrival strategy

Crest the last hill on Highway 3 and the whole Osoyoos basin opens below, time it for late afternoon and the view will sell the trip on its own. Then it's downhill to Main Street, where free parking, a 24-hour front desk, and (if you've timed it right) a sunset swim are waiting.

Winter note

Allison Pass demands winter tires and weather checks from fall through spring; DriveBC is your friend.